Jane Praxel

www.beadeckle.com

Artist's Bio

I was hooked the first time I melted a glass rod in the torch flame. I took my first class, ìHot Glass Beads and Moreî, at the Mesa Art Center, in my hometown of Mesa Arizona. We used Hot Head torches attached to Map gas bottles that were hung off the tables with a bracket and clamp. It scares me now when I think about it. The Mesa Art Center is in a new facility now with wonderful equipment. The class included fusing and slumping but it was lampwork that got my attention. Soon I had my own Hot Head and I was melting glass on my patio.

I attended my first ìGatheringî of the ISGB in 1999 when it was close to home in Scottsdale. I could only justify spending the money to attend one day. I saw demos by Pam Dugger and Leah Fairbanks and the work of many at the bead bazaar and I was so amazed. Everyone was willing to share information but most of it went zooming over my head. The one thing that was clear was that I needed more than a Hot Head torch. I went to Arrow Springs booth and got the Minor Burner I still use today. I was on my way.

I have been making beads for about eight years now and I am still discovering and learning so much. Hot glass is the first medium that I have explored this deeply. I enjoy working in both hard and soft glass. The reactions I get with fine silver and soft glass is what really tickles me so I use a lot of silver. I love the randomness of depending on a reaction to help create my designs. Of coarse this can be damning when I am trying to recreate a previous design and I canít quite repeat the variables.

I live in my childhood home in Mesa with my husband Paul, three dogs and two cats. I have my studio in the shop my father built to house is hobby of restoring cars. I have visions of the studio, set up with space to teach, but my real job takes much of my attention for now. Recently I returned to the Mesa Art Center as a student, now in my second session of glass blowing. I have gone from experienced bead maker to a very humble beginning glass blower. My adventure continues.