ELSIE KAYE GLASSWORKS®
In March 2009, my fantastico husband and father-in-law built a studio for me in our home. It was truly a labor of love, and I have been enjoying the freedom to do my torch work on the weekends and in the evenings. Up until this point, I had done all of my glasswork at the New Street Glass Studio, which is part of the Worcester Center for Crafts in Massachusetts and then later, at a private studio at the Sprinkler Factory in Worcester. I also do all of my wirework and jewelry design in my home studio. A bit of information about the names of my pieces and collections…each is named after a state park in Massachusetts, Maryland, New Jersey and California—some that I have visited while living in these states, others that I hope to get to one day...
About the Materials:
I use Moretti/Effetre (soft) glass and a minor burner torch with a propane/oxygen setup at the studio. All of my beads are kiln annealed to ensure durability and each bead is thoroughly cleaned of bead release. I incorporate an array of other materials and techniques into my glasswork, such as frit (crushed glass), silver foil, aventurine, raku and etching. In addition to my beads, I use high quality silver, Swarovski crystals, and semi-precious gemstones in my work. I have recently begun giving serious consideration to the origin of my silver beads and spacers, particularly Thai and Bali silver. I think it is important to purchase from a fair trade, ethically-based distributor. That’s why most of my newer pieces are made by Karen Hill Tribe villagers of northern Thailand and several small silversmith shops in Bali, Indonesia. I purchase these materials directly from Rishashay http://www.rishashay.com/ and Shiana, http://www.shiana.com -- two online distributors that are both members of the Fair Trade Federation. The Fair Trade Federation is an organization of fair trade wholesalers, retailers and producers who are committed to providing fair wages and employment opportunities to artisans and farmers throughout the world. Fair Trade Federation members support living wages and safe and healthy working conditions for workers in the Third World, and work to preserve the culture of their artisans. I recently also started to purchase materials from Nina Designs www.ninadesigns.com, which adheres to fair trade practices. I feel good about the pieces that I create, and you can feel good about owning them, too.
About the Photos: I take all of the photos of my pieces. I use a light box, halogen light and natural light. Some of the colors in my beads may appear differently on my monitor than they do on yours. If you have any questions about colors or certain pieces, please feel free to contact me.