Once upon a time, in a pottery room at Pinemere camp in Pennsylvania, as a young dreamer I discovered my passion for art. Fast forward to today, where I work as a glass artist and silversmith based in sunny Jacksonville, Florida.

With a fiery determination, I work exclusively with hot glass that can withstand temperatures of over 1500 degrees. My goal? To create one-of-a-kind art glass beads and pendants that are as unique as the individual who wears them. To achieve this, I not only blow and shape the glass, but I also handcraft sterling silver settings that hold my art glass creations.

But the journey to becoming a glass artist and silversmith wasn't without twists and turns. After majoring in accounting and minoring in art in college, I spent 25 years working as a potter. It wasn't until a fateful trip to an artist conference at the Penland School of Craft in North Carolina that I discovered my love for glass. From that moment on, I have taken every opportunity to learn and grow as an artist, from studying under prestigious teachers at Corning and Murano to teaching glass blowing, bead making, and silversmithing techniques at the Jacksonville Gem & Mineral Society.

My work has gained recognition worldwide, with pieces on display at the Corning Glass Art Studio and the Corning Museum Gift Shop, as well as the Cummer Art Museum gift shop in Jacksonville. I have been featured in numerous publications and I am the only American glass artist to have been showcased three consecutive years in Bead Review, which recognizes the top 40 glass art beads in the world each year.

Although exhibiting at art festivals is no longer an option due to COVID risks, I continue to share my passion with the world through my Etsy store and special order one-of-a-kind items. And despite all my success, one of the most rewarding aspects of my work is connecting with people from all walks of life and sharing my love for art.