Hi there! My name’s Larissa Spafford. I'm glad you're visiting my web site.

With glass as my medium and fire as my tool, I create glass beads, one at a time, using the ancient art of lampworking (also know as flameworking, or torch glass blowing.)

I'm a full time lampwork artist living in Bend, Oregon with my husband and our two wonderful boys. I've been creating original glass beads, unique jewelry, and more since 1998. I do my best to make socially and environmentally responsible choices each step of the way.

For me, it all begins with color. I love color and always have. New boxes of crayons, fresh watercolor paint sets, embroidery floss, and color chips in the paint aisle of the hardware store are all color bliss for me. I've always done artistic things and had a talent for them. I've dabbled in paint, clay, drawing, and fimo. . . but nothing really stuck -- until I learned to work with glass.

Once I discovered glass, I finally felt passionate about what I can create with color. Whether it’s vivid and bold or subtle and serene, I love it all.

Glass is so incredibly beautiful and fascinating to me. When hot, it flows like molten lava but it becomes stiff again in a matter of seconds. Keeping the perfect heat balance is key. It’s like a dance. Not enough heat and the glass can crack, too much heat and it moves -- then carefully applied details are smeared or melted.

Once it has cooled, the way the light strikes it, shines through it, and illuminates it intrigue me. Working glass is a mesmerizing and meditative process that demands I stay completely in the moment. This process continues to teach me and it brings great joy and contentment. I am very grateful for this gift.

Please visit my blog at http://larissaspafford.blogspot.com/ and look me up at one of my shows.

Warm Wishes,