Borosilicate Glass Bead Artist Dawn Lombard
Lavender Dawn blossomed after Dawn Lombard experienced a profoundly soothing connection with glass combined with her love of the scent of true lavender. In 2006, her younger sister asked if she would join her in an introductory lampwork bead class. Though a Studio Art minor from SCSU and the daughter of a watercolor artist and a custom cabinetmaker, she agreed hesitantly, expecting her lack of patience and desire for instant gratification to quickly overshadow any new creative endeavor. To her surprise, an hour into the class she realized this would become her life passion. A self-proclaimed high strung ‘Type-A,’ she found the process of mixing colors and shaping molten glass to be calming and therapeutic. Her partner-in-crime and best friend Patrick set up a studio for her to continue this passion. Ironically enough, he now shares her enthusiasm and also creates beautiful, one-of-a-kind lampwork beads.
She creates lampwork beads using both Moretti glass (‘soft glass’) and borosilicate glass (‘Pyrex’ or ‘hard glass’). Many of today’s commercial glass beads are mass produced using various types of ‘soft glass’ – this includes the very popular ‘add-a-bead’ bracelet beads. A Bead of Roses now carries her large-hole, borosilicate beads that fit these very popular bracelets. What makes these borosilicate beads so unique? Borosilicate glass is extremely reflective and distinctly colorful – once you see one, you will immediately see a difference from the beads being sold today at retail – you can own your very own, one-of-a-kind piece of art. The colors are more muted than the bright crayon colors of soft glass and are most vibrant when viewed in bright light or sunlight.
She is a marketing executive for a pharmaceutical company by day and a lampwork artisan in the evenings and on weekends. To refine her skills, she has attended classes by leading artisans including: Cynthia Liebler Saari, Nancy Tobey, Lauri Copeland, and Pauline Warg. Recently, she was featured in the book ‘1000 Jewelry Inspirations’ by Quarry Press (2008) and was a visiting artist at the Milford Fine Arts Council’s ‘Artists in the Station’ (2008). She resides in Monroe, CT.
To view her collection please visit A Bead of Roses at 274 South Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470.
