Whirlstrom Studio art glass beads and jewelry

Jen Brooks jenatwhirlstromdotcom Encinitas, CA USA

Bio I grew up in Southern California, like to read, play soccer, run, bike, boogie board, swim, I knit, garden, cook and more. My day job is being an analytical chemist. My newest activity is making glass beads. Wow, it's a lot of fun. I use a propane oxygen fueled torch and Italian glass rods called Effetre. After I make a bead on a stainless steel mandrel coated with a clay-like substance, the bead (still on the mandrel) is placed into a 950 F kiln. At the end of my bead making session a computer program is started that holdsthe kiln temp at 950 F for a half hour after which the kiln temp is ramped up to a 960 F soak and then sllooowwlllyyy ramped down to room temp. What's a Whirlstrom? I made this word up and it is a combination of Whirl and Maelstrom. Maelstrom is a word for a Norwegian whirlpool  The swirling and whirling of the bead making process plus all the information and activities encountered on a daily basis...now that's a Whirlstrom.