We have Sarah Hornik coming to our shores so thought to share her with you all. Sarah has made the dream a reality, a well known glass artist, internationally acclaimed and travelled tutor, demonstrator to over 300 lampworkers and website guru. Sarah has achieved the ability to be a full time artist selling beads online and at international gatherings, here’s her story
How long have you been lampworking for?
Almost 4.5 years, since November ’05.
How would you best describe your style?
Abstract, freestyle, multi-layered and very colourful!
What are the most rewarding aspects of lampworking for you?
Having the freedom to create whatever I like and making a living by doing something that I love is constantly rewarding. I enjoy the fact that lampworking never gets boring; there is always something new to try, something new to discover and something new to learn.
What are the most challenging aspects for you?
Making beads for a living can be a challenge, especially in difficult economic times. Sometimes there is an inner struggle between “what do I want to make today?” and “what will people want to buy?”
Are you a full time artist?
Yes.
If yes, what advice would you offer our members where self promotion is concerned?
My most efficient promotional tools have been my blog and my newsletter. Lampwork forums are also helpful, as are social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Flickr. I think that, generally speaking, potential buyers like to get to know the person behind the beads, so I like using these platforms with a personal touch.
Briefly discuss your journey into lampworking?
Before I “discovered” glass, I used to be a graphic designer. I spent 8 years of my life designing websites and such. My dream had been to open my own web design studio – but when that finally happened, in 2005, I realized that the dream wasn’t making me happy. I wasn’t enjoying the work or “being the boss”. This was a confusing time in my life.
One day, by utter coincidence, I stumbled across a Google ad for a local glass beadmaking class. I thought it could be fun to try, as a new hobby, maybe something that would distance me from the computer screen for a bit and motivate me to get back on track with my design work.
I signed up for the class, and the moment I made my first bead (a crooked little black spacer), I was completely hooked. I lost all interest in my design business and all I wanted to do was melt glass. I began selling my work on eBay, and within just a few months, I decided to drop the web design altogether and become a full-time beadmaker. I’ve never looked back since!
Where do you hope to see yourself in 10 years time?
This is a difficult question to answer. If someone had told me, 10 years ago, that in 2010 I’d be making glass beads and selling them for a living, and travelling the world to teach lampworking in other countries, I would have thought they were either joking or insane.
So, have no idea where I’d like to be in 10 years from now.
To quote John Lennon – “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.”
If you could master any one technique which would you choose?
Possibly sculpture. I’d also like to learn to blow glass.
What would you consider your strengths in lampworking?
Combining color, layering, working with murrini, attention to detail, and of course – getting things to work on a Hot Head torch when people say it’s impossible. 
What was the most challenging workshop/course you took and what did you most take away from it?
I recently took a class with Maestro Lucio Bubacco. Watching him work on the torch is nothing short of mind-blowing. It was a very challenging and humbling experience which opened my mind to many of the endless possibilities of melting glass on a torch.
If you could collect another artists work; who would that be and why?
Ah, so many. To narrow it down to a few: Anastasia, Sherry Bellamy, Andrea Guarino, Akihiro Ohkama, Jennifer Geldard… I am most interested in artists who have their own voice and their own unique style.
In your mind how do hope to see the lampworking community grow in the world in the future?
I would love to see beadmaking get more recognition as an art form, and I think it is important to educate the public about all the work and thought that goes into making glass beads. I hope to see more and more beads in art galleries and museums.
What aspects of Teaching do you like most?
I enjoy meeting lampworkers from all over the world and sharing my techniques and styles; it is wonderful too see a student suddenly realize how something is done or accomplish a technique they thought they couldn’t.
One of the most rewarding parts is when at the end of the day, a student tells me they can’t wait to get to their own studio to try out all the new ideas they have going through their head.
What lampworking publications/books do you like best?
I like Corina’s ‘Passing the Flame’ and her ‘Spotlights. I also enjoy Jim Kervin’s Artists series.
As for magazines, I like ‘The Flow’ and ISGB’s ‘Bead Release’.
How would members be able to best contact you?
Through e-mail: sarah.hornik@gmail.com
Where do you sell your work for members to see nationally / internationally?
I sell on Etsy:
http://sarahhornik.etsy.com
And on eBay:
http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/sarah_hornik/
Are there any golden nuggets of wisdom you would like to pass onto the members?
Golden nuggets… hmmm. I’d recommend keeping your eyes open at all times, because inspiration can come from anywhere, particularly the places you’re least expecting it.
Search for your own voice. Believe in yourself and don’t be afraid to try new things – sometimes the best bead designs come from “mistakes”!
And, perhaps most importantly, make what you like. Don’t worry about practicing techniques just for the sake of practicing – have fun making what you like, and the technical abilities will come naturally.
