Spotlight on Renee Mathies
My name is Renee Mathies and I am a lampworker artist based in Knoxville, TN. I love to see the looks from people when I tell them that “I Play with Fire!”
My journey started when I was doing a small church craft show. At the time I made beaded and crystal jewelry. At the show there was a woman who was selling beautiful glass beads. She had a video showing how she made her beads. It was fascinating! I quickly found a local lampwork artist. I took a one-day class and was off and running. At first I worked in my garage on a hothead. I didn’t have a kiln so used a crockpot with vermiculite in it. For three years I thought I was the only one doing this, then one day while working in surgery I met a nurse wearing a glass goddess pendant. I asked her about it and she told me she had made it. OMG!! She went on to tell me about a lampworking group that meets monthly. I wasn’t alone! That was ten years ago, and our group is still going strong.
I became a member of the International Society of Glass Beadmakers, The Arts & Culture Alliance of Knoxville, Oak Ridge Art Center and the Foothills Art & Craft Guild. These organizations allow me to learn and share my craft with the public. I love displaying and demonstrating my craft at art shows. It gives me the chance to show people what goes into making each piece, from start to finish. It gives them an appreciation for what I do.
Teaching lampworking is one of my passions, mainly teaching beginners. I love to see their excitement when they light the torch for the first time or make the perfect round bead. Finally, after ten years, I had a studio with four torches built on my property with the intention to teach classes. Unfortunately, it was finished just as Covid hit.
So, two years later, I’m slowly gaining a bit of momentum. Even if it’s only one or two students at a time. This year I’ve started teaching at the local community college for their adult lifelong learning program. I teach beginner, intermediate lampworking and jewelry making. My goal is to have the follow-up classes in the studio. I feel that teaching our craft to new people is the best way to keep lampworking relevant.
My next adventure is into Boro! I’ve dabbled a bit but would like to deep dive into glass chain making or maybe goblets? Who knows where this glass adventure will go. I’m thankful for all the glass artists who share their techniques on social media. I love to see what everyone else is making and it helps me learn some new techniques.
I will forever be Playing with Fire!
“Spotlight On” is an area where we highlight one of our own. Members are encouraged to share a personal story or an adventure. To see past Spotlight articles, visit our website.
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