Article from Logan, Utah Paper 2003
by Jason Bergreen
March 15, 2003
For Von Schroeder, glass is not just for drinking water out of. It is the medium she works in to create art.
By heating rods of colored glass, Schroeder shapes and designs her won glass beads, which she fashions into jewelry. The process for making the beads is called Lampworking.
I have wanted to be a full time artist my entire life, Schroeder said, smiling from the second story room in her home that she uses as a studio.
Schroeders creative journey began two years ago. She was already contemplating retiring from the health insurance and Medical Savings Account company she worked for in Overland Park , Kan. , to devote herself full-time to creating art. There was just one problem. I didnt know what kind (of art), she said. Even though she had dabbled with other mediums, she was unsure that they would make a viable living.
Schroeders interest in lampworking came one day when she noticed a co-worker viewing lampwork glass beads on the Internet. What are those? she asked the co-worker. The small pieces of shaped glass intrigued Schroeder so much that she ordered a small starter kit and a $25.00 torch. I went down in my basement and started melting glass, she said. From the first moment I started, I was hooked and knew that I had found my medium. One that would provide constant stimulation and learning for the rest of my life.
Schroeder became serious about her art when she and her husband moved to Logan , UT just over a year ago. I thought it was now or never given I could not replace the job I had in Kansas .
Schroeder spent up to 14 hours a day in her studio last summer designing new beads for necklaces, bracelets, pendant and earrings that she displayed at Summerfest. People were so supportive during this first show and many were not familiar with lampworking.
I think that it is not as common here in Cache Valley as it is in some of the other states,she said.
To make the beads, Schroeder uses an oxygen and propane torch to melt the glass rods. When the glass reaches a molten state, she winds the glass on to a steel, clay coated rod, which in turns creates the center of the bead. Different colored glass is then used to create designs on the bead. The finished bead is then annealed and cooled slowly in a kiln over the next 6 to 8 hours.
