AWARDED BLUE RIBBON, 1st Place 3D Medium, Roanoke Arts Festival, 2003

AWARDED BLUE RIBBON, 1st Place 3D Medium, Roanoke Arts Festival, 2004

MEDIUM: JEWELRY

What transforms contemporary jewelry from Accessory into Art?  A generosity of materials, an idiosyncrasy of style and a mastery of pure craft.  All of which animate the work of Studio 1500.

I, Devon Bennett, am a lampwork artist, jewelry designer and owner of Studio 1500.  So what is a lampwork artist?  I, alone, create glass beads by hand.  I create the beads by using rods of  glass, a torch and a mandrel.  The glass is made molten in the flame of the torch, the molten glass is then wound around the mandrel, and the bead is manipulated and layered based on my design.  The beads are annealed in a kiln to a hard finish.  The beads are then combined with high quality gemstones, sterling silver, and the most unique findings to create a one-of-a-kind piece of jewelry. 

Why Studio 1500?  Because glass melts around 1500 degrees Fahrenheit; ergo Studio 1500.  My passion for jewelry, especially glass jewelry, led me to seek the ability to create these items myself.  After learning theory and procedure, I have honed my skills through practice, practice, practice.  The final result is a truly individual piece of custom jewelry.

Please feel free to ask any questions about my jewelry or the process of lampworking.

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