welcome...
About me
I’m Maggie Napier, a flamework glass artist based in County Down, Northern Ireland. I create distinctive art glass beads and bespoke jewellery using premium Italian and American soft glass — each piece shaped in the flame and finished by hand.
My fascination with ancient glass and historical ornament began while working in a gallery in Rome, between completing my degree in Design and a Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Art. That experience, and the moment I first lit my torch in 2005, inspired the creation of Glass i Studio, where I explore glass as a sculptural, expressive and wearable material.
From my studio, I offer hands‑on glassmaking experiences and have welcomed and taught students from all over the island of Ireland and as far afield as Germany .
My work has been supported by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, with three pieces held in their permanent collection.
I have exhibited internationally, including the Glass Bead Biennale (UK Festival of Glass), the International Festival of Glass in Biot, France, Made in Ireland with the Design & Crafts Council of Ireland, and the Glass Runway Exhibition with Craft NI, the Glass Society of Ireland, and the Council of Irish Fashion Designers.
I also collaborate regularly with the Ulster Museum, creating exclusive collections inspired by major exhibitions — most recently Ashes to Fashion.
Each piece I make is a small modern relic: wearable art shaped in the flame, formed by movement, connecting timeless tradition with contemporary craft.
the process of...
Flamework
Flameworking is one of the oldest glass‑forming techniques, dating back over two thousand years when makers used small charcoal furnaces or oil‑lamp flames to shape glass beads and ornaments.
Today, the process is more refined but follows the same principles: it begins with a focused, high‑temperature torch that melts glass rods until they reach a honey‑like consistency. Working in the flame, the molten glass is wound onto a steel mandrel, then shaped, stretched, or layered using graphite tools, paddles, and precise hand movements.
Heat control is everything — the glass must stay warm enough to move, yet stable enough to hold its form. Colours are added through surface decoration or by building layers within the bead itself. Once the piece is complete, it’s placed in a kiln to anneal, allowing the glass to cool slowly and evenly for strength and durability.
It’s a rhythmic, hands‑on process where flame, material, and technique work together to create each small modern relic.
valeriehoke
Etsy Review
Etsy Review
The glass ring Maggie made for me is perfect. Maggie is easy to work with and is prompt with delivery. I would definitely buy from her again.
Ruth Osborne
Etsy Review
Etsy Review
Bought as a birthday present. Arrived quickly and well packaged. The necklace is perfect and the colours are beautiful. Thank you
