Web Journal

Thank you for visiting my website and checking out my web journal. This page will contain news-worthy material about my artistic and professional activities. If there are questions you'd like to ask and/or issues/concerns you'd like to raise, feel free to contact me. I will address them here or write directly to you when necessary.

21-apr-08 I'm doing very well! Thank you for enjoying and purchasing my work at my etsy shop lilianabead.etsy.com and at my showroom downtown Natick. Please call 617.821.2964 for an appointment.

Drop by and visit me at my showroom during the Natick ArtWalk events every third Thursday of the month from 5 to 8:30pm. The ArtWalk starts in May and runs through September.

I'm looking forward to chatting with you!

28-oct-07 Thank you for coming to see me and my work at my showroom at 43 Main Street in downtown Natick during the Open Studios last week-end. I really enjoyed meeting you all! Thank you for your business and your feedback.

1-oct-07 The CHAIR Project is up for another month at Morse Institute Library (MIL) downtown Natick. Have you seen the exhibit? As a Natick artist, I took part in this exhibit and have a chair hanging in the Lebovits Meeting Hall downstairs where the Children Section is. If you don't get a chance to see it, here is a picture. Click on it and the link will take you on a journey of what prompted the creation of my CHAIR. I had fun making it as well as my family and close friends had fun ... maybe ... sharing their thoughts and reactions with me along the way.

To read more about the CHAIR Project click here. Also, join me and three other participating artists at a reception at MIL for the exhibit. From 6pm to 7pm we will give brief presentations about our media, inspiration, and answer to questions from the audience. This event is open to the public.

6-jul-07 Are you familiar with Essential Oils? "Familiar" as in always bathing in a great scent of your choice depending on the state of mind and spirit you'd like to be in? Among many others, for relaxing and calming (including loosing weight) peppermint and ylang ylang are your best oils. I always wear either one of them around my neck in an art glass vial I made. This is relatively new for me and I'm loving the whole experience of making the vials one at a time and enjoying mine on a daily basis. How did I get into it?

My friend Miryam, who's a very savvy and connected individual as far as our link to body and soul experience goes, has recently introduced me to essential oils. Her daughter Katherine has special needs and while trying to decrease the amount of pills she has to take on a daily basis, Miryam started researching oils and their effects on the mind and body. Well, as she learned she talked about its benefits in late-night gatherings we often have with our families. I gave it a chance and after getting used to the idea and experience that oils are indeed an intrinsic part of feeling healthy, I've been wearing them since in a vial made by me.

I'd like to share this newly-found experience with you by offering you a wide range of one-of-a-kind art glass vessels made by me. The styles include earthy tones, modern forms, uniques designs. You can simply wear it on a chain (I have chains for sale), a fabric strip or I can turn it into a finished piece of jewelry. Let me know what you'd like.

Once the vial is filled with your choice of essential oil or perfume, a cork placed into the opening swells up, and the vial stays securely in place. The essential oil "wicks" up the cork, so you can smell it while you wear it without opening the lid. The very inexpensive cork stoppers are available for purchase in any of the craft stores close by or online. You'll need a few as they wear out with time. Let me know if you'd like me to provide you with corks, etc. and I can send it to you ready to wear for an additional price.

Blown on a steel pipe in a torch flame, these vessels are on average appr. 1 3/4" long and 1 1/2" wide at its widest (including the handles). The opening is 7/16" and the vial is quite spacious inside. Among others, I use primarily Morretti soda-lime glass and silver, copper and gold leaf. I also like to use enamels and other components I make ahead of time like glass chards and filigrana.

Click here to see a gallery of LilianaBead Aromatherapy Vials.

10-may-07 fuZe Jewelry Studio is a showroom dowtown Natick where Heather Skowood and I exhibit our work and make it available for sale. We each have our own collections and we also create pieces together.

In addition to LilianaBead jewelry, I offer individual glass beads for sale. You can purchase a sterling silver chain and/or rubber/leather cord to wear the bead on. You can also join us in our design center and be a driving force behind your custom-designed piece; chanel your creative energy through us and become a part of your unique and truly one-of-a-kind handmade piece of jewelry.

Our showroom is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 2pm to 6:30pm. We are also open by appointment.

There is more information about us and our showroom at www.fuzejewelrystudio.net

To view examples of Heather's Skowood work click here.

5-oct-06 The National Liberty Museum in Philadelphia is holding its annual Glass Now 2006 Auction on October 7. I donated my Reef Jewel piece to this auction to help support and promote freedom and diversity in our world (which always starts at home). Considering where I come from, I'm deeply committed to this cause and am proud to contribute to it.

Click here to learn more about my donation to Glass Now 2006 Auction.

17-sep-2006 We are having the most beautiful Indian Summer here in New England. If you've never traveled to these parts of the US you absolutely must especially during this season. Let me know when you're in this area and we'll go to lunch or something.

I now have current work available for sale on my website. In addition to re-creating a Berry or a Galaxy necklace for you, I'm offering one-of-a-kind pieces. Click here to see what's available and don't hesitate to ask me about colors and/or designs you'd like to be represented. I often am inspired by my customers. Thank you for your support and interest in my work!

10-jul-2006 In spite of all the rains and heat, I have really enjoyed my summer and I hope that you have too.

I'm excited about making my work available for sale here on my website. Thank you to those of you who have commented on my work and have requested the opportunity to buy my work online. The link "SHOP ONLINE" is on the Homepage and the Ordering Info page under the Sales category on the navigation bar.

People sometimes ask me what exactly is glass and how is it made. The main ingredient in glass is silica, which is a compound naturally occurring in sand or flint. It usually makes up 50% to 80% of glass with melting temperatures of about 1200°C. A higher silica content requires a higher temperature to melt and makes harder glass. The other two components of glass are flux and a stabiliser. Flux, which can take the form of soda or potash, lowers the temperature at which the mixture melts and forms glass. The stabiliser, the simplest form of which is lime, prevents glass from breaking down into its components, i.e. "de-vitrifying". If you'd like to learn more about this and other aspects of glass, I recommend Keith's Cummings book titled, "A History of Glassforming" (A & C Black (Publishers) Limited, 1988).

Speaking of books, I often think of my "everyday" as pages of a book which, as I look back can be read as chapters. Well, the chapter of my life as Artistic Director at Diablo is now officially over. Diablo is more of a recreational than an artistic facility and for the immediate future it will focus primarily on beginning and intermediate classes. I will tell you more some time over a glass of wine, but for now I am back to my art glass and happy for it.

03-jun-2006 I hope your summer is off to a good start.

Since joining Diablo as Artistic Director, I've had the opportunity to learn more about diverse glass techniques. Currently I am taking a glassblowing class and loving it! It is an Intro to Glassblowing at Diablo [www.diabloglassandmetal.com] taught by two very talented and wonderful instructors: Sara Beth Zurit and Herschel Levine. After just a few weeks I feel comfortable with the process and have made drinking glasses, vases and paperweights. Learning to blow glass from the furnace and feeling more and more independent with each class, gives me a sense of empowerment and joy in my relationship with glass. This feeling seeps into my everyday life.

I recently finished a piece commissioned by Joshua P. He requests a piece every year for his significant other, Stacy, and I actually got to meet her a couple of weeks ago. They spent her birthday in Boston and came by Diablo, where I demonstrated flameworking and they each made a successful bead. Congratulations! To see the piece, click here.

20-feb-2006 How has your new year of 2006 been so far?

I am starting mine in a new capacity as the Artistic Director at Diablo Glass and Metal. This is an up and coming glass center busy with students and professionals doing what they enjoy most - learning about and exploring glass and metal as materials and media for great works of craft and art.To learn more about Diablo, go to www.diabloglassandmetal.com

My continued work with glass will grow from being at Diablo. I'll continue to make my glass beads and jewelry available for sale. See my gallery page for locations.

In the meantime, I will continue keeping you up to date with what I am up to at both Diablo and in my studio.

Be safe and enjoy the rest of winter.

28-aug-05 Summer's winding down and I'm working on my Fall lines. My summer lines are very successful. The disc jewelry, the Berry Extraordinaire beads, and the beads designed with fine silver wire (Constellations, Aurora Borealis on Starry Night and Gallaxies) are popular at Kittrell/Riffkind Art Glass Gallery in Dallas, TX and at the Worcester Center for Crafts Giftshop in Worcester, MA (see my gallery page for details on these galleries). The jewelry which features hollow beads is very popular at Five Crows in Natick, MA.

My beads are now shown and incorporated into original metal designs by artists/owners of Artitudes (1286 Washington Street, West Newton, MA 617 244 9220). When you are in the area, do visit this fine crafts gallery and enjoy a movie at the West Newton Cinema afterwards.

Last week I taught an intensive workshop at Peters Valley - a summer camp for adults who are interested in pursuing glass, metal, fibers, clay and painting. What a great place to be and meet enthusiastic, creative and free people. We had a great time with my students and raised enough money auctioning our beads and jewelry to buy a brand new fusing kiln for the special topics studio where lampworking is taught.

20-mar-05 Today is first day of spring. Fertility and growth came to mind and I immediately thought of a design in beads I make Berry Extraordinaire. One Berry inspired Patrice Megio, a talented macrame artist, to make a colorful and beautiful necklace. Click here to be inspired by this jewelry piece.

Happy First Day of Spring!

1-mar-05 March 1st. Growing up in Moldova we celebrated this day by giving "Martisor" - a symbol of Spring - to our friends, teachers and family. Memories of teachers wearing dozens and dozens of them all over the left side of their chests on that day makes me smile.

This white and red amulet had to be worn for nine days and then hung on a fruit tree for prosperity and peace. The more people wore such amulets - there were many kinds available commercially and a lot of us made them ourselves out of yarn, silk threads - the better the chances of spring coming soon and bringing joy with a new cycle of life.

On this day I would like to give you all an imaginary Martisor which I hope brings you health, spiritual wealth, love and peace, and prosperity.

To learn more about Martisor and its 8,000-year tradition go to social.moldova.org.

9-feb-05 In case you are wondering what I am up to, there is an article in Natick Bulletin & Tab which pretty much descibes that and more.

25-dec-04 To me these holidays are about giving back to the community. A meaningful part of my everyday community is WBUR. I listen to them every day whether I am working in the studio, driving in the car or simply chilling at home.

If you haven't tried WBUR, do! If you have, you know the taste of well-researched news, intelligent conversation and you most likely perceive an on-going respect for us, their audience. Support them and Pledge Now.

21-dec-04 This year's shows are over, the holiday season busy-ness is winding down, our classes at Worcester are taking a break - just like winter with nature, we slow down into the season. After the commercial push of the holiday season, I'm looking forward to the winter months as a time to make glass art - to experiment, improvise and play.

Thank you to all my customers for appreciating my work and giving me another reason to create anew. I hope you enjoy it in good health and great spiritual wealth!

At the last private showing of my work, which Miryam Wiley hosted - Thank you, Miryam, twenty five people or so gathered for an evening of conversation, food and beads. At this trunk show (and future trunk shows) I am donating ten percent of revenues to Wide Horizons For Children. One primary mission of this organization is to help orphan children in 11 countries, one of which is Moldova. I am a native of Moldova. I know how desperate the lives of many people are there, and I'm grateful for this agency and the work it's doing.

If you're interested in hosting a private bead,etc. show and contribute to this worthy cause, please contact me for more information.

Happy Winter Holidays to you and your loved ones.

19-nov-04 I have good news and it's final! I will be doing one more bead show before 2004 becomes 2005.

The Intergalactic Bead Show in Fitchburg, MA will take place at Best Western Royal Plaza Hotel and Trade Center on December 11 & 12.

I'm looking forward to meeting and seeing you there.

8-nov-04 I am excited to have my work represented in "Nine From New Street" - An Exhibition of the Art Glass of the Faculty of Worcester's New Street Glass Studio. The exhibition is opening on Tuesday, November 16, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. at The Prints and the Potter Gallery in Worcester, MA. It will continue through December 4.

The glass faculty at the Worcester Center for Crafts (WCC) is coming together for the first time to show work outside the center. Thanks to Brett Christian, current faculty at WCC, The Prints and the Potter Gallery, and all supporting artists, glass art is gaining prominence in the Worcester area.

I'll be at the opening - stop by and say hello if you're able to attend.

1-nov-04 November is a favorite of mine - the contour of what's to come is peeking out of an abundance of reds, yellows and greens - a mystery yet so connecting to change: past, present, and future.

This week, when you are looking to share, make a donation of your craft, art or service to Broach Theatre. My connection to this theatre is my mother-in-law, Ethel Glenn, who is a Board Member and a Lady of the Theatre. I am donating a bookmark, an ornament and a piece of jewelry made with my lampwork glass beads.

28-oct-04 Have you been to see "Thinking in Glass" at Concord Art Association in Concord, MA? The show is in its final week and it has been wonderful! Hillary Faccio, a sand-cast glass artist, and I curated this show together and have received so much positive feedback and words of encouragement - Thank you!

The show is as ecclectic as it is comprehensive of contemporary glass art. Many New England artists applied and the work is engaging and fresh. The juror is Beth Lipman, currently at Wheaton Village where she is the Director of Education and Artist Services. Recently she gave an interview to The Art School and Program Directory which is informative and descriptive of Beth's work and career as a professional and a prominent glass artist.

Debbie Disston, the Executive Director of Concord Art Association, invited Hillary and me to curate the first ever glass art exhibit at the Association. It's been a pleasure!

18-oct-04 During the past two shows this year in Fort Washington, PA, and Watertown, MA, I was approached by several people hoping to take my evening class at Worcester Center for Crafts. Unfortunately, there isn't one offered this Fall session.

Good News, though: Starting November 15 to February 5, Session II, I will teach an evening class on Mondays 6:30 to 10pm. There are two weeks till registration for Session II is complete, so call Bettie at 508-753-8183 soon and register! I'm looking forward to having you in my class.

I teach two other classes at Worcester Center for Crafts: Mondays 9:30am - 1:00pm and Thursdays 9:30am - 12:30pm. If you have any questions about them, don't hesitate to write to liliana@lilianabead.com.

For more on my teaching engagements go to http://www.lilianabead.com/teaching.htm.

Thank you for visiting!

— Liliana Glenn