/ Modified feb 28, 2013 4:41 p.m.

'Flame-Off' Leads to Delicate Creations

Glass-blowing competition draws crowd, interest in art

The 2013 Flame-Off, a fundraiser for the Sonoran Glass School, took place earlier this month and featured dozens of glass artists competing solo or in teams of two on stage at the Rialto Theatre.

Margaret Zinser, a glass artist and president of the board of directors for the Sonoran Glass School, says the event is timed to coincide with the Gem and Mineral show and is designed to get people interested in glass art.

“It’s a high-intensity event,” says Zinser. About 24 artists competed at the Flame-Off event –some coming from as far as Japan. The on-stage manipulation of molten glass resulted in a wide assortment of pieces that were auctioned off as part of a fundraiser for SGS.

Zinser says the event, now in its eleventh year, allows the public to see first hand the dynamic process of flame-working. The next glass competition will occur during the Tucson Glass Festival, April 13th and 14th. Teams of artists will try to create the piece with the most STEAM, that is with elements of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math.

By posting comments, you agree to our
AZPM encourages comments, but comments that contain profanity, unrelated information, threats, libel, defamatory statements, obscenities, pornography or that violate the law are not allowed. Comments that promote commercial products or services are not allowed. Comments in violation of this policy will be removed. Continued posting of comments that violate this policy will result in the commenter being banned from the site.

By submitting your comments, you hereby give AZPM the right to post your comments and potentially use them in any other form of media operated by this institution.
AZPM is a service of the University of Arizona and our broadcast stations are licensed to the Arizona Board of Regents who hold the trademarks for Arizona Public Media and AZPM. We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples.
The University of Arizona