About Me
Hi, I'm Diane Woodall and I make beads in the sunny city of Houston, TX.
I have loved art all of my life and as a child I had no doubt that I would grow up and become an artist. My parents were both creative and I guess it's just in my blood.
Alas, as a young adult I became "realistic" and headed down a different career path, changing my major from art to business, and for twenty-six years have been a full-time residential real estate appraiser. Today I am as busy as ever working from my home office, but making beads is a lovely second business for me and is what keeps me sane working in the stressful world of real estate. I also publish a monthly subscription magazine for beadmakers called the Soda Lime Times.
My sister, Becky Mason, www.beckymason.com introduced me to lampworking in the summer of 2002, about six months after she had taken her first class at Flametree Glass (at that time located in Orlando, Florida). She was still using a hothead torch, but was so patient as a teacher that in one very short lesson she had taught me enough for me to know I was hooked for life.
When I sat at her torch for the first time I knew I had finally found the medium for all of the creative energy that had been building up over my lifetime.
That Christmas my husband, Paul, gifted me with the tools, equipment and glass I needed to set up my own studio in our garage. In 2004, I took a year off from making beads to move to a new house and complete a back yard studio and today I am blessed with a bright and cozy studio right outside our back door. What started as a humble garden shed is now a beautiful, cozy studio.
Although Becky and I both enjoy making other types of beads, we are drawn to those that are inspired by nature so many people know us for our animal print and seashell beads. We'll just have to wait and see where the glass leads us.
In addition to making beads I am also the co-founder of the Houston Society of Glass Beadmakers (formerly known as the Houston Hotties), the Houston chapter of the International Society of Glass Beadmakers (ISGB) www.isgb.org and served as president for two years. Today I serve the chapter secretary.
I hope you will enjoy my site and will take a few moments to drop me a line to say hello.
