About Me

I'm Karolen Deupree, a self-representing lampwork bead artist. I work out of my home studio in the beautiful red rock country of Sedona, Arizona.

When designing a bead, my first inspiration usually comes from color combinations. The designs then tend to evolve towards organic and abstract forms, inspired by the desert landscape and the natural beauty of flowers, trees, water, rocks, and the dramatic desert skies.

How my lampworking journey began...
I started lampworking in 1997, prompted by a series of dreams I had that spring. At the time I was fabricating silver and gemstone jewelry, and would often see pictures of artisan lampwork beads in Lapidary Journal. I thought the beads were beautiful, though I never considered getting into glasswork myself. Then, seemingly out-of-the-blue, I had four solid nights of dreaming that I was making lampworked beads. In fact, the dreams continued for weeks. The Universe seemed to be telling me I ought to try lampworking! The dreams had already caused an obsession in me, long before I ever sat down at a torch!

There was no class in my area for six months, so I spent the entire summer reading every book and website I could find about glass beadmaking. In the fall of '97, I took some classes with Sally Prasch at Snow Farm in Massachusetts. Once I'd made my first real bead, I was absolutely hooked and knew this was what I wanted to do. Lampworking is a very addictive medium!

Besides the couple of classes I took at Snow Farm, I am self-taught.

From 1997-2006, my studio was called Drawn to the Flame. I wanted to change the name partly to reflect my own personal evolution, and also because it kept reminding me of the moths that do kamakazi runs into the torch flame when I make beads at night!

My Studio...

My boyfriend Steve is also a part of BeadAbundant studio. Not only is he a lampworker and a massage therapist, but he makes really great stuff out of wood (ladies, am I lucky or what?!).

Me at the torch: Steve torching:	Here's the way cool glass rack engineered and constructed by Steve:
Steve making bead displays for the show:	Steve constructing the way cool glass rack: