My artwork is a combination of hand blown and flame worked borosilicate glass. Borosilicate glass is a hard glass that was created specifically for its durability and strength. Working at temperatures above 2000 degrees, I incorporate clear or colored glass rods into clear or colored glass tubing. By manipulating the glass in the open flame, I am able to create such pieces as pendants, bracelets, rings, miniature sculptures, blown vessels, ornaments, and anything else I can think of. I am best known for my stone encasements. An unforgettable touch of class is created through the use of such stones as opal, tektites, moonstone, ruby, and kyanite. Each stone has its own metaphysical properties that is truly felt when used.
Everything I am is embedded in my artwork. It is the very expression of my life experiences. Each stage of my life has brought new inspiration, from the first glass animals that I bought for my grandmother when I was a child, to my work as a yoga instructor today. I am grateful for the opportunities to share my art as my way of life. My career in glass has led me to meet some truly great people and I have been encouraged artistically by all of them. My hope is that, through my work, I too will encourage others to express themselves in a positively creative way.
– Julie Leatherbarrow
