I undertook a short course at Born to Bead with Lisa-Jane Harvey a glass bead artist. This was an informative chance to see an aspect of glass i wouldn't usually work with. Working on a Macro scale apposed to the micro scale that I tend to associate with.

I got to learn a range of skills such as inclusions, making beads, adding patterning, shaping beads, stringers overlaying and free form. Creating detailed work on such a scale has opened my eyes to see the potential available in this comparatively huge space involved in my larger sculptural pieces.

Flame working involves using markedly different tools and techniques which help broaden my knowledge and will help develop my design solutions in the future. I took this course because of an interest in combining the two methods to create a fusion between the two practices and I feel that this course has helped me take the first few steps to achieve this.

I have also come to appreciate the organised and well equipped studio space that a used on the course. It was also interesting to note that only the tools needed to run a basic flame work studio are small and could be incorporated easily into a blowing studio.