LB Originals

Hi, I’m Linda Banning – LB Originals. I was raised in Wisconsin along the beautiful St. Croix River. At the University of Wisconsin, I studied art and earned my Bachelor’s degree. Because of my longing for creative expression, I started working in stained glass in 2000 while living in St. Paul, MN. I was drawn to this medium because of the play of light and color and the use of line and texture. I began creating one-of–a-kind abstract window pieces.

Due to personal experiences of Sept. 11th, I re-prioritized my life and moved to Montana in 2002. My goal was to live a richer, more authentic life so, in the fall of 2003, I left my 15 year career in the graphic arts industry to study Fine Arts at Montana State University. This is where I developed my interest in jewelry making. In 2004, I brought my love of glass and jewelry together to create a line of beautiful, wearable art. Three years later, I made “the leap” and began working as a full-time artist. 2014 found me back home in Minnesota.

Each type of glass I use brings its own uniqueness and depth to the work. I use stained glass for variety in color and texture and started using bottle glass in 2007 after my local glass recycling program ended. I had a personal mission to save some bottles from the landfill. Plus, finding bottles with interesting enameled or embossed graphics is so much fun! So much fun that in 2016, I started incorporating aluminum cans and opened up a whole new world of possibilities!

I personally design and hand-craft each piece of jewelry. The glass is hand cut and ground smooth to shape and size. Stained glass is wrapped in copper foil and soldered. Bottles are ground smooth and drilled to affix findings. By cold-working the bottles, I’m able to retain the original graphics and natural curve. I hope you enjoy my work!

“The Midwest is my foundation and Montana was my place of healing and growth. The wide, open spaces of Montana gave me room to expand my mind and my spirit while the mountains gave me strength and courage to follow where that may lead.”

Art-A-Whirl

Art-A-Whirl Main Page

LB Originals is open on Friday, Saturday & Sunday of Art-A-Whirl weekend.