Nancy Nagel

Nancy Nagel's love of glass started early in life with a collection of tumbled beach glass. This fascination made a lasting impression on her that later turned into her life’s passion. This intrigue with glass surfaced again while she was attending the University of Arizona. Nancy took a summer class in glass blowing, which rekindled her interest. During this class she learned about the magic of glass as we transformed liquid molten glass into sparkling forms of beauty.

Nacny graduated with a degree in art education and opened a glass blowing studio in Tucson, Arizona called Midnight Glassworks. She blew glass at night to avoid the blasting desert heat during the day. After living in Tucson for 20 years, she moved to Prescott, AZ. There she began an apprenticeship with Bandhu Scott Dunham, a well-known flame worker and author of a variety of incredible glass art books about lampworking. With his patience he taught the fine art of lampworking.

After two years of instruction and practice, Nancy moved to San Diego to further her glass career. Almost upon arrival she designed the totem animal glass rattle, which captures the fun loving spirit of the animal kingdom.The rattle has become her signature creation and continues to be a popular item in the galleries. In 2008, after 14 wild and crazy years in southern California, she moved back to the Sonoran desert, better known as Tucson, Arizona. To her, the desert has always displayed many hidden treasures. These magical qualities stimulate her never ending search for inspiration. Although she will always consider the desert one of her favorite places, in spring of 2010 Nancy moved on once again.  This time to the mountains of northern Colorado. These incredible surroundings have already influenced her glass designs and fueled her limitless imagination.

Designing animals with a smile is a theme that carries through all of Nancy's glass sculptures, from animal perfume bottles to frolicking glass lizards. All of her glass innovations are designed with a concern for beauty, humor and quality. Each piece is first sketched then sculpted to scale in clay. This attention to detail is what makes each sculpture so unique and collectable.