Lucie Kovarova-Weir

www.lunacybeads.com

Building on Small Things: From Animation to Glass

My name is Lucie Kovarova-Weir. My mum says I came into the world with a paint brush and paper in my hand.

I was born in the fall of 1976 in Boskovice (formerly Czechoslovakia) to a teacher and boat captain. My two sisters and I grew up happily, running through the woods near our house, playing games and reading fairytales.

My life changed dramatically in 1989 when the revolution marked the fall of Communism in our country. It also marked an opportunity for me to pass the talent exams that enabled me to enter the Arts School of Vaclav Hollar, a very good arts boarding school in Pragueóand now it would not require our having to hand over a fat envelope and half a slaughtered pig to the school director to get in as it likely would have under the old regime. It was fourteen, and from what Iíd heard about the 1960ís, it seemed as though they had returned: all kinds of music, colorful clothing and we could finally travel abroad.

I finished art school in 1995 with a degree in graphic design and that same year entered university, The Academy of Arts, Architecture, and Design, also in Prague. I had always enjoyed making puppets and then bringing them to life with action and stories. So, it made sense at the time to choose the Masters in Animation program. I discovered that I loved the ìsteamback,î the old 35mm one editing machine. I also began painting on filmófor one piece, for example, I painted dozens of fish.

The program was rigorous and included classes in a number of disciplinesófigure drawing, lithography, photography, art history, and many courses in animation. My graduate project, shot on 35mm, was a six-minute fairytale that took nearly a year and a half to complete. Shortly after, I switched over to video and made a music video for a Czech drummer who was pretty famous at the time.

In 2001, with my Master of Fine Arts degree completed, I took a part-time job at my friendís bead store in Prague to support myself. I suddenly found myself obsessed with beads, particularly glass beads, and wanted to learn how to make them. I also decided it was time for some big changes in my life. So, in 2002, without a clear idea of what I was doing, I left my country and moved to Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

I arrived without a penny and it seemed that there was so much concrete and uglinessóthough the lakes were beautiful. I began to wonder if Iíd made a mistake. It was illegal for me to work in a conventional job. I thought if I could make beads and sell them, then I could make enough money to survive.

It was hard in the beginning. However, when I found out Nortel was here in Toronto, it made me like the place so much better. I blew me entire first paycheck on a basic set up. However I wouldnít be able to afford a kiln for another year. I bought an oxygen concentrator on eBay and, mostly ought of a desperation to put food on the table, made and began selling loads of beads, which I still do today.

All of my knowledge about glass has come from books. Kirsty Naray helped me a great deal when I first got started, and she and Jean have been very supportive, for which I am most thankful. With so much production going on, I soon realized that I had outgrown the facilities in my tiny cellar:; I needed a bigger torch, a bigger kiln and a bigger work space. So, with help of Amy Johnson, I moved and now have my very own hot glass studio. All I need now is more hours in a day.

My inspiration comes from folk art, which I love and collect (or collect books about it when money is short). I am particularly mad about Mexican folk art and also often refer to medieval book illustrations, mosaic from Raven, and other early imagery. I am also influenced by Bauhaus and Morris furniture, and the landscape and art of the south of France and Cornwall, England.

Through out my career, I have always been interested in creating small things that can be assembled into a complete, more complex pieceÖlike Legosô. This was true in my animation work and is the same with my glass work. So, I have not really changed my work that much over time, I have just changed the medium.

After graduating from school I worked restoring ancient ceramics at the Museum of Archaeology in Plovdiv. I also worked for a publishing company illustrating childrenís books.

Three years ago glass came into my life. Since then making glass beads has become my main passion. My primary medium is borosilicate, of which I use Glass Alchemy, Ltd. color rods and frits exclusively. I use Hill Tribe silver beads and Bali Silver clasps with smaller spacer beads. I also incorporate smaller beads of various colors to compliment the main bead or the idea I have for the whole set.

I take pride in creating beads and jewelry pieces that are unique and one-of-a-kind.