Jan Olsen, the Winner of the Spring 2005 Bead O'the Quarter
This is a layered-up lentil, made with the Cattwalk 1-1/2" press. It has a thin white core encased with Moretti/Effetre Dark Grass Green. Next was a sprinkling of a golden yellow Thompson enamel, followed by a couple of odd-shaped swatches of copper leaf. I then rolled the whole bead in silver leaf and then spun on the Moretti/Effetre Intense Black fine lines top and bottom. Next I rolled it in a few grains of Reichenbach frit R-106, Iris Dark Brown. (These expand and bloom energetically, so you needn't use too much of it.) Then the bead was heated to a point where it would deform in the lentil press. As luck would have it, I used the right amount of glass and pressed it evenly and straight. I think the slight iridescent wash on it is caused by the exotic metals in the Reichenbach frit. I think the metals volatize and slightly fume the rest of the bead while it's being heated to a soft enough state to be pressed.

April 2005