November 2020: Turquoise Barrel Bead
Posted by Carol Ann Savage on
This month I would like to share a few thoughts about my obsession with murrini making. Each murrina flower slice that you see in the bead comes from a length of cane that has been prepared before the bead is created. Starting with a warm core of glass the murrini is built from the inside out, often ending up to be half the size of my fist. This gather is then heated evenly and pulled down to a usable size of 5-15 mm diameter.
This ancient glass technique was employed by the Roman glass producers and later revived by the Venetians in the early 16th century. Cane can be as complex as a country scene or the profile of a face. Proportion and choice of color play an integral part in the final product, taking a lot of patience to learn. Needing uninterrupted hours, I’ve enjoyed many summer mornings in the studio creating new flowers. Applying them to the bead is another whole discussion...