Art is what feeds our imagination. How dull would living be without it? It’s our signature in this world and our history. It’s what says who we really are and what we are capable of as a thinking and feeling society. For Hannah, it is the only way of life. As for David, it is the reason he gets up in the morning.

Where do you live and what is it like?
Hannah and David’s home is in northern New Mexico in the town of Taos nestled between Taos Mountain and the Rio Grande gorge. The sun shines throughout the year, even in the winter during the local ski season, presenting breathtaking views from all corners of their home near the center of town. The spring and summer changes Taos from the pearl white and desert sand tones to eighteen shades of green under a crisp azure ski until the Aspen trees turn white and gold around the hills of the Sandia de Cristo mountains.

Taos is known for its arts and crafts venue, once attracting artists from all over the world who formed artist colonies still practicing today. Artists from all over still migrate to this area for its array of changing color pallets and the solace afforded by this quiet, southwestern mountain town.

If the two of them ever found another part of the world to make their lives, Taos will always be a home to them.

Where did you learn to craft?
Hannah has been doing seed bead work since 1986. Much of what she’s learned has been through trial and error, out of books or through the wonderful resources available online. She has been able to take classes from Sherry Serafini, Vicki Starr and Jeanette Cooke.

Lampwork or flamework is the term used to describe glass beads made by melting glass with a torch and wrapping it around a steel rod. The techniques used to form and festoon the glass haven't changed much since the first core formed vessels made in ancient Egypt.

In 1994, Hannah decided to take a course in making glass beads over a torch. The course was 6-weeks long, and was taught at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts by glass artist Milissa Montini. She was hooked immediately, and retook the beginning course the next semester. She’s since taken glasses from Loren Stump, Michael Mangiafico, John Winter, and Tink and Nancy Lawler.

As a beginning glass student David views this medium with similar eyes as those of his student years back in Baltimore studying both Literature and Fine Art, specifically in the areas of drawing, painting(acrylic, oil), and mixed medias including fibers. The color palettes and ranges of their uses in glass fascinate him, especially in the application to this medium fresh to him. Moreover, it has sparked an interest for the complicated medium and techniques involved in all its many forms ranging from beads through jewelry and sculpture.

If there is a new craft you could learn, what would it be and why?
Hannah wants to learn Enameling to further her experience as a glass artist. It’s another form of using glass (this time in powder form) and the colors have already intrigued her to pursue learning this approach to working with a medium for which she is so passionate.

David’s interest remains with literature and writing, as well as continuing as a student working with glass and aspires to work in the medium on a more sculptural or narrative capacity.

What are your goals with your ArtFire studio?
Of course, we would like to continue our living doing what we love as it relates to the work shown and sold on the site, however, the reward of knowing a much broader spectrum of viewers from all over world can see the work and choose to make something Hannah has made with her own two hands a part of their lives is gratifying on a more personal level.

Where do you receive your inspiration, in general?
Natural forms and color are always a huge attractant for Hannah visually. She tries to keep herself open to everything around her so that nothing gets overlooked. She is constantly surveying her surroundings as well as researching organic imagery for inspiration. The things that have always been here and, hopefully, will always be here will undoubtedly continue to capture the imagination of artists regardless of their chosen medium.

David’s inspiration comes from a more internal source. As with creative writing, the filter that changes what he takes in through the senses and becomes personalized, is fodder for the imagination to run free. Like dreams, the unexplainable sometimes needs to get out and find a form.

Who are your other favorite ArtFire artists?
There are so many talented artists involved with ArtFire. It’s refreshing to see so many people working from all parts of the world and creating new and beautiful pieces by hand. The artists we work with on more personal levels have genuinely impressed the both of us.

The Glass and Jewelry Collective guild, of which we are Guild Masters, has been the best way in keep in touch and share our creative ventures.

The Glass and Jewelry Collective guild was created to bring our diverse community of glass and jewelry artists, living and practicing all over the world, closer in hope of creating a place and forum to communicate and exchange more easily and on a continual basis. Our focus of our ArtFire Guild is to help promote and sell our work as a group in recognition of the myriad of individual aspects each artist contributes in the field.

What is the best piece of advice you can give other crafters?
We would suggest that you read as much as you possibly can, research what is available out there, take in as much as possible, and most importantly to enjoy yourself! For example, the online forums available through ArtFire are a wonderful source of information.

What is the most treasured thing in your craft stash?
Hannah loves tools, and her favorite is the GTT Lynx Torch we purchased last summer. Hannah’s teachings have been invaluable and priceless. For David, everything is still very fresh and exciting.

If you won a thousand dollar craft shopping spree, what would you spend it on?
A larger GTT torch!

Why do you think that buying and selling handmade products benefits society?
It provides a forum for people to work and make a living. It creates jobs in a sense. Also, it puts the fine work that people have cared for individually, and not machine made mass produced copies, into the hands of those who tastefully appreciate it. That is all part of making a better society.

Visit Studio