Nice to meet you
Angela Maddix has always had an adventurous and independent spirit. After living and visiting many countries all over the world, she finally moved and settled to Western North Carolina in 1994. She has had several entrepreneurial careers working with chocolate, flowers and owning a Bed and Breakfast in Asheville, NC.
In 2004, she attended her first weekend class of lampwork bead making. After several years of perfecting her craft- A Working Glass Girl was born! Over the years, Angela has continued to learn new techniques and uses for her decorative glass beads. In 2017 she incorporated intricate wire work into her jewelry and art. Hammering, twisting and wrapping mixed metals into her designs has become her new obsession.
My Background
As an artist, I have always been drawn to the details, the intricate embellishments and visual appeal. When introduced to lampwork, the melting of glass in a torch to create a detail rich single bead, I knew I had found my art match. And I get to use fire? Perfect!
Color is my inspiration, even if its black with white! Learning by trial and error, which colors work with others, is a huge part of the day's work. Throw in some reactive silver glass and you have a party!
My Medium
Lampwork bead design has a steep learning curve of many years. The work is focused and fast. The glass becomes liquid in the super hot flame. The process requires a lot of twisting and spinning to create a smooth round bead shape, otherwise the glass will drip or become an unbalanced bead. The glass rods are in a myriad of colors to inspire each day at the torch. I tend to work with 3-5 colors at a time. By limiting my palette I can concentrate on the pattern I'm designing.
