The pendants, jewelry and accessories from the glass art studio of Cynthia Tucker are some of the best gift ideas for Valentine’s Day!

Created in the flame of a 2,000 degree Fahrenheit torch, each glass bead is carefully crafted by winding molten glass rods around coated steel mandrels, resulting in a unique, one-of-a-kind glass bead, making these designs the perfect gift ideas for your Valentine! Designs and patterns are achieved in the flame using various tools, metals and sculpting techniques.

Tiger Magnifying Glass

Safari Bracelet

Camo Pen with Gun Clip

About the Artist

Using the medium of molten glass to capture the emotion of nature in colors and patterns is the mission of Cynthia Tucker’s art. Tucker’s studio, Fire by Night Glass, is epitomized by her slogan: “Nature Inspired ~ Formed in Fire.”

Cynthia grew up on North Carolina’s coast, where her father was a builder of homes and yacht interiors. Her mother was talented in music and handicrafts, including needlework and landscape painting, so visions of the sea were never far away. Cynthia was heavily influenced by the ocean, hard work, music, and the “sane rhythm of Southern life.”

She graduated from college in 1975, is married, and has two grown sons. Her family worked and lived in the former Soviet Union from 1994 to 2000. Apart from her glasswork, she enjoys making quilts, crocheting, singing, playing instruments, and traveling.

Cynthia’s work in glass began more than 15 years ago when her best friend, Linda, showed her a handful of vibrant glass beads. Overtaken by their intricate beauty, she inquired where Linda had bought them. To her surprise, Linda had made them herself. A couple years of Linda’s persistent “nagging” convinced Cynthia to accept Linda’s beginner torch and set it up in her home.

Much of Cynthia’s inspiration for design is drawn from the beauty in nature. The ocean waves near her home stir the imagination to make the glass flow in swirls, creating fish, nautilus shells and seascapes. She began teaching beginner bead-making workshops in 2007 and continually hones her skills with study of tutorials and experimentation with a variety of materials and colors. She is fascinated by the endless combinations for beads: color, pattern, texture, shape, pokes and twists—all the manipulation and behavior of glass in the flame creates its uniqueness.

Croc Safari Pendant

Goldstone Zebra Earrings

 

For more jewelry and accessories from Cynthia Tucker, visit the Sporting Classics Store.