About The Artist

Karen Burns, D.C., is a Massachusetts-based glass artist and the owner of Locanda Studios. She has been crafting handmade “lampwork” glass beads and one-of-a-kind jewelry items for the past three decades.

Originally a chiropractor, Karen spent a long corporate career in the pharmaceutical industry until deciding to make Locanda Studio her full-time passion. Though mainly self-taught, Karen has been privileged to study under incredible domestic and international artists who have generously shared their knowledge.

Karen eventually developed her own unique style of ‘Garden Beads,’ essentially miniature gardenscapes captured in glass. Highlighting her passion for gardening, her work is inspired by the natural world – flowers, meadows, oceans, natural landscapes, and sea creatures.

 

Lampworking is the art of creating pieces using a torch and kiln. While Karen’s unique garden bead pieces give the impression that designs and flowers are painted onto the glass surface, each piece is made by careful layering of varying colors of melted glass. Glass types are often mixed to create unique custom colors or textures, and enamels and metals may be incorporated to achieve more special effects.

A single bead or pendant may take many hours to complete, and each Locanda Studio piece is unique. Karen’s unique work has been featured in Glass Line Magazine, and her beads and jewelry have been worn and exhibited in the US and abroad. On the rare occasion when she is not in the studio, Karen can be found in the gardens, spending time with family, her dog, cooking, traveling, and exploring the arts all around the world.