Spotlight on Babette Cox
The Journey That Led Me to Lampwork
On my Etsy page I have stated “I just want to make stuff and love people.” That really is who I am and what I’m all about.
My journey began – as many others have – by creating with crayons, glue and paper as a youngster. Our family was large, 5 children (I’m #2) with a stay at home mom and a working dad so there was very little money for extras.
As a majorette in high school and college, I competed in many twirling competitions – I mention this because I believe this began my interest in trying to be my best to win! Hahaha My mother put my sister and I in several beauty contests when I was in college – hence the competition thing again. I was Cardinal Beauty in college and First Runner-Up in the contest for Miss Athens.
After marriage to the sweetest guy ever and 3 children later, I started rubber stamping which included being certified as CPD (Certified Professional Demonstrator) and CPT (Certified Professional Teacher).
I traveled all over the United States teaching classes and demonstrating the art of paper and ink techniques at wholesale trade shows. As this was happening, I was working for an oil and gas company during the week as an Administrative Assistant and caring for my family. I worked there 15 years.
My interests then changed to working with polymer clay. I still love playing with polymer clay, but it just wasn’t what I really wanted, which was to make jewelry that could be so nice that a person could wear it to a fancy party. Polymer wasn’t it.
I switched to metal clay, I have been certified 3 levels in PMC (Precious Metal Clay) and in ACS (Art Clay Silver). There. That will do it. Now, I’m satisfied. By then my work had been published in 35 magazines and in 2 books. Am I happy now?
Well, there is that feeling nagging me – that I wanted to learn metalsmithing. Figured it would be too hard, so it got put on the back burner. Then I found a teacher who taught fused glass – what fun! But there’s not much to it but designing, cutting, knowing how to work a kiln (already knew that from metal clay days) and the annealing. I enjoyed it, but I was still struggling to find my passion.
A friend in Fort Worth started lampworking in her garage with a hot head torch. She dared me to try it. Well, I did and after I got over the loud sound of that torch, the first thing I tried seemed fairly easy. I tried mixing colors on the mandrel. Because I had no clue what I was doing, the bead was really wonky. I had no idea it needed to be annealed in a kiln.
I have since gone on to make many lampwork glass sculptures which I like very much. I’ve taken lampwork workshops from Jane Haspel, Kip Maley, Ginny Schmidt, Kim Fields, Corina Tettinger, Dolly Ahles, & Judy Carlson – also online classes from Marcy Lamberson & Astrid Riedel.
I have so much to learn here – quite the learning curve.
At a meeting some time ago, Milon Townsend asked each one of us in the group why we were doing lampwork. The answers were quite different – my answer? Because it kicks my butt every day, and I love a challenge. I have so much more to learn.
I joined the Facebook group Dallas Bead Society because I was looking for a group in my area where I could make friends. This I can do while hanging out with my sweetheart as he/we watch television.
I have been making and selling small lampwork turtle heads and little bees for the members of the Seed Beads & More Facebook group who are making seed beaded boxes. I’ve added them to my Etsy website. Also, it seems many of my friends love the Grinch-type bead I make during the Christmas holidays.
*The beaded turtle shown in this photo was made by Joann Boyer, and uses one of my turtle head beads. Some of my early beads are shown at the bottom of the photo.
At a whim (don’t we all do that?) I decided to get my feet wet and at least TRY to do some metalsmithing since this is where I wanted to go from the very beginning. Remember, I do love a challenge and so I bought heaven knows how many pieces of equipment and started in.
Not too bad at first, but boy, do I have lots to learn.
What will I do next? My plan is to combine my lampwork and metalsmithing by making my own cabochons with glass then using them in a metalsmithing way.
Turns out I can use my metal clay skills in making leaves and flowers and what not to add to my metalsmithing pieces of art. How exciting is that? Perhaps THEN I’ll have some jewelry good enough for someone to wear at a fancy cocktail party. Could be, I just need to be satisfied with what I’ve already done. Working on that. I have won numerous ribbons at the State Fair of Texas for my work in all of the areas mentioned above and I’m also a Judge at the State Fair now.
ISGB Member #1225
SRAJD Member #3246
