I was born and raised in San Diego County California where I learned silversmithing & lapidary work at one of the local colleges in 1971.   I started designing and producing Southwest style jewelry as a sideline.   But things change and in Sept 1975 I left a management position job and made the big leap to Oregon where I set up a small shop in the little community of Hugo.

There was a little shack out back of my house where I could teach classes and produce my jewelry.   I soon started doing custom work and repairs for several local area stores.   During this run, I was introduced to scrimshaw and three-dimensional carving.   I soon started incorporating my own attempts at this new art into my current designs.   This was a successful venture for many years.   During this period I spent a lot of time researching ancient Japanese carvings called “Netsuke” as well as “Ojime” (beads).   In 1994 this lead to being recognized as a Contemporary Netsuke Sculptor by the Netsuke Kenkyukai Society of America.

During the crystal craze of the mid 80’s I supplemented my Firefighter/EMT income by setting natural crystals into a polished Fossil Walrus tooth pendant and selling them as power tools - then someone suggested incorporating my carvings with these tools.   Since I like Dragons & Fantasy, I started a line of little carved fantasy characters set with faceted gemstones and natural crystals to be worn as pendants or beads.   In all, I have carved over 4,000 of these little fantasy carvings and beads that have been distributed all over the world.   People still request them from time to time (there are some examples on my web site).

These brought income that carried me into the 90’s when my world was about to change.   The place - Quartzsite, Arizona, the date - late Jan 1991.   I was sharing a booth with a jeweler friend at a gem and jewelry show.   Being into gems & crystals, I didn’t go much for glass until my booth partner introduced me to glass artist Lewis Wilson.   Well, we hit it off and I ended up trading him one of my carved dragons for one of his glass dragons, a “how to make lampwork beads” video that he just produced and my hand at the lamp.

I knew next to nothing about working hot glass but was no stranger to the flame.   Let me tell you though, trying to make a glass bead was the oddest thing I have ever tried.   After making a couple of fairly nice beginner beads and being the kind soul that he is, Lewis stated that “I was a natural”.   Well, it went straight to my head.   The following week I connected with Lewis in Tucson and was introduced to the Frantz’s.   I’ll never forgive him for that.   I ended up buying $600 worth of tools & glass and gained more beadmaking knowledge from this talented couple.

I was addicted before I started and after a couple of weeks I had a hard time tearing myself away from glass to fill jewelry & carving orders.   At first my jewelry burn out oven doubled as my bead kiln.   This was good for about a year, but after slumping too many batches, I bought a proper annealing kiln.   But none went to waste; they were either sold as puddles or set in jewelry (recycle those misfortunes).

I have burned a lot of glass and filled buckets with scrape and broken beads that attest to my devotion to lampworking - that I still can’t shake – it’s so much fun and challenging as well.   My first few hundred beads were laughable at best, but friends, shows and stores bought them all and wanted more!   Ah yes, why buckets of broken beads? – experimentation! – I love to try new things all the time, some work, some times I set myself on fire.

My ideas come from most anywhere like rain puddles, tree bark or even tire treads.   I especially like the tide pools here on the coast that offers an endless supply of ideas just by watching the ever-changing ebb and flow of sea life.   I love to make organic flowing beads that offer different views with every turn.   Sometimes my work may get a little whimsical or be quite celestial.   I have worked with Satake, Moretti and Bullseye but my favorite is borosilicate glass because it is very forgiving and has few limits.

I have been published in mags such as Lapidary Journal and Bead & Button.   I do a little writing, graphic art and photography as well (you may have noticed some of my coastal images at the bottom of my postings recently).   Then there is the web site to maintain and marbles to make and we can’t forget the “Marebles” (now there’s a funny story).   I have taught many workshops and a few winters were spent employed by Tucson Parks & Rec teaching bead and marble making.   That was a rewarding experience.

I would like to thank all my loyal customers, I really appreciate your interest in my beads; it keeps me going and forces me to come up with new and exciting ideas.   And a big thanks to the wonderful folks at Just Beads for this honor.   Hot glass bead making has brought me a world of pleasure, travel and friends I never imagined possible.

Keep the Aloe plant nearby.
Peace, Sam

Please visit my current auctions here at JustBeads.com