Bead Shops: Lori Lochner Lampwork

Today our guest is Lori Lochner - a lampwork artist with a flair for gorgeous color combinations and abstract designs. Her elaborate focal pieces like feathers, birds, and decorative glass shells are wonderful to behold.

Inspirational Beading: How did you first get started with lampwork?

Lori: I bought my first beadmaking kit in 1995. It was a "hot-head" type torch and some crude glass in a little zip lock bag. What a horrible experience. I managed to make some lumpy beads and put the kit away. In 1996 I decided to take the plunge and buy a complete set up and start right. I bought a minor torch, a large selection of glass and tools. At the time I was seriously into glass fusing and was a silversmith.

Inspirational Beading: Do you remember your first bead? Where is it today?

Lori: Yes, it was a lumpy black and white dot bead. I believe it threw it in my flower garden.

Inspirational Beading: Where do you look for inspiration?

Lori: I'm inspired by nature and organic forms. I adore flowers, pods, and sea creatures. I strive to mimic the subtle colorations and symmetry of the natural world. Pinterest also provides some wonderful eye candy when I'm seeking inspiration. My feed is heavy in the jewelry, textile and tribal crafts genre. Intricate patterning of tribal basketry, beadwork, jewelry and textiles in infinitely fascinating!

Inspirational Beading: What is your favorite color or combination to work with?

Lori: Tough to nail down a favorite combination... I like to mix cool and warm colorations in my work to provide designers with flexibility when creating. A subtle addition of metallic and sparkle lends depth to a piece as well. Also matte and shiny. My work seems to be purple heavy.

Inspirational Beading: Do you have a favorite bead style or shape to create?

Lori: I really enjoy "off mandrel" work. In soft glass and especially in borosilicate glass. Hollow forms are fascinating in that they allow another dimension of "light-play" from within the form. When working with larger forms hollow work lends itself to better wearability.

Inspirational Beading: What is the most interesting thing about your design process?

Lori: I'm never without a sketch book. I have a little one in my purse and a simple composition notebook in the studio. Every morning I jot down the days production schedule and make drawings and notes of things I would like to accomplish at the torch. I also jot down music, books, ideas and inspirations while I'm working. Being an full time artist/craftsperson is such a solitary experience. I subscribe to many podcasts that keep me entertained while working.

Inspirational Beading: What is the most exciting design in your shop right now? What makes it special?

Lori: Right now I'm working on some functional pieces. Goblets and bowls mainly, although I haven't listed them in my web store. In my Etsy shop I think my sea-forms
are a favorite. Each one is special and unique. When using borosilicate glass there is so much serendipity in the way the colors strike in the kiln.

Inspirational Beading: Do you have any plans for new bead styles or themes in the works?

Lori: Recently I have been creating some feathers and they seem to be well received. When my production work is done for the day I follow my muse and create something unique usually from an idea that has been floating nebulously in my mind.

Lori also carries a fantastic selection of designer Czech glass in her Etsy shop. You can get updates on her latest creations on Facebook.

Copyright 2013 Inspirational Beading and Lori Lochner
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Bead Inspired: Spring Swirls

Thanks to the inspirations of soutache artist Amee K., I’ve been noticing soutache embroidery jewelry everywhere lately. The wonderful swirling, curving shapes of this unique beadwork are hard to resist. There’s just something so appealing about all of those beads snuggled into the fibers.

Swirl patterns, especially organic or freeform ones, are always in style. They bring to mind some of our favorite comforting things, like tropical waves, dandelion seeds on a breeze, or just doodling while on the phone with a good friend. When I came across a beautiful pink and blue lampwork bead by Michal Silberberg, I couldn’t resist adding it to a collage. Not only does it have wonderful layers of multicolored swirls, but marching dots of glass - one of my favorite lampwork embellishments.

Spring Swirl by mortira featuring surgical steel earrings

I added some more swirling, soft, and curvy elements, as well as a good dose of stripes. I was so eager to get started that I didn’t spend much time around the shop. There are some even more inspiring designs in amazing color combos. This is one of my favorites, which features a gorgeous contrast of black, lime, and orange:

Rainbow Lampwork Focal by Michal Silberberg

And, while I was at it, I decided to make use of a favorite bracelet clipping from my round up of Pantone inspired emerald goodies. I'm a sucker for chunky bangles when looking for collage ideas, especially transparent ones. Even though I’m anti-plastic in my designs, I can't help but love the look of chunky resin - probably because it reminds me so much of glass, but in delightful abundance.

Dorothy's Lunch Date by mortira featuring lime green handbags

Whenever I see crystal clear emerald green, I instantly think of the scene in Return to Oz, when Dorothy must rescue her friends who have been turned into emerald figurines. It’s a favorite collage and treasury theme of mine -there’s something so great about the combination of ruby red, emerald green, and a chicken.

What’s inspiring you today?

Copyright 2013 Inspirational Beading and Friends
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Bead Wish List: Christmas Delights

They may be weeks away, but when you make things yourself, the holidays are practically around the corner all year long. If you haven’t begun thinking about Christmas and holiday inspired beading projects already, now is the time to get jolly! Here are just a few of my favorite December themed beads.

As a rule, I always go artisan made when it comes to lampwork beads,
but there’s no reason not to ogle these cute strands of Santa hats from Artbeads.com





No love for the traditional red, white, and green? No problem!
This Swarovski Elements Christmas mix from FusionBeads.com is festive but sophisticated.





These holly berry and leaf lampwork beads are almost too gorgeous to use.
Perhaps just one or two at a time? A beautiful set, created by Serena Smith.





There’s something so nostalgic about big outdoor Christmas lights.
I’m especially fond of the red, yellow, green, and blue variety.
A whole rainbow of colors is available in resin charms from Beadaholique.





I love the rustic look of this mis-matched ceramic bead set from Lima Beads,
entitled When My Heart Finds Christmas.





The combination of transparent green and opaque white in these lampwork beads from
Auntie's Beads makes them look good enough to eat.




Speaking of tasty, these lampwork peppermints by Stone Designs are so realistic,
they’d look right at home in a candy dish.

Do you have a favorite holiday theme to use in your beadwork?

Copyright 2012 Inspirational Beading and Friends
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Bead Inspirations: Fall Away

Today I was in a very creative mood, but even though I have a lot of fun designs planned, and some gorgeous new bead colors to play with, sitting down to bead seemed like a distant thing. Instead, I decided to recharge my batteries, and cleanse my creative palate with some virtual inspiration.

I started with a little lampwork window shopping, and found a handful of really gorgeous beads and focals. Although I had autumn colors and shapes in mind, a variety of beautiful colors jumped out and called my name. One thing that ties them all together is their abstract, swirly, whispy designs.

Watercolors by mortira featuring turquoise rings

This pretty pop of color features a lovely lampwork focal by Bindu Glass.

Coral and Turquoise Softly by mortira featuring an orange shawl

I loved the intense orange and blue combination of this bead duo from Maya-Honey.

Autumn Wind by mortira featuring nickel free earrings

The dandelion style motif of this lampwork set by Anne’s Glass Jewels was irresistible.

What bead styles and colors inspire your creative moods?

Copyright 2012 Inspirational Beading and Friends
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Fire and Flame Pendant

So far during this year’s destash challenge, some of my favorite successes have been pieces that tackle more than one type of bead from the outbox. It’s incredibly satisfying to combine these destash beads in a single design, especially when the piece turns out as planned.

Last month I started a series of elemental Y pendants, with herringbone beaded bead focals. For the third piece, I chose a fire theme, and I was able to tackle four different bead styles at once. It all started with a single lampwork spacer that I received with an off-mandrel pendant last year. The simple swirl design has a shock of bright red, which would make the perfect topper for a fire necklace.

To add more flame, I tossed in a handful of hyacinth orange Swarovski Elements bicones, and some orange cat eyes. Even though I made my first ever starfish design with these orange beads, I still have more of them than any other 6mm round, and some of them need to go. To build the herringbone pendant, I also included ruby red AB hex cuts.

I didn’t want to go with an obvious palette of red, orange, and yellow, which could be dangerously garish. Instead, I used brown and deep garnet to round out the palette. I suppose it’s flame and char, instead of just flame. I like how it turned out, although I wish I’d had some transparent rootbeer to use, instead of the opaque red-brown. Every time I try to order some, they are sold out - they are the best brown seed beads.

I already have my eye on a destash bead for the “Ice” pendant, but I’m not ready to think winter just yet. Water will probably be the next element in the series - hopefully I can work in some more destash beads!

Copyright 2012 Inspirational Beading
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More Lampwork Inspirations

The sun is out, the trees are lush with leaves, and bright color is everywhere. Must be summer! Here are some new lampwork bead and fashion ideas to get you thinking of long days and warm nights!

At the Cottage by mortira featuring a silk dress

Tea Time by mortira featuring patent leather shoes

Underwater Goddess by mortira featuring checkered heels

What's your favorite summer inspiration?

Copyright 2012 Inspirational Beading and Friends
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Bead Inspirations and Art Collages

Do you ever find yourself getting hooked on things? Perhaps you get tickled by a new bead color or beading technique, and want to use them all the time. Or you find a special treat that you want to have every day. Recently, my favorite indulgence is collages. I’ve always been a fan of clipping and collecting on Polyvore, but adding lampwork beads to the mix has taken it to a whole new level. I hope you like it too, because I think I’ll be sharing them often in the future - at least until I find a new creative fixation.

Yesterday I found an absolutely stunning lampwork focal with daisy-colored flowers on a jet black background, by Sandy Pandy Beads. It was so beautiful, I just had to clip it. I love the way the flower pops against the background, and the absolute black adds a sophisticated, daring feel to the design. It’s the kind of bead that wants to go out on the town for a wild night.

Lunar Eclipse by mortira featuring butterfly stud earrings

You might remember some fun collages that I shared made by another Polyvore fan, which paint pictures using the unique shapes of clothing and catalogue shots. I was even more thrilled to find some amazing ‘paintings’ that use a variety of images in complex layers, by artist kiki. I love the unique shapes and colors of the more abstract pieces, and the clever combinations of images in others. Here are a few of my favorites:

Untitled #261 by kiki925 on polyvore.com

Untitled #258 by kiki925 on polyvore.com

Untitled #245 by kiki925 on polyvore.com

Untitled #248 by kiki925 on polyvore.com

What’s your favorite inspiration of late?

Copyright 2012 Inspirational Beading
Sandy Pandy Beads and kiki925
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Lampwork Inspirations

Yesterday I had some fun making an Egyptian themed fashion collage, and then I played around a bit and made one for my One Zebra Necklace. I was having such a good time that I decided to keep going, and ended up creating some interesting looks based on handmade lampwork beads. I started with just four beads from some of my favorite artists, and added pieces that enhanced their colors and themes.

Bumblebee Dreams by Grace Lampwork Beads
became an enchanted garden:

Lavender Honey by mortira featuring diamond jewelry

Galia by Green Bird Studio
became a tropical beach getaway:

Passion Flower by mortira featuring judith leiber handbags

Juicy Red Flower Spacers from Lampwork by Amy
became a park in spring:

Bowl of Cherries by mortira featuring a zipper dress

Purple Nautilus by Shed Beads
became an underwater paradise:

Jellyfish by mortira featuring aquamarine jewelry

I really enjoyed playing with colors and textures, using beads as a starting point. What do you think?

Copyright 2012 Inspirational Beading and Friends
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