Ann Szerlip

Glass

Ann Szerlip has dabbled in all sorts of crafts over the years, from quilting, to weaving, but she finally found her passion in glass. She creates lampwork beads which are then added to stainless steel serving utensils. She also fuses glass plates to complement the utensils. “I love the way that glass is transformed by fire and heat – you never really know what you’re going to get until it comes out of the kiln,” says Ann. The term lampwork comes from the time when artists used oil lamps to melt the glass. Today, lampwork artists use table mounted torches; the more modern term is “flameworking.” Ann says, “The process of sitting at a torch and creating beautiful colors and designs is mesmerizing and one I cannot get enough of.” If she needs a break from the intensity of the torch, she can move to the other end of her garage studio and focus on designing fused glass plates. Ann concludes, “I truly have the best of both worlds!”