Barbara Mason

Teaching students to make beads combines two of my passions, working hot glass in the flame and sharing skills and information with others.

When I design a course I try to move students forward in small steps, building new skills on top of ones already learned, so that each student is as well prepared as possible in trying something new. Success in learning comes hand in hand with confidence. I also firmly believe that a skill is best learnt by practising it; to that end, student torch time is maximised.

My style has developed from the experience I gained whilst teaching laboratory science. This means that a beginners’ course consists of a series of demonstrations, each followed by student practice of the skill. Sometimes the demonstration/practice cycle for a technique needs to be repeated so that everyone has a good grasp before the class moves on. Whilst the course is structured, it is punctuated by periods of personal time at the torch so that students can pursue their own ideas or practise particular skills. Technical information is given in small doses following naturally from student questions or from the needs of a particular process.

More advanced courses are less structured, giving more time for personal exploration of the technique being studied.

Students on a beginners’ course gain a good grounding in making glass beads at the torch; they cover all basic skills thoroughly. Because torch time is maximised, everyone has the opportunity to make at least one bead for each of the techniques shown (and in fact make several for most techniques). At the end of the course they have sufficient knowledge and confidence to set up their own torch to make beads at home, if they wish.

My own work is inspired by the interplay of colour that I see around me, both in town and in the countryside. I am also influenced by geometric pattern and by the natural form of plants.

On my website

Since 1997, when my beadmaking began, I have taken courses with several artists such as Heather Trimlett, Patti Walton, Kate Fowle-Meleney, and Kate Drew-Wilkinson.

I was fortunate to live near San Francisco between 2001 and 2003 where I was a member of the Bay Area chapter of the International Society of Glass Beadmakers. That area of California is home to many talented and inspirational artists. I learned much from watching beadmaking demonstrations by members such as Leah Fairbanks, Sharon Peters and Laurie Copeland at the monthly get-togethers.

I studied for my post-graduate teacher’s certificate and spent seven years in secondary education during my twenties. More recently, I have taught beadmaking to adults at several UK locations over the past five years.

I belong to several bead societies, the most relevant here being GBUK (Glass Beadmakers UK), of which I am a founder member.