Best in Glass

Joe Driver, better known as "Papa Joe", has been an avid collector of unusual rocks and minerals for many years, which he tumble-polishes and makes into beautiful jewelry using his skils in Lapidary Arts. One look at his pieces and you can sense his admiration for the earth's treasures with which he works. But even in his vast collection, he was missing one of his favorites-- Sea Glass, which is glass washed up on beaches after it has been tumbled by waves, water, and sand. The reason? Its rarity, as beachcombing collectors have obtained this much sought-after booty for its intrinsic beauty and use in jewelry-making.

So Papa Joe decided to create his own version of Sea Glass, and began with used wine bottles from nearby Satek Winery to achieve the array of colors and free-form shapes that are characteristic of the most desirable beach glass. With a smile, he describes to me the "very scientific" process of breaking up the wine bottles by dropping them inside a bucket. This yields pieces of varying sizes and shapes, with no two pieces alike. He then tumbles them in a commercial rock tumbler with silicone carbide grit for 10 days, which give them the patina that's frosted and smooth like natural Sea Glass.

*Photo by Barbara Knights-Hale*

From there he transforms the tumbled glass into works of art. He selects smaller pieces to transform into earrings, and medium to larger pieces, which will become one-of-a-kind necklaces. One of the most challenging tasks is drilling holes in the glass to attach the jumprings and earwires. A delicate process, he must use a tiny diamond drill bit underwater (to keep the bit from getting too hot) to create the small hole without breaking the Sea Glass. He then finishes the pieces into wearable art with sterling silver or surgical steel findings, organza ribbons, Greek leather, silk or rayon cords, or suede.

Papa Joe's Satek Sea Glass creations, along with his rock Lapidary, earned him a place in a juried exhibit at the Fort Wayne Museum of Art, entitled "Earth Treasures in Jewelry." The prestige of exhibiting his work, however, isn't what motivates him. What he enjoys most is sharing his love of the natural and unique beauty of the stones and Sea Glass with others. Says Driver, "Each polished stone is waiting to be discovered and anxious to tell the artist what it wants to become."

Joe Driver will be participating in Satek Winery's August 21st Art Show, where you can see, touch, try on, and purchase his distinctive rock and Sea Glass jewelry. You can also discover your own inner artist at one of Papa Joe's upcoming workshops. He will be part of the Merchant Marketplace at the September 2nd W.I.N.O.S. at Satek Winery. There you will be able select your rocks from his vast collection, and he will help you create your own unique jewelry. Also in September (date TBD), he will be leading a Sea Glass wind chime class at the Carnegie Public Library in Angola. He will supply the Sea Glass, wire, and your choice of grapevines, bittersweet, or contorted willow from which to hang the chimes; you supply the creativity. For more information on the dates, times, and cost, contact Joe Driver at (260)495-3957.