FREYA ADELLE READ

 

 

My love of glass began early through the influence of my father,  a stained glass craftsman from the early 1970’s through 2005. In the early 1990’s he introduced me to fused glass and from that luck led me to lampworked glass beads. It was while visiting my folks in Chattanooga, Tennessee that I met Donavan Boutz, a 2nd generation glass artist. Trained under his father Eugene Boutz and Harvey Littleton, he has played a crucial role in the beadmaking movement that we see now. I would never have tried it if not for him opening that door for me. I sat and watched him work for months before he made me take his class. That was the start of my journey with glass. I was working with metals at the time but glass filled me with an excitement that I had never felt before. The magic when heat is applied to the glass, seeing it become more liquid, watching how the colors emerge and blend. The depth of each application can change the look and feel of the glass.  It is like waking up on Christmas morning and finding that gift you never dreamed you would receive. I am inspired by my garden which sits just out the door of my studio. Shape, texture and hue constantly change in a garden. The mixture of colors and feel inspire the beads and jewelry I make.  In my work I incorporate metal elements, gemstones, and my father’s tumbled glass pieces.

I have worked in the American Craft world for the last 30 years. First selling handmade Native American Indian Jewelry and Art. Later for a gallery that specialized in a variety of Fine American Handmade Crafts from woods to kaleidoscopes. For the last 10 years I have been an art glass consultant for an all North American art glass gallery.

  My glass beads are made from soft soda lime glass and borosilicate glass.  They are kiln annealed for durability and safety.     

 

Memberships

International Society of Glass Bead Makers

Glass Art Society

Precious Metal Clay Guild

 

Glass Training

Donavan Boutz and Suzan Benzle-Boutz

Bernadette Fuentes

Doni Hatz

Ellie Burke

George O’Grady

Carol Moore

John Olson

Christian Luginger

Wil Menzies

Shane Fero

Fred Birkhill

Donna Merrill

Metalsmith Training

Leonard Chee, Elizabeth Knodle, and Michelle Lawrence

 

History of Galleries

Artifacts  Chattanooga, Tennessee
Buchanan Gallery  Galveston, Texas
Free Flight Gallery  Dallas, Texas
Kittrell Riffkind Art Glass  Dallas , Texas
River Gallery, Chattanooga, Tennessee
The Craft Guild of Dallas Gallery  Dallas, Texas