About Us

 

My name is Jenny Friske-Baer and I started Divine Spark Designs in December of 2002.  My goal is to provide beautiful, unique, handmade lampworked beads, glass and jewelry that will reflect the love and good energy gone into their creation and perhaps inspire others to discover their own Divine Spark within.

I started beading over 10 years ago (who can remember?) and I blame the addiction on my sister Gretchen!  She got me started and soon after I often couldn't find that "special" bead for a project. All of you fellow beaders know what I'm talking about - that perfect bead that has to be a certain color or shape or texture to finish off a project (or maybe even start one!).  So I decided to try and learn how to make them myself.  After sitting at a Hot Head Torch for an afternoon under the expert and patient instruction of my dear friend Kandra, I was hooked!  I played for about a year on the Hot Head - saved my money - and now I work on a Bethlehem Baracuda Torch as well as a Lynx Triple Mix torch from Glass Torch Technologies.

Glass is such an incredible medium to work with.  I work mainly with borosilicate (hard glass) because I love the subtle colors and the fact that so often the glass itself dictates what I am going to create.  The colors with boro glass can shift depending on many factors - time in the flame, the balance of oxygen/propane, annealing temperatures and times - so sometimes when I sit down with one idea in mind something totally different emerges!  That can be both inspiring and frustrating, but never dull!

Everyday I feel blessed that I am able to sit down at the torch to try and create something that others might find beautiful and full of good energy.  And I feel blessed that the love of my life enjoys working side by side with me in our studio (a fancy word for garage!) creating many wonderful fused pieces and stained glass works of art.

So I guess Divine Spark Designs includes all of us: Jenny and Len - and Dexter too (our Jack Russell who provides a constant source of laughter and unconditional love!). 

But none of this would be possible without my faith in God, Spirit and the Angels - from whom the true "spark" really comes...