| KAY BASIAGO TONEY, ALABAMA FLAMEWORKED GLASS BEADS JEWELRY I have been a working artist most of my life. Having received a BA degree with double major in Studio Art and German Language & Literature, with a minor in Secondary Education, at Elmira College, Elmira, New York, I began my artist life as a potter. In 1985, I moved to North Alabama where I opened my studio, Eureka Design, Inc. I made and sold stoneware dinnerware for 12 years. All the while my interest in hot glassworking grew. I studied both clay and glass at Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina. While there I was most influenced by instruction with flameworker, Brian Kerkvliet (1992). Later I went to Florida to study with Robert Mickelsen. I have studied cane making and murrini fabrication with Dinah and Patti Hulet, and with Loren Stump. Advanced flameworking techniques were fine-tuned with instruction from Pat Sage and Tom Holland and with Stevi Belle. A glass latheworking workshop inspired the making of my own wedding goblets.
Fascination with making glass beads has lead me to designing finished pieces of jewelry. I strive to make my beads become gem-like in combination with metal components. I learn techniques as needed to express ideas. I have studied metalsmithing at Arrowmont School of Crafts in Tennessee. In 2002, I studied PMC, (Precious Metal Clay), with instructor, Barbara Becker Simon. March 2003 I received Certification in PMC enabling me to teach PMC classes. I studied wire weaving with Cindy Moore at J.C.Campbell School in Brasstown, NC (7/2004). In Sept ’04, I took a silversmith course at William Holland Lapidary School, North Georgia. Incorporating metals, (wire and foils), into glasswork has lead me to focus on my “Life’s Silver Lining” bead style series of work. This style is constantly being refined and continues evolving.
The “Chrysalis” necklace grew from this series of work and it speaks particularly well about the characteristics of glass as a medium for expression: something waiting, fragile, yet strong, and flowing, soon to take wing and fly. I let the creative process expose the unconscious problem solving we all go through. The necklace beads were made first and the design of this necklace developed in the assembling of these beads and resulting redesigning efforts. The pendant bead evolved through 6 attempts with lots of thought processing between each effort until the “right” coloration revealed itself. Recognizing this, happens after annealing and the bead has cooled to room temperature. With the necklace waiting for its pendant, the final challenges of integration required “jewelry making” considerations to complete the creative statement. I have been selling my flameworked glass bead jewelry at more selective fine arts and crafts shows in the southeast for the past 14 years, as well as through representation at many galleries in the southeastern USA. I am a member of the Alabama Designer/Craftsmen, The American Craft Council, and the International Society of Glass Beadmakers. I also teach workshops several times a year at my studio.
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