Kathryn Weiss
Flameworked glass, jewelry
I create beads by melting glass in the flame of a torch. These beads are used to make jewelry and other items.
Directions to studio #27 at 45881 Sunset Dr., Gualala:
From Highway 1, turn inland onto Sunset Drive (across from Anchor Bay Campground). Follow the tour signs. Continue up Sunset 1 mile, staying to the left where it splits at the 'Y.' At the totem pole on the right, turn right and continue to the top of the driveway. Studio is at the top on the left.
Studio Tour Hours:
Aug. 29-30 & Sept. 5-6
11 am to 5 pm
Studio closed Labor Day Monday.
No public restrooms.
Colored glass, shaped by fire, transforms white light into the colors we see.
Why glass?
Glass colors light as it is transmitted through the transparent glass or reflected from opaque glass. Heated, glass softens and become malleable, but a few seconds out of the flame and it becomes solid again. Returned to the flame, and it can be manipulated into a different shape using a variety of tools.
Each bead is made in one continuous process. There is an immediacy to flame working that makes each bead an adventure—sometimes the unpredictability leads me try things I hadn’t planned on. Some of my most interesting designs started this way: “What would happen if I tried….” The possibilities are endless.
Creating the beads in my studio also means that I make beads to suit the finished piece of jewelry. Many of my beads combine opaque and transparent glass to create a sense of depth within the bead. I create beads in a variety of styles, from very precise patterns of lines and dots, to ones with organic swirls and layers of different colors. Some beads are hollow, making them lighter than their solid counterparts. The jewelry made using hollow beads have a strong visual impact while remaining lightweight and easy to wear.
Fogline Studio is named for that ever-changing location where fog and sunlight meet along the coast. Some days I work in brilliant sunshine, while other days bring cooling fog that filters the light. And some days the fogline hovers above my studio, shifting hour by hour.
I have received numerous awards for my glass. My work is shown at Discovery Gallery and Dolphin Gallery in Gualala, Artists Collective in Elk, and during shows and festivals at Gualala Arts Center.