The tradition of glass beadmaking is an ancient one, with the first beads made by the Egyptians and Romans almost 9,000 years ago. In the 13th century the Veniatians made great advances in glass beadmaking, developing processes which are still in use today.

Isla uses traditional Italian lampworking techniques learnt in the UK, she heats rods of glass with a blow-torch and winds them around stainless steel mandrels to form beads. The hot beads are decorated with pre-formed glass shapes or ‘painted’ with thin glass stringers then coated with layers of clear glass. When finished each bead is carefully cooled so it won’t stress or shatter. Once at room temperature, the surface of the bead is often decorated by carving, acid etching, electroforming, painting or engraving.

Isla’s fascination with glass began whist studying Graphic Design at Wanganui Polytechnic – she took part time glass blowing classes with Tony Keupfer and was inspired. Once she graduated, Isla studied Product Development at Massey University and tutored at the Otago University School of Design before moving to the UK. After a successful career as a graphic designer in London she decided that it was ‘now or never’ and set up a lampworking studio.

The traditions of glass beadmaking may be ancient, but Isla doesn’t think that respecting tradition means standing still. She constantly experiments with both tools and techniques and is especially interested in the chemistry of glass, using enamels and metal oxides to create variation. Isla combines glass with fibre which she thinks softens the hard quality of the material, making pieces more fluid and wearable.