Art Glass Bead Earrings

The Handblown Glass  Beads used in these earrings are made personally by Virginia Wilson Toccalino and Tony Toccalino at their glassblowing studio in Halton Hills, Ontario in the Greater Toronto Area, using Venetian influenced glass making techniques, developed in Murano Italy in the year 1526.   
First they gather molten glass at 2100 F from the furnace on a blowpipe. Next a layer of densely  coloured glass is added, then several layers of clear, molten crystal, to create the size of bead desired. Sometimes coloured glass canes or rods (made by the artists) are added to create stripes and spiralling patterns on the beads. A bubble is inserted through the blowpipe into the mass of glass. The glass is then heated and shaped many times until the shape and temperature is just right. At that point this becomes a team event when Tony and Virginia stretch the glass into tubes, (much like taffy)to the length and diameters desired. After the glass tubes are annealed they are cut into lengths then sliced into beads. The beads go through a lengthy polishing process, after which they are ready to be strung with .925 Sterling Silver beads into jewelry. It is important to sign our work so many of the necklaces and bracelets have a signature bead (made by Virginia) just before the clasp.
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