Saunie

Saunie specializes in handcrafted fine jewelry with a focus on distinctive lampwork beads and sterling silver.

Primarily self-taught, Saunie learned her craft from a local artist. Since that time, she has continued to research and apply new techniques into her designs. “I get new inspiration from the Internet, bead and jewelry design periodicals and the world around me,” says Saunie. “The unique characteristics of different glass can be unpredictable, which at times can produce a wonderful, but unexpected surprise.”

“My greatest motivation is the desire to try something new,” Saunie continues. “Lampwork offers me the freedom to create beads in colors, texture and styles I enjoy. I start with an idea and begin to shape a bead that truly represents my thoughts or feelings. My finished beads are a reflection of this process. I design my beads into unique pieces of jewelry that will be beautiful and useful. I truly enjoy the total creative process.”

Lampwork beads are made by melting colored glass rods over a torch. As the tip of the rod is softened, the glass is then wound onto a steel mandrel that has been coated with bead release. The molten glass is then formed with the help of gravity and graphite tools into the desired shaped. Surface decorations are then added by using layers of different colored glass. Creating a bead can take a few minutes to hours depending on the complexity of the design. Beads are then annealed in a kiln to ensure strength and durability. Proper annealing removes stress from the glass and prevents cracking. After the annealing process, the bead is removed from the steel mandrel and cleaned of bead release. The beads are then ready to be used in Saunieʼs unique jewelry designs. Each lampwork bead is an individually handcrafted piece of art.