HMB Studios is all about art glass beads and jewelry. All of the lampwork beads and jewelry on this site are hand-made by me in our studio which is situated in the woods of Pennsylvania. I got interested in beads over four years ago when I started making beaded brooches. My beaded brooch hobby quickly turned into a beaded obsession. I love all that is beads!

Most of the beads listed on this site are mine, however, both my husband and I are avid lampworkers... spending hours in the studio melting glass and forming beads.

My husband Harry is a professional artist. You can also visit either of his websites for more information: www.harryboardman.com.

Lampworking
Lampworking, also known as flameworking or torchworking, is a type of glasswork that uses a gas fueled torch to melt rods and tubes of clear and colored glass. Once in a molten state, the glass is then formed by shaping with a variety of tools and hand movements.  Although the art form has been practiced since ancient times, it became widely practiced in 14th century Italy.  Early lampworking was done in the flame of an oil lamp, with the artist blowing air into the flame through a pipe.  HMB Studios uses a modern propane and oxygen mix torch to melt and form the glass, which is then slowly cooled in a kiln to prevent cracking and ensure the highest durability.