Fyreglas Studio

JJ Brown and Simona Rosasco own and operate Fyreglas Studio, just 3 miles from downtown Bakersville. Working together they create both decorative and functional kiln formed glass art.  

Starting with an extensive palette of sheet glass, much of their work begins with kiln-casting “pattern bars” in a wide variety of color combinations and designs. These bars are cut into slices using a wet diamond saw. The slices are then incorporated into flat panels and are fired in the kiln a second time. Some of the panels are then fired a third time into molds creating more functional pieces such as plates and bowls.

For our newest series of work, called Tapestries, we create a ”pattern sheet.” These are composed of approximately 200 colored glass stringers in a variety of colors (Stringers = 1mm “spaghetti-like strings” of glass about 16 inches long), placed on a sheet of clear glass. This pattern sheet is fired, cut into slices, and rearranged into a finished, usually geometric design. The finished piece may be a panel, plate, or bowl.

JJ, a retired fire chief from Miami, Florida, moved to North Carolina in 2001 and built his glass studio. Simona, after meeting JJ in 2006, retired from her career in health care in Pensacola, Florida and relocated to the mountains to pursue her art. 

Simona received her BFA in Art Education from The University of South Florida and has studied glass at Penland School of Crafts. JJ has studied glass at The University of Miami, The Studio at Corning, Pilchuck Glass School and Penland School of Crafts.