Hello!

I'm Erica Olson, of Ericabeads.   My Justbeads user name is ericajpo.

I'd been making jewelry for many years on my own when I first thought to research new techniques on the internet.   That was when I was first introduced to lampwork.   I spent a while buying lampwork beads when I saw that one of my favourite bead artists also taught classes.   The thought hadn't occurred to me that I could also make the beads myself!   I went into the class thinking that if I liked it, I would pursue it, and if I didn't like it, I would just go back to buying beads.   Needless to say, I really, really liked making beads.

I first decided to pursue lampworking as a career when I got laid off, (unfairly, I thought), from my job as a receptionist.   I had received a decent severance, enough that I could do what I wanted for a few months, so I decided to see what would happen with the lampworking.   I worked pretty hard at developing my skills, and by the time my severance pay had run out I had placed my pieces with a few local boutiques, and had started selling beads via online auctions.

The biggest thing for me to remember is that glass, on its own, is beautiful.   I often makes beads that are fairly spare, design-wise, to show off the beauty of the glass.   I am also obsessed with scroll work.   It is one design that I never tire of, and I continue to be astonished at how much well-executed scrolls can please my eye.   I also have a healthy appreciation for frits and silver.

I am formally trained as an archaeologist and an anthropologist.   This background constantly informs my bead making, in a few ways.   The thought that someone would deliberately pick my beads or jewelry as their personal adornment absolutely thrills me.   And the thought of my beads being discovered by archaeologists in the future-well, that thrills me too.

I've dabbled a little with fusing, and I'm currently trying to get more jewelry making skills-I took a class in silver smithing a while back, and I have a few books on some wire techniques that I'd like to try my hand at.   But the beads-the dance of the flame, the melting of the glass-those are my primary focus right now.

Please visit my current auctions here at JustBeads.com

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