| For Memphis-based fused glass artisan John Madsen, | | | | own thoughts, and follow your own inspirations.” |
| creating original jewelry creations is both a creative | | | | <b>The fused glass process is a demanding feat |
| outlet and a way to share his approach to life with | | | | of craftsmanship</b> |
| others. “In some ways, I’ve been working | | | | Hours of labor and precise attention to detail go into |
| towards this my whole life,” he says. | | | | the forging of each creative fused glass and |
| Seated comfortably in his home-based workshop, he | | | | handmade enamel jewelry piece, including the time |
| holds up a just-completed pendant of the Norse god | | | | spent assembling the materials and also the |
| Odin riding a chariot. The glass elements in the piece | | | | commitment to getting often meticulous designs |
| catch the overhead light, making the pendant shimmer. | | | | exactly right before the firing process. |
| “Sometimes the pieces come out [of the firing kiln] | | | | That firing process often requires temperatures of |
| and you have to tinker with them a little bit.” He | | | | extreme heat, used to harden the glass and enamel to |
| stretches the piece out on a swatch of velvet. “But | | | | the perfect temperature. The end result is something |
| sometimes not. You get to live for those flashes of | | | | much more durable than ordinary glass but that also |
| perfection.” | | | | has the lasting luster and polish of fine jewelry. |
| <b>Bringing the artistic vision into form and color< | | | | <b>The designs used in enamel and fused glass |
| b> | | | | jewelry are carefully researched.</b> |
| Madsen began sculpting jewelry in 2001, after leaving a | | | | Many talented enamel and fused glass artisans |
| career in retail sales for something more fulfilling. A | | | | sometimes spend hours getting their designs and |
| former small businessman with two patents to his | | | | embossing details exactly right, often poring over |
| name and decades of living in different parts of the | | | | artistic texts. Many of them also draw from their own |
| country, he says now his fascination with the idea of | | | | studies into world iconography, religious and spiritual |
| the sacred present, first encountered as he studied | | | | symbols, and details and designs from their own life |
| comparative religions, helped him to discover jewelry | | | | experiences. |
| craftsmanship as a new outlet for his burgeoning | | | | Many artists also perform “art for hire” |
| creative energy. | | | | commission pieces that incorporate the client’s |
| “There was something I knew I had to do,” he | | | | choice of symbols or designs into the pendant, |
| said. “I wasn’t sure entirely what, though.” | | | | handmade enamel jewelry, or other such original |
| After trying several different hobbies, he came back | | | | jewelry creation of their choice. These designs |
| to jewelry craftsmanship partly for its aesthetics but | | | | sometimes cost nominally more than the artist’s |
| also partly because of its chance to create something | | | | own workings, but are still something of a great value, |
| entirely unique. | | | | both economically and aesthetically, when compared |
| “The best aspects of working with handmade | | | | to their mass produced counterparts. The client usually |
| enamel jewelry is that I get to follow my own bliss,” | | | | provides a photograph or graphic image of the design |
| Madsen says. “When you’re working with these | | | | they want incorporated into the handmade jewelry |
| kinds of ingredients, you get the time to organize our | | | | piece. |