Meet Ann Szerlip of Ann Szerlip Glass Designs

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ann Szerlip.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Ann. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
About 6 years ago I started to think about retirement and how I would spend my time.I am single and wanted to ensure that I had something which would interest me once I stopped working in the software industry, which I’ve been in for 40 years. I took up weaving for a while but it did not excite me. Then I took a class from a local glass studio on lampworking which comes from the concept of melting glass rods over oil lamps to melt the glass. Fast forward 5 years and I have built a small business out of lampworking and fused glass. Until a year ago I was renting space and then converted my garage into my glass studio. I retired two weeks ago to focus full time on the glass.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I did not plan this. I found that I loved working with glass – it is very meditative working with hot glass. After a year of making glass beads, I realized I needed to do something with all of these glass beads. My business side took over and I started to show my work at open studios and craft shows. I was balancing all of this with a full-time job in the software business: supplying 3 stores with inventory, working weekends as a member of one of the stores, and doing 6 shows a year. Finally, after 4 years of doing a balancing act, I decided to retire from the software business and devote myself full time to growing my business.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Ann Szerlip Glass Designs – what should we know?
As a business, I focus on creating glass bead serving utensils paired with fused glass plates. Primarily, these are gift items: hostess gifts, wedding gifts, etc. Applying glass beads to stainless steel utensils is fairly unique, and pairing them with fused glass plates which I also make in my home studio is quite unique. It’s a complete gift and definitely unusual.

I am most proud of the following I am building up. I have many repeat customers who love to give my work as gifts. I have one woman whose husband travels frequently for work – she loves my glass salad servers and buys one or two at a time so that her husband can give them as gifts when he travels around the world.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I spent 4 years renting space at Fiamma Glass, a lampworking studio run by Trina Urrata-Weintraub and her husband Dave Weintraub. For four years I spent all of my spare time in their studio and learned as much as I could from them.

I was also supported by a number of people who also rented at Fiamma – we called ourselves the ‘Bead Ladies.’ Their comradery was a terrific support network – we all went in different directions but many of us sell our work today.

Pricing:

• Items start at $20 and there is nothing higher than $90

Contact Info:

• Website: www.annszerlip.com
• Phone: 617 969 9301
• Email: ann.szerlip@gmail.com

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