Spotlight on Kari Beukema!
Hi! My name is Kari and I live in St. Catharines, Ontario with my husband. We have three children and two grandchildren.
I first became interested in glass on a trip to Italy with my daughter in 2005. The glasswork I saw in Venice absolutely fascinated me! Of course I came home with a necklace and a bracelet. Not long after, back home in Canada, I purchased a bracelet with hand made beads. It was then that I understood that this was something people (and not just people in Venice) could create with glass. I started investigating and soon located a studio in Toronto (about an hour and a half drive from me) and I signed up for a course. Amy Waldman was my first teacher. Afterwards, I rented studio time but as the distance made it difficult to go very often, I convinced my husband to let me set up at home. I now have a little basement studio and I haven’t looked back. In the beginning I spent hours reading everything I could both in books and on Lampwork Etc. I started learning about courses being offered and I started travelling to wonderful studios like Blue Moon in Austin, Texas and Rocio’s in Florida. I have since had the opportunity to travel to other studios and to learn from the best instructors.
I have always done some form of creative work. I used to spin and weave, sew, smock and make lace (english bobbin lace and tatting). For many years I taught decorative painting as a small business in my home. Glass has now taken over and I don’t do these things very often anymore.
I have wanted to do metal work for a long time and during this pandemic I have had the opportunity to learn silversmithing with online courses. I have learned to make a bezel setting and set my own glass cabochons in them. I have also learned about fusing fine silver to make chains and settings for beads with Anne Mitchell.
I love learning new glass techniques and challenging myself with new styles of beads. One positive of this pandemic is the number of instructors who have shifted to online teaching making learning so accessible.
I love to travel and have visited some amazing places. My most memorable trips were to India and to Vietnam and Cambodia. My trip to India was before I knew about lampworking so I did not search out glass. After seeing Floor’s presentation I would love to go back! In Cambodia I did not find glasswork but rather beads handmade out of clay and hand-painted. It was very interesting and is a way to provide work for women and young girls. (claycult.com)
The Florida Glass Dragons group has been a huge bright spot in my life this past year. I have enjoyed the speakers and the Wednesday chats. Most importantly I have developed some wonderful friendships thanks to this group.
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