Steve & Susan Wright
Tumbleweed Glass Studio
Most people think Tumbleweed Glass Studio was named for the southwest. That was never the idea, even though now live
in Texas. It is actually a reference to living on the road full time in an RV for 5 years, and crossing many highways
as we hunted for new adventures. Our glass has evolved through many of those experiences and through the people
we met and the skills they have shared. We enjoy being able to share our experiences and the skills we
have learned.
Tumbleweed Glass studio is a husband and wife team, Susie and Steve Wright. We work together on projects and
also each has our own area of jewelry and glass design.
Susie works in the area of fused glass often using dichroic-coated glass in her designs. The space age coating gives
jewel-like shimmers to the glass. Many of her pieces take 5 or more firings to achieve the colors and surface she
desires. One hallmark of many of her dichroic pieces is the crystal clarity of the glass creating a visual depth
that draws you into the piece. She wirewraps her fused glass as well as cabochons made from rare minerals.
You will also find many of Susie's pieces worked into pendants, necklaces, earrings and mostly by the use of wirewrap.
The wirewrap pieces are contemporary in feeling in relationship to the space age materials. Combinations of
contemporary fused glass and vintage beads are often found in the necklaces and bracelets, giving a since of history
and future, often in asymmetrical designs. Other jewelry pieces combine Steve's lampwork with glass beads, natural
stones and pearls and precious metal in intriguing and stunning pieces reminding the wearer of the individual detail
taken in each and every design. Each major piece is created as individual design and while something similar can be
made, no piece is truly ever duplicated.
Steve works in the torch and in wire wrap. He has a signature lampwork bead, which is an encased sculptural pendant style bead that
looks like a small paperweight with floral and other inclusions. He is the technician, enjoying the technical aspects
of beadmaking. An iris that is a half-inch tall, or a slice of ladybug murrini that fits on the leaf of that small
iris is the force behind his beadmaking. The inclusions are a big part of the technical aspect of his beads, but
the encasement process also required attention to detail. The clear glass has to be peeled of all impurities, the
entire exterior surface of the clear rods have to be removed. Once the glass is peeled, the resulting gather of clear
is so amazingly transparent that it always causes a brief pause to admire it's qualities. The challenges get Steve on
the torch but the big payoff occurs when he hands one of his beads to someone. Seeing their eyes light up and a smile
come to their face is an incredible driving force.