Debbie Crowley

www.theglasshive.com

I was born in Pacific Beach, CA in 1957. I attended gifted schools for most of my life, many of which included art programs where I learned the strong passion I had for art of any kind. As a kid I began drawing and watercolor painting, later I found clay and sculpting. After marrying and having 2 children, my best creations ever, I began teaching ceramics, Raku, drawing, weaving textiles and rush/cane.

In 1985 I met my husband, Michael, he was a heavy plate and mirror glazier. We opened Dreamglass Studio, a full service shop and supplies store and started teaching. The next year I learned sandblasting and fusing. In 1990 I made my first bead. The first 3 years of lampworking I learned to torch to make eyes and other components for my fusing and copper foil panels, little did I know my love of making fish beads was around the corner!

In 1994 we built a full hot shop and started blowing large furnace glass. Michael built me my first bead kiln in 1993, now he is known internationally for his bead annealers and custom hot shops. We also taught for the Community College Education for 12 years in Las Vegas, many stained, fused and carved glass classes. I have taught lampworking and fusing all over the nation for the last 10 years, including several large venues as well as private studios. Dreamglass remained open until we moved in 2001 to the Oregon coast and built our dream studio in the forest near the ocean.

I have been published in many books, including Bandhu Dunhamís ìContemporary Lampworking IIIî and his ìFormed of Fireî, in Doug Rís new borosilicate video, Lark books, Corina Tettingerís ìSpotlightsî and now have a tool I designed being made by Carlisle Machine, the ìCrowley Marverî! I have won numerous awards for my lampworking and fusing and juried into many more shows/venues like Bullseye and Warm Glassí first worldwide invitational jury and gallery tour.

Three years ago we started a festival called ìGlass Stockî, a 4-day event of sharing, collaborating and meeting new people. All of us blew, fused, blasted, torched, etched glass and many more ìprojectsî. It has been a huge success and we hope to continue, we had 65 people last year and it was amazing and an honor for us to be a part of such a great sharing of ideas and passion for glass!

I am completely self-taught in all my favored mediums, the best of which is glass. I am in awe of the medium, it is viscous and malleable with an element of danger and chance! Thanks for taking the time to read about me! Fire IS good ;)