My name is Jacqui Collins-Parker and
~~~~~~ I come from a long line of crafters
and artists. My Mom used to tell
my sister
and I stories about being rolled
in our strollers
to deliver finished artwork.
A weekly trip
was made to deliver handmade
porcelain flowers
that she and her Mother had finished.
Could
say that my sister and I lived
art from an
early age!
We "Collins'" women
tried it all
at least once! Ceramics, painting,
doll-making,
enameling, sewing of all kinds,
plastic canvas....
you name it, we did it. Lots
of our art found
its way into art and craft shows,
and into
gift packages over the years.
 
~~~~~~~"Grannie" was famous for
knitting intricate animals into
sweaters,
and making a mighty fine poodle
skirt! "Mommie"
could make your skin get goosebumps
over
her amazing ceramic pieces, and
my sister,
she used to create some of the
best bingo
crafts that you ever laid eyes
on! I think
you have the idea of where the
ability to
create came from, but there is
so much more
that goes into every glass bead.
~~~~~~ The creation of each bead takes a
little bit of every skill and
talent I've
learned, and it also incorporates
a bit of
the creative childs' soul in
me............................
~~~~~~~ I started Angel Craft
Studio in 1981.
It has always been a home-based
business
that has offered various handmade
crafts.
Finished ceramic products and
dolls of all
kinds have been my most stable
product lines,
along with more recent additions
of handmade
greeting cards and papers. In
order to increase
sales, I learned, also from my
Mom, Grannie
and sister, to combine art media.
Often you
would find among my product lines
... a doll
with intricate gemstone beadwork,
a ceramic
vase with a fashion doll created
on the outside,
or a greeting card made from
an old CD covered
in leather! And then, I saw an
article about
lampworked glass beads!
~~~~~ I read every article I
could find,
and in 1997, I taught myself
the art of Lampworking
glass.
Everything I had learned came
together in
the first flame and melted glass!
The mysteries and the magic of
glass hit
a real cord in that "childs'
soul, and
I had found my niche.
To me, each and every one of
my beads is
a miniature sculpture.... Full
of all the
rich frames of reference given
to me by those
who came before....... My work
is an extension
of their love, and in my sisters'
case, continued
love and support.......... Thanks
Renee'!
Angel Craft Studio Lampworked Glass beads
was using a Bethlehem Burner torch for three
years, although for the first four years
I worked on a HotHead torch. I've now graduated
to another torch, [we beadmakers get torch
envy form time to time and have to go "bigger
- more power" and such!] which is a
Carlilse Mini CC. he can make really big
beads and with a smaller flame, really itty-bitty
beads!
According to one local supplier,
Wale Apparatus,
who saw my work from the small
HotHead torch,
I had far surpassed what they
thought was
possible on that torch. The need
to produce
more beads and faster, led me
to upgrade
to an oxygen/propane system from
the single
gas one I was using.
~~~~~~ I use a computer controlled table-top
kiln to anneal each and every bead, and also
to fire gold and decals onto beads from time
to time. Still mixing media, I also use pearl
powders on some beads, and use beads to decorate
handmade books and cards, personal spirit
dolls, and jewelry.......
My beads are offered on eBay and here on
my website. They are also in collections
or jewelry designs around the world; including
the United Kingdom, Africa, New Zealand ,
and the U.S. Virgin Islands! Ornamental,
sculptural beads have been accepted by the
White House for the Christmas Tree three
years in a row during the Clinton administration.
They have been in juried shows, and have
been sold in the Bead and Button magazine
Auctions for Breast Cancer.
There's a saying which means a lot to me
and I try to follow through every
year...
PAY IT FORWARD! I've been very
fortunate
to have a great family, friends
and a supportive
husband and dog-baby too. My
Fire Mountain
donations are one way that I
pay it forward,
but my biggest love is the HOPE
Bracelet
Project. The project helps women
of Yetabon,
Ethiopia to work towards self-sufficiency.
Beadmakers and suppliers from
all over the
world have donated all of the
materials necessary
for the women to create one of
a kind bracelets!
When auctioned at Trice Jewelers'
in Denver,
Co., all of the money generated
to used by
the school in Yetabon!!!! Please
read more
here....Hope Bracelet Project
My journey is a continuing work
in progress
as I learn new skills and apply
them to the
beads that I make and offer to
you customer
and art glass bead collector.
Come back ften
to see what's new and interesting
at Angel
Craft Studio!
Angel Craft Studio Art Glass Beads was established
in 1997 to service those craftsmen who
create jewelry with that extra special touch...that
one-of-a-kind look...achievable with Angel Craft Studio Beads.
Thanks so much for visiting!
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ANGEL CRAFT STUDIO 
