Rhiannon Griffiths
Artist Statement by Rhiannon B. Griffiths--
Beauty, creativity, and the play between color and light have always been part of who I am. Living by the sea influences my work through color, texture, and mood. As a glass bead maker and jewelry designer, I find myself drawn to the organic look but I love learning lots of techniques so my work is evolving. Lampwork is both my joy and my spiritual practice. As I work, I enter a meditative state where I become one with the glass and the flame. I may go into a beading session with a design in mind, but more often than not, I find the glass tells me what it wants to happen. I just get out of the way and allow it to guide me. The creative process unfolds as the alchemy of flame, glass and artist brings amazing and sometimes surprising results.
I particularly enjoy working with silver reactive glass and seeing how different flames create unusual effects. I love how much there is to learn about melting and forming glass and am excited that this discovery will likely last the rest of my life. Along with lampworking, I am now getting back to my jewelry design roots and creating finished pieces with my beads, repurposed components, and semi-precious stones and pearls. Each process calls on a different aspect of creativity and skill set. The jewelry design engages a more analytical mind-set while flame work calls on a more fluid aspect and comes from a place of surrender. I love each, yet differently.
I am in love with what is born in the flame, and that is what I offer in my art.—Rhiannon B. Griffiths
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Attended Clark College and earned an Associates in Graphic Arts 1979
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Co-owned Atelier in Lincoln City, Oregon creating hand-bound, hand carved leather covered journals
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Earned a BS in Sociology and Psychology at Portland State University 1983
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Licensed Massage Therapist 1986
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Certified Hakomi Body-Centered Psychotherapy 1991
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Clinic Director at Oregon School of Massage 1988-2003
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Master of Divinity, Advanced New Thought and Inter-Faith from New West Seminary 2002
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Workshops from renowned lampwork artists including Christina Tettinger and Carolyn Crystal as well as self-study.
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Trunk and craft shows including Beads at Dusty Creek in Portland, Lovejoy’s in Florence, and Crafts at the Coast in Yachats
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BackStreet Gallery member 2018
All Flame Born Beads are created by me in the flame, one at a time in my home studio and are properly annealed in a digitally controlled kiln for strength and durability. Each bead is cleaned and inspected for any flaws. As with any glass, care must be used to avoid breakage.
Watch Rhiannon at work here and here
http://flamebornbeaddesigns.com/
