I was born in New Jersey into a hands-on family. My father was a carpenter, and I remember being about 4 or 5 and making little boats out of cut off lumber ends and nails. My mother taught me how to sew, and I started drawing and painting at an early age. Most of my brother's and sisters (I have 6!) are creative in one way or another. Most of my life I have been involved in some form of art or craft.
I became interested in glass in the late 1990's when I was renovating a bathroom in my house. I wanted to install a stained glass window, so I started shopping around for one. The last store I went to was in Clifton, New Jersey, and they had many lovely panels, at prices well outside of my budget. I started talking to the woman behind the counter and before I knew it I had purchased glass, copper foil, a soldering iron, a frame and other supplies to get me started. I never installed that panel, but that started my love of glass.
I worked in stained glass for about 5 years, and then found out about fused glass from my glass supplier. I took my first fused glass class in 2002 or 2003 and learned how to make glass beads, which is really fun! I bought my first kiln then, and the supplies to make beads. At my second class I purchased my second kiln, and it's been a fun ride ever since.
I love color, and glass is such a great medium for using a subtle to vibrant pallet. Beads are miniature works of art and are made in the flame of a torch. It's interesting to me to see what chemical reactions I can get from different glass and a flame. Fused glass is formed in a kiln, and the skill in that is piecing your work together and knowing from practice and experience how you hope the piece will come out.
My husband and I made our vacation home in New York State our permanent residence in January 2018. This residence has been the home of my glass studio for the past 12 years, so it's been nice to have my studio in my backyard!

Penguin Christmas Ornaments