Meet Janie Jones
I was asked to introduce myself to the Dragons.
My roots:
My dad had always wanted a farm and before I was 10, he bought property way out in the countryside of NC and began collecting animals. Growing up on a farm was the best. I’ve never lost my love of horses – only now I must ride someone else’s instead of my own.
My husband served in the Armed Forces and was stationed in Germany in the late 60’s early 70’s. I was able to join him there shortly and we found a little apartment over a radio shop in the small town of Sussen, Germany. We lived there 4 years and it was during that time I visited the WMF Glass Factory. I was very intrigued with what they did with glass. That was my first experience with glass work.
My Growth:
Shifting to the late 80’s back in the States, it had taken a long time to find glass artists whose work spoke to me, and who would speak to me! It was difficult to find teachers who were willing to share what they knew. My first class was in a renovated Fire Station in Asheville, NC and was taught by a man who’s name was Tom Hanks – no, not THAT Tom Hanks. This glass artist had only one and a half arms and could do things with glass I’d only imagined. He had odd looking contraptions built to work with glass and his skills caught my interest hook, line and sinker. Later I was able to attend a class with the Hulet Sisters in that same Fire Station. I also continued to learn from Jackie Knable and Lea Zinke.
Soon, Kristen Frantzen Orr held class in the basement of her fathers house up North and I took a few classes there. She had interesting formulas she shared to make her goddess beads – it was wonderful. Class with Sylvie Elise Lansdowne and Nancy Toby followed and I was happy.
Adventures:
In the 90’s the kids were grown or off following their own dreams, so we bought an RV. We traveled from Charlotte, NC (our home) to Sussex, Vermont and Miami, Florida – as far west as Colorado, Texas and all points in between. We participated in bead shows, and later art shows, eventually teaching class in a little corner of our 5th wheel. We did Bead and Button for a few years and I took more classes when I could convince my husband to ‘man the booth’ for me.
Teaching:
A family member submitted my name to the Arts Staff at NC State University in Raleigh and I began teaching Beginner and Intermediate lampwork classes there. Then Marley and Jetze Beers started BeadCamp in Nokomis, FL – I so miss BeadCamp, but was fortunate to teach every year it was held in Florida. Marley dubbed me “The Beginner Guru” and that’s where I met Kelly Six. Little did we know what the future held for us both.
Other interests:
Painting is a hobby I enjoyed years ago and after we gave the RV to our nephew it called to me again. Early on, it was acrylic and oil paints, but a few years ago there was something called “Alcohol Ink” that sounded interesting. It was, and I still dabble a bit when it’s too cold to torch.
I have a decent sized garden every year – I love to cook and use our own produce to try new recipes.
My husband no longer travels to help with the shows, but I continued to do juried art shows in NC, SC, and Georgia during 2018 and 2019. I hope to get back on the road once again and participate in closer shows. I can’t leave my hubby or my sweet dogs by themselves for too long.
Favorite compliment:
One of the best complements I ever got, in terms of glass beads and jewelry pieces, came during a show at a Convention Center in Virginia. A little girl quietly stood by her mother’s side while she shopped. She was maybe five or six years old and while mom wasn’t watching, she ever so gently picked up a pendant I’d made with a glass conch shell ..… and then, held it up to her ear.
It made me so happy.
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