Alabama Craft Guild

Science and art have always held a certain sense of wonder and fascination for Joanne Wood. Growing up in Detroit, she happily spent many hours at the Museum of Art, Museum of Science, and the Henry Ford Museum wandering the changing exhibits and sketching images in pencil & charcoal. Although her interest in science most influenced her career choice of 30+ years, she never lost her appreciation of fine art.

Soon after moving to the Birmingham area in 2003 and putting her long time career aside, Joanne decided to indulge her somewhat neglected artistic side, and took a stained glass class from a local business.

After finding out that the beautiful art glass was also manufactured in rod form and could be melted onto steel mandrels to create beads, she arranged instruction in the art of lampworking with an artist in the Huntsville area. Since then, one thing led to another - as they often do, and she has incorporated additional materials into her jewelry art.

Currently, Joanne works with glass, enamels, precious metal clay, wire, and sheet metal while actively broadening her silversmithing skills. She has achieved Level 2 Certification in Precious Metal Clay and has most recently completed a course in Silver Filigree.

Joanne has been a member of the Alabama Mineral & Lapidary Society and the International Society of Glass Beadmakers. She is currently a member of the Alabama Designer Craftsmen. She also actively supports the Beads of Courage organization, a unique program utilizing artist beads for children coping with serious illness.