About Me

My interest in creating works of art goes back to my childhood in California when I was always making little treasures with satin, velvet, pearls, seashells and little fake gemstones, drawing and painting pictures and studying music.

I have been a handweaver and metalsmith. When I need the sterling silver clasps I use for necklaces and bracelets I make them. The beautiful palette of glass has captivated me. I use soda-lime glass rods from the United States, Canada, New Zealand, Italy, Germany and Czechoslovakia. I have glass so heavily impregnated with silver it literally blooms in the flame.

I use a Carlisle mini cc dual fuel torch, with propane and an oxygen concentrator. All my glass work is properly annealed in a digitally controlled Paragon kiln. I carefully clean each bead with a flexshaft using a diamond bit, and inspect each bead for cracks or imperfections. My work is guaranteed, and although I may not be able to duplicate a one of a kind bead should you have a problem with it, I will happily create another one for you, providing the bead was not damaged through reckless abandon, you know, like climbing mountains in New Hampshire, or doing the Iditerod, or sailing the Whitbread races...or just carelessly dropping your treasure on the floor!

My home is on the coast of Maine. My studio is in the basement, literally and figuratively at this time, wonderfully cool in the summer and downright freezing in the winter. I hope to remedy that sometime before I am too old to withstand the 47 degree climate of that room. My faithful dog William tries his best to warm the air all year long, sleeping between me and the kiln to insure adequate danger in the room.

I have to edit my last paragraph to say that I am now in a slightly warmer studio room. Sadly, William died in August of 2007 and I cannot tell you how much I miss him.

You can see and purchase many more beads at
MY ETSY

You can also keep up with my most current work on MY BLOG. I put new photos and some writing in my Blog most days.

Thank you for looking! Penny Gentle