FlashGlass is me, Nancy Zalusky. I have other names as well, but they all start with the name I was born with, Zalusky.  More about that another time.

I have been working with glass for over 7 years, starting with stained glass, experimenting with mosaic and settling on lampworking making  beads and jewelry.  I have studio space with  and have studied with Malcom Potek from Big Dipper Glassworks.  Check out is work and that of his partner and wife Kyra van Wyk at their web site. www.potekglass.com

A friend has said of me;  "if it's not an obsession it is not worth doing" and I guess she is right.  I am a lawyer by day and glass worker and jewelry artist by night and weekends.  If you are interested in my world as a divorce lawyer you can check out me and my firm, Walling Berg & Debele, just click here Walling Berg & Debele. 

I am a member of the ISGB www.isgb.org and our local chapter the Star of the North Glassworkers www.starofthenorthglass.com.    I have studied with Kate Fowle Meleny www.katefowle.com  who is an incredible teacher as well as artist.  You will find some of the hints I learned from her on my techniques page.  I have also studied with Annmarie Herlich, a dot on dot bead maker from the word go! My notes from her class are on my techniques page as well.

I also recently was introduced to the world of borosilicate by Doni Hatz in another class taught at Big Dipper Glassworks.  "Boro" is the harder glass most are familiar with known as Pyrex.  The class took me a step closer to actually blowing glass and sculpture.  

I have been mentored by several artists.  Dian Eversole who threw me head first (as she does all things) into an artist's life.  It took a long time for me to have the courage to call myself an artist, and I have Brenna Busse to thank for not only giving me permission to apply the title to myself but compelling me to accept the gift of an artists life.  Riana De Raad is a truly remarkable sculptural mosaic artist in western Wisconsin whose work can be found at Riana De Raad.  Riana further pushed me to explore my life in art.  She exposed me to another way to see color and shape.  Be sure and check out her work and if ever even remotely possible take one of her classes.  There is no need to be artistically inclined at all, but I guarantee you will create something beautiful and be a better person afterwards.

Chairs have been my thing the past few years.  You can see the chair I created for my friend Dian.   

And the chair I created for my neighborhood knit shop. 

And here it is close up