Katherine Nesci鈥檚 journey as a glass artist started when she and her husband took a glass bead-making class together.
鈥淎fter the class, I was just so interested that I bought a torch and a little bit of glass and I started practicing in a corner of a room,鈥 the 蜜柚直播 artist says.
Little did she know that her interest would eventually take her across the country and the world.
Years later, Nesci took glass bead classes again through Pima County鈥檚 Park and Recreation and eventually at 蜜柚直播鈥檚 Sonoran Glass School where she served in many roles, from student to volunteer to teacher to board president. She even competed in the school鈥檚 annual Flame-Off competition.
Nesci also studied glass art in Italy and New York. The classes are short 鈥 about a week or two 鈥 and students have the chance to study with a specific teacher.
Nesci describes the New York class as 鈥渋ntensive,鈥 as it ran from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day for a week.
But the studio was open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. 鈥 and Nesci was there pretty much the entire time.
鈥淚t鈥檚 just so exciting to be surrounded by the synergy and excitement of eight, nine other artists all doing the same thing,鈥 she says.
鈥淚 love glass because it takes all my attention,鈥 she says. Because of the flame required for the art, 鈥測ou can鈥檛 let your attention wander.鈥
Now, about 25 years after taking that first class, Nesci has focused her artistry on goblets and bird figurines.
鈥淚 saw some goblets that were made by an artist in Prescott 鈥 Bandhu Dunham,鈥 Nesci says. 鈥淚 got his book and he just showed these interesting goblets. Sometimes they were silly, like a saguaro for the stem. And I wanted to make them.
鈥淲hat I found was that they鈥檙e challenging for me to make and that means I never ever run out of interesting challenges and problems to try and solve and try and get better at.鈥
As for the glass birds, which are intended to be small decorations, Nesci says she tries to make them fun with interesting swirls and designs.
Here鈥檚 how it works: Nesci first observes birds, examines their shape and draws it out.
She then heats Pyrex tubes and rods with a propane and oxygen torch and covers them with her color of choice.
鈥淭hen I go in with really long, pointy bits of glass and I melt on the design 鈥 like drawing or painting,鈥 she says.
鈥淎ll the color is added with the melting,鈥 she says.
She then heats up different parts of the bird to essentially 鈥減uff鈥 it into its shape.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a little like if you take a bunch of Crayola crayons and you grate them up with a cheese grater and put it on a plate,鈥 Nesci explains. 鈥淎nd then you took, maybe, a warm bottle and rolled that bottle over the crayon flakes, they鈥檇 melt onto the bottle. And when you picked it up, it would be covered in those melted crayons.鈥
It鈥檚 easy for Nesci to draw inspiration when she can peek out her window and spot lizards, birds and coyotes.
鈥淓very once in a while, someone has a special project and they ask me, 鈥楥an you make this?鈥 And then I have to go on a whole new journey to figure out how to do it,鈥 Nesci says, adding that the journey is 鈥渞eally interesting and full of trial and error.鈥
鈥淭here鈥檚 the 10,000-hour rule,鈥 she says. 鈥淲hat I took from that is you have to practice. We鈥檝e had some years when I鈥檝e been extremely busy and not had much time to do my glass. There were times that I could get in my studio one hour a week and I would make horrible things 鈥 but I was practicing.鈥
When thinking back to her first craft show, Nesci says: 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 know if people would like my stuff, but I love making it. And I guess I wanted to share it with others and I鈥檓 always grateful when people want it enough to buy it.鈥
鈥淚鈥檓 grateful that I can spend my time making my glass art,鈥 she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a never-ending source of fascination.鈥
Take a look at other works of art around town: Murals!
A map and 120+ photos of 蜜柚直播's beautiful murals
First, here's a map to help you start your mural hunt 馃帹
"Desert Trails"
鈥淭racks and Trails鈥 mural
La Mujer Empoderada
Joe Pagac Mural at Himmel Park
English Salon Spa Mural
蜜柚直播 Arts Live mural
Amphitheater Middle School mural
"Red Fuji" mural
Fort Lowell mural
Modern Aquarian mural
El Tour de 蜜柚直播 Inspired Mural
TMC mural by Joe Pagac
Danny Martin Mural at Nissan
Woven Bonds We've Grown Upon
Zion City Church mural
Community Foundation Campus mural
Frame mural
Ben Franklin mural
Downtown mural
Insect Tea Party
Pen Macias mural
Animal bicycle mural
Ignacio UFO Mural
Danny Martin Mural 蜜柚直播 Avenue
Elizabeth Taylor Mural by Sean John Cannon
Danny Martin Mural Campbell Avenue
Melo Dominguez Mural
Joe Pagac Tribute Mural, Barrio Viejo
Johanna Martinez mural, Barrio Viejo
Jessica Gonzales mural, barrio viejo
Lash Factor Studio mural by J. Keegan Rider, Barrio Viejo
La Suprema Works & Events mural by Isaac Caruso, Barrio Viejo
Ignacio Garcia Wildcat mural
Jessica Gonzales' Creative Machines mural
Safe Shift
Rock Martinez "Look Out" mural
Wagon Burner Arts
The Loft Cinema mural
Tuxon Hotel
Las Adelitas mural
Camila Ibarra mural
Black Lives Matter mural
Goodwill mural
Prince mural
Jessica Gonzales mural
蜜柚直播 Together
The Triumph of the Human Spirit
RilitoBend Neighborhood
蜜柚直播 murals
Joe Pagac mural on water tank
Joe Pagac mural at La Encantada, 2905 E. Skyline Dr.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by (@arizonadailystar) on
蜜柚直播 murals
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by (@this_is_tucson) on
Sonora Brunch Company
Goddess of Agave mural
UA mural
Palo Verde Pool mural
Palo Verde Pool mural
蜜柚直播 murals
蜜柚直播 murals
蜜柚直播 murals
蜜柚直播 murals
蜜柚直播 murals
蜜柚直播 murals
蜜柚直播 murals
蜜柚直播 murals
蜜柚直播 murals
蜜柚直播 murals
蜜柚直播 murals
El Rio Restoration Project
蜜柚直播 murals
蜜柚直播 murals
Linda Ronstadt, mural, music hall, 2022
Selena mural at American Eat Co.
蜜柚直播 murals
Danny Martin mural
Historic Y Mural
Sugar Hill neighborhood mural
蜜柚直播 murals
蜜柚直播 murals
Sam Hughes School
Sam Hughes School
蜜柚直播 murals
Hotel McCoy murals
Hotel McCoy murals
Hotel McCoy murals
Hotel McCoy murals
Hotel McCoy murals
Hotel McCoy murals
Hotel McCoy murals
Hotel McCoy mural
Hotel McCoy mural
Hotel McCoy mural
Hotel McCoy mural
Hotel McCoy mural
Danny Martin mural for Why I Love Where I Live
Danny Martin mural for Why I Love Where I Live
Danny Martin Mural for Why I Love Where I Live
Epic Rides
Greetings From... 蜜柚直播 mural
Rock Martinez mural
The Talking Mural
Tasteful Kitchen mural
Mission Manor mural
蜜柚直播 murals
Farmer John's mural
Barrio Centro mural
Unity Amid Diversity mural
First Responder Mural, 2023
蜜柚直播 murals
Cesar Chavez mural
Barrio El Hoyo mural
Barrio Viejo mural
蜜柚直播 murals
Clownfish mural
Dunbar/Spring Mural
Dinosaur mural
Wagon Burner Arts mural
Jessica Gonzales mural
Isaac Caruso mural
Bill Walton mural by Ignacio Garcia
Seven Cups Mural
Turtle's Soup mural
Southwest Strings
Contact reporter Gloria Knott at gknott@tucson.com or 573-4235. On Twitter: @gloriaeknott
Respond: |
A helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community.
Katherine Nesci became interested in glass art about 25 years ago. She can easily draw inspiration by peeking out of her window where lizards, birds and coyotes roam.