Virgil Jones

In the late 1980′s, while still living in Phoenix, Virgil was challenged by a friend to make a glass bead.  Never having had thoughts of working with glass before, but not one to turn down a challenge, he took a piece of stained glass and small propane torch and went for it.  Within four months Virgil left his job and started selling glass and wire jewelry in arts and craft shows throughout the west.

The jewelry beads quickly grew in size and complexity with the addition of hand built murrinis, lattichino, and cane drawing. Blessed with a short attention span and lots of ambition, Virgil delved into the hot glass world in all its forms. Fused glass was next, but not dimensional enough, so sculpture was explored using pate’ de verre casting.

In the winter of 1995, Virgil moved to the thriving hot glass community in the mountains of western North Carolina. The “Bigger is Better” bug hit and Virgil built a complete blowing studio.

His Witch Balls and Fairy ornaments along with the friendliest or Friendship Balls are popular sellers in many galleries and shops nationally.