| Original Message: Danny |
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Suzi and I started collecting beads in 1977, we were at a mall that had a bead store that was going out of business we found a box with a mixture of beads and bought the box. In it were a variety of beads, most old, as with most, the beads that got our attention were the millifori, we both picked out our favorite and made what would be the first bead either one of us wore. Since this time we have both devoted a good portion of our lives to beads and bead related products. I think that the best way to find out some regarding my background is to go to my website and click the link Daniels artwork, or if this link is active just click it. http://lopacki.com/art/ unfortunately I have never had the proper time to put up two very important aspects regarding my career as a Lapidary artist. I do not have my bead page done but at least it’s started, the other page that is lacking is the high end high karat gold artwork I was doing when I got side tracked with a diamond tooling company. Depending on who you talk to I am known to wear many different hats, right now in my life most of the time I’m doing what it takes to keep a diamond tooling company and website running a smoothly as possible. Prior to this life I started as a stone mosaic artist, this was what most spread my name in 1980 through 1987 or so, in 1987 I had the opportunity to get involved a turquoise venture in China and being somewhat bored with my artwork at the time I got involved, little did I know that I’d spend nine months in the next two years running all over the PRC, I am sure I’ve seen more of rural China than 99.5% of the people that live there. China was very eye opening and broadened my horizons. I got back to serious art work in 1990 and managed to produce some pretty amazing things over the next years, in about 1998 I was getting pretty tired of playing the “gallery game” and Suzi and I started the diamond tool company, the old saying goes “be careful of what you ask for”, the diamond tool company turned into a monster and consumes the better part of our lives. We are in the process of slowly backing out of what we are doing now so that we both can go back to what we were looking for back in 1977 when we left Southern California. Living a life with little or no stress, doing what we love to do and just enjoy life, out in the country where we live we are already far removed from the crowds. Regarding myself as a stone bead maker, to complement an inlay pendant, I made my first stone beads in 1979, I even came across an image of this necklace the other day. I have been cutting beads ever since and with my personal touch have made some of the most outrageous material into strands of beads that make many out there know me most or only as a stone bead maker. I had the privilege of giving two lectures at the Bead Expo 99 in San Antonio, one being on stone bead making the other Opal bead making, I was honored . I was also honored when I received a letter from Art Seymour in 1998 regarding WBG World Bead Makers Guild informing me that I had been chosen as the first Guild Master in stone, the other Guild Masters are Jamey Allen in Polymer Clay, Art Seymour in Furnace Glass and James Smircich Lamp work glass. Once I’m at the bench again I assure you all that when I get a project done, you will be some of the first to see what just came out ......... My respects to you all .......... Danny Image below ........... I’m the one with the purse ........ I call it a bag ........ Suzi made the beadwork and leather bag ....... The handsome guy on the right is my buddy Marvin Ellis.
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