Interview with Cindy Gimbrone for Links

Cindy Gimbrone, aka The Lampwork Diva, and her beautiful blue eyes!

What can I say? Wow! This is great and excellently conceived.

Cindys description:
"Industry" Necklace (on black background): Industry expresses the spirit of the modern woman, focused, intelligent and industrious. Silver chain combines with bronze colored flamework glass beads that reflect shades of purple and violet." I love this necklace!!!--jean

Cindy describes her "Love Links" above in this manner: "Love Links: A new series of beads, glass links are shaped by the heat of the flame without a mandrel whose shape resonates with forms created in nature. Love Links are intertwined glass links formed and connected in the flame."

note from jean--love the Love Links!!! :)

Concerning the enchanting and ebullient piece below, Cindy explains, "Red Art Flower Necklace: The fused glass pendant was inspired by my favorite spring time poem," Spring has sprung, the grass has ris, I wonder where the flowers is." Like the rhymes says, where is the flowers? I used enamels to paint a flower onto the glass and fused it between two layers. I routered the edge of the glass and added a little blue Artistic Wire to mimic my spring sky and strung it on a rollo chain with anodized jump rings. A lovely spring flower reminds me that nature is art!"

Tell a little about yourself and your background.

Ok, here's the boring part - smile. I grew up on a dairy farm in New York state that was in the family for over 200 years. My father was born in the house I grew up in. English wasn't the only language spoken in the area - you'd think it was French because we lived on the border with Canada but it wasn't, it was German. So I grew up hearing German and seeing American Sign Language but I didn't speak either.I have two master's degrees, one in Education, one in Linguistics. In linguistics you're required to be fluent in another language, my language was American Sign Language. It was sort of a given since my advisor was the only Deaf professor on campus and had recruited me into the program. I majored in signed languages. I studied Finnish Sign Language and Japanese Sign Language because I had colleagues who were from Finland and Japan.

What happened to you that made you consciously decide to become the person you are?

I was the executive director of a K-4 elementary, ASL charter school in Arizona, spending 16 hours a day teaching at the school and then doing the administrative work after school was over. I loved the kids and their families. I wanted to do a good job for everyone. I was good at it but I let my own child take a back seat. I decided I wasn't one of those fabulous teachers who can balance it all - I had to decide. I decided to become a freelance sign language interpreter so I had time and energy for my own child. Best decision I ever made.

How did your creativity, which you have chosen to fashion into a career, first express itself?

Oh my - when didn't it express itself? As a preschooler, I learned to sew, crochet/knit and play the piano. That all lead eventually to my designing and sewing my own clothes and playing 7 different instruments! I was famous among my friends for my collages of our escapades together. I drew and painted the school mascot on the gym floor. I was even concert mistress of my high school orchestra. The glass, I think, was in me to begin with. My mother was a scientific glass blower during WW2 - a genuine Rosie the Riveter. She blew glass thermometers and had a torch mounted on a bench at home to do piecework. I wasn't born yet but my glass teachers feel the temperament to work with glass comes from her. Who knows? Maybe it does!

At what moment did you know that you would never turn back?

The moment I left the education field.

What are you most proud of?

Being able to start all over at age 38 and make another professional life - one that's much more fulfilling than the one I started out with.

What makes you feel fortunate?

I learned to sign when it wasn't a course in college, when no one thought American Sign Language was a language. I learned from dear friends who shared their language and culture with me. I feel fortunate to have been "let in" and trusted with their language. I'm deeply appreciative. I'm fortunate to be able to earn a living using that language.Here's the cheesy part - I'm most fortunate to have a supportive family.

What do you see happening for yourself in the future? For example: things which will change for you, things you hope for, things which will stay the same-just thoughts-go anywhere you like.

This is a hard question and I know it's not supposed to be. I used to spend all my time in the future, planning and waiting for it to arrive. Now I try to be fully present in each moment and see where it leads me.

Do you think you see the world differently than other people? If so, is that a positive or a negative force in your work?

Oh absolutely! I'm working on it becoming a positive force because if you see the world through your own lens, it's has to be good! Does it really matter that no one else sees it the same way?
I think that's called "your voice!"

Do you have something to say here in this article to sum up something important you would like people to know about the creative process?

I read an interview with Tim Burton a few years ago where he talked about how he was continually told he couldn't draw. He said because he didn't draw in the way most people drew and what was accepted as good drawing, he was told he couldn't draw. He said if he would have listened, his movies, Nightmare Before Christmas or the Corpse Bride would never have been made. He draws everywhere he goes! I tore the article out for my budding artist son but the lesson I was trying to teach applies to all of us:
Do what you love and you will live a good life.

Contact Information for Cindy:
Cindy Gimbrone, Glass Artist
Website: http://www.cindygimbronebeads.com

Etsy Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=59211Blog: http://lampworkdiva.blogspot.com

Artbeadscene: http://www.artbeadscene.com

BeadLit: http://beadlit.blogspot.com

Twitter: CindyNG

Email: cindy gimbrone @ yahoo. com (omit spaces)

Thank you so much, Cindy!!! for this wonderful interview, which I totally loved! It is truly a privilege to have you as a part of my Links interview collection!--jean

This interview is a part of my Links series of interviews, and is also to be found on Amazon.com on my blog there! http://www.amazon.com/Links-Inspired-Bead-Jewelry-Creations/dp/1600610161/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198879933&sr=8-1