Wendy Maurer has spent the last year relearning how to create her colourful glass bead art.

She鈥檚 been making her creations since 2006, but needed to learn to adjust after she began experiencing tremors in her left hand due to Parkinson鈥檚.

When she taught, the first thing she would say to a student is 鈥測ou need two steady hands鈥� but she鈥檚 learned that鈥檚 not necessarily the case.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 been my biggest challenge this year,鈥� Maurer said. 鈥淎fter I first of all thought, 鈥榳ell I can鈥檛 do this anymore鈥�, then I realized how important it is for me to have that creative outlet in my life.鈥�

Maurer uses movement to shape the beads, which begin as coloured glass rods.

She holds a rod in the flame, and as it melts she rolls it onto a steel rod, using gravity and the heat to shape it. There are also tools such as molds that can help shape the glass.

鈥淚 teach people from scratch, so they鈥檙e not dependent on the tools,鈥� she said.

鈥淪o they learn how the glass wants to move. Because once you know that, you can create any shape.鈥�

She gets plenty of inspiration from other artists, customer requests and the ocean.

鈥淚 like ocean-themed beads,鈥� Maurer said. 鈥淚 like bright colours, I can鈥檛 stay away from bright colours.鈥�

Maurer鈥檚 glass art is on display permanently at Qualicum Art Supply and Gallery (206 First Ave W) and includes many colourful pieces completed since she adjusted to the tremors with new techniques.

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Her new display has been a catalyst for her to get back to her torch and patiently figure out how to work with her tremors, she said. Persistence in trying out new techniques has been key.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been a really interesting experience for me, right, because part of Parkinson鈥檚 is apathy,鈥� she said.

鈥淎nd I found it was really easy just to sit in my recliner in the living room and look out at the ocean and listen to audio books, but that鈥檚 not healthy if that鈥檚 all you鈥檙e doing.鈥�

A little movement goes a long way. She starts her day by heading into the studio to check on yesterday鈥檚 work and bring it into the kitchen for cleaning.

鈥淛ust that amount of movement, I鈥檝e found, benefits my Parkinson鈥檚,鈥� Maurer said.

Maurer said she is fortunate to have supportive friends 鈥� one circle of glass bead-making friends bought her a thick leather apron, for safety.

She also keeps a bottle of lavender oil handy (cap loosened) since the flame is approximately 1,400 C.

Another group of friends gave her a long-handled electric lighter for her torch she can use easily, instead of matches.

鈥淲hen my tremors get really bad, then I just take my hand out of the flame and my glass out of the flame,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd I transfer it to the other hand 鈥� and I breathe deep.鈥�

It has taken a great deal of practice to relearn her craft. Her fingers gained muscle memory from years of learning and creating.

鈥淭he trick now is to relearn how to work with a hand that has a mind of its own 鈥� and it doesn鈥檛 talk to me,鈥� she said.

Since Parkinson鈥檚 is a progressive disease, Maurer says she will need to continue adapting.

When her tremors first started, they used to stop when she began to move her fingers.

鈥淚t doesn鈥檛 do that anymore. So I鈥檓 adapting my work station. I鈥檓 constantly adapting as the tremors change. I鈥檓 just praying the right hand doesn鈥檛 start,鈥� she said with a laugh.

Before the tremors, she could make as many as 18 large pendant type beads in a full day. Now that she has to concentrate so much more, she might make three or four.

Maurer has tried a variety of art forms over the years, but said it was not until she reached a certain skill level in glass working that she began to think of herself as an artist.

鈥淚 never dreamt I鈥檇 be an artist, but I totally love working with glass,鈥� she said.