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Welcome
to my website. My name is Ann Scherm Baldwin,
and
I am a glass beadmaker, and beadmaking
instructor.
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I
make beads in my home studio by melting
glass rods in the flame of a torch and winding
the glass around a metal mandrel, which
has been coated with a release agent. This
process is also called Lampworking, or wound
glass, and dates back many centuries. Click
on the link at left if you'd like to learn
more about how glass beads are made.
I
am also a beadmaking teacher, and I teach
classes in beadmaking in my home studio
in Virginia Beach, Virginia. I teach both
individuals, as well as classes of up to
four people at time. Teaching beadmaking
for the past six years has been a real joy,
and my students have inspired, educated
and enriched my life in so many ways. If
you'd like to come and take a class with
me, please check out the classes
page of my website, and then email me
for more information.
The
purpose of this website is not just to sell
beads; I also to want to educate people
about how these miniature works of art are
created, promote the renaissance of art
glass beadmaking in this country, and share
my passion for those lovely round things
called BEADS.
I'm
hoping to make lots of converts...
I
wish to share, entertain, inspire, and encourage
you to follow your heart, in all that you
do. Thank you for looking, reading, appreciating,
laughing and of course, ...checking out
my beads!
- Ann
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As always,
I continue to teach Beginning Beadmaking
and Special Techniques classes in my home
studio. Class size is usually 2 - 3 people,
but never more than 4, so everyone gets
plenty of individual attention. Basic
Skills Review and Intermediate instruction
is also available, on request.
I
love teaching technique classes, so if
you've been dying to find out how to make
hollows or vessels, want to learn sculptural
techniques or floral surface embellishment,
please email me and we'll see if we can't
set up a class! Many of my classes get
set up based on requests I get for teaching
via email.
At some point in the future, I hope to
start offering Instructor Education classes,
for intermediate beadmakers who are interested
in teaching beadmaking. If this is something
you've been thinking about, and might
be interested in participating in, please
drop me a note to find out more.
Please
check my CLASSES
page for more information on upcoming
classes, or EMAIL
me to inquire about your specific interests!
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ALSO NEW!
How Lampwork Glass Beads Are Made
A Beadmaker's Best Sales Resource
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You
know how difficult it is to describe to
someone who has
never seen a glass bead being made, exactly
what it is that you
do with glass rods and flame?
This
handy pocket photo album
allows a Beadmaker to show
in words and pictures the
equipment, materials and
process to your friends, family
and customers!
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Bead
Banners!
Sewn with
Love by Me
(and sometimes, my indentured daughter)
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Torch
Goddess
A
Beadmaker's Banner, to hang in your studio!
(Caution! Not flame retardant!)
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Is
this what they call a Blog?
This is what prevents
me from updating my webpage very often.
I have to think of something witty and wise
and interesting to say. That's when words
fail me. Spontaneous entertainment, I can
do.
Blogging, not so much...
So, I'll talk about
my juggling act. You know, the one where
you have taken on way too many balls (no
comment) and now you have to keep them all
in the air? Without dropping them? And everybody
is watching you? Yeah, THAT juggling act!
Ladies & Gentlemen,
boys and girls, watch closely as Schermo
attempts to keep all these brightly colored
balls in the air:
- Teaching classes
in my home studio
- Making beads to
sell at shows
- Taking some of
the beads and making jewelry (just to
prove I know how to do it)
- Selling the jewelry
- Making and selling
my NEW BEAD BANNERS! (Everybody needs
one. Step right this way... Bead Banners)
- Merchandising
(sounds better than selling, doesn't it?)
another new brilliant idea - Compact photo
albums with fabulous pictures of beads
being made, to explain exactly what it
is we do, to our friends, customers and
mothers-in-law.
- Finally, I'm
working on developing a 2 day, comprehensive
Instructor's Training Program, which I'll
be offering at different teaching venues
around the country. It will include hands-on
practice teaching, and hopefully, prepare
an experienced beadmaker all the tools
she needs to start teaching others.
Click on the CLASSES
page to learn more about
this program.
(Quick, before I drop the ball!)
-
Schermo
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