FYREGLAS STUDIO

JJ Brown & Simona Rosasco

Fused, Cast and Slumped Glass

JJ Brown

As a young adult, I was always interested in art, but being an artist seemed scary. Instead, I joined Miami-Dade Fire Rescue and for thirty years I helped a lot of people, so I don’t regret that choice. Near the end of that career though, I became interested in glass art. I began working in stained glass (cold), progressed to fused and slumped glass (warm), and eventually became involved with glass casting and glass blowing (hot).

Now retired, I live in the mountains of western North Carolina surrounded by one of the largest art communities in the country. I have built a glass studio behind my house where I currently work in both hot and warm glass.

I enjoy creating blown glasswork that gives the illusion of motion and try to capture the molten flow of hot glass in many of my pieces. I also enjoy introducing a variety of colors in my work; sometimes combining vibrant colors with subdued ones. I am currently working with fused glass panels and slumped plates as well as fused glass jewelry. My work is an exploration of just some of the potential of working with hot and warm glass.

I have studied at The Studio at Corning , Corning Museum of Glass, NY, Pilchuck Glass School , WA , and at the Penland School of Crafts, NC. I have been a resident artist at the University of Miami Glass Facility in Coral Gables , FL and have also taught a glass fusing workshop at Rowe Studios Art Glass in Miami .

JJ Brown

My background in the arts is deeply rooted in my family. My great grandmother, grandmother, mother and father, cousins and siblings, all very talented artists. Some were painters and illustrators, others photographers and musicians. During my childhood I was very fortunate to have parents who encouraged the arts in their eight children. Art and music lessons were just a part of growing up.

I received my BA in Fine Arts and Art Education, from the University of South Florida.

My career path took me in a different direction for awhile. While raising my two beautiful and also very talented boys, I served in administrative roles in Volunteer Services with the American Cancer Society and Covenant Hospice in Pensacola, Florida. Throughout those 20 + years, I managed to continue working as a mixed media artist participating in local art shows and festivals. My passion was in creating one-of-a-kind embellished crosses using found treasures.

Since moving to North Carolina in 2007, I have studied blown glass at the Penland School of Crafts with Eddie Bernard, owner of Wet Dog Glass. I feel very fortunate to be living in a community filled with so many extremely talented and creative people.

Simona Rosasco

JJ & Simona

We met in October of 2006 and married in October, 2007.  Simona quickly learned about hot and warm glass and brought new design and color directions to the studio. We currently own and operate Fyreglas Studio in Western North Carolina working primarily in fused and cast glass.  We both enjoy introducing a variety of colors in our work; sometimes combining vibrant colors with subdued ones.  Our work is an exploration of just some of the potential of working with hot and warm glass.

Our work may be seen in the following Galleries:  

Crimson Laurel, Bakersville, NC

Home of the Perfect Christmas Tree, Spruce Pine, NC

Twisted Laurel, Spruce Pine, NC

Toe River Arts Council Galleries, Spruce Pine & Burnsville, NC

Sunset River Marketplace, Calabash, NC

jj@fyreglas.com