Jess Panza & Julie Burton – Verre NewYork

Julie and Jess trained as glass blowers before becoming jewelry designers and creating their company named Verre (French for glass). Using non-traditional glass and metal techniques, they handmake each of their pieces. They believe that simple is elegant and that less is more.

Jess Panza is a self-taught glass worker. She studied French casting techniques, lost wax mold-making and pate de verre at Urban Glass in Brooklyn, where she met Julie Burton. For Jess, glass seemed like the perfect substance to meld with metal to form unique jewelry. Jess is inspired by things both sensible and natural.

Julie Burton became interested in glass after taking a six-week class in glass blowing at the Rhode Island School of Design. She worked for a time as a glass blower in Tennessee before taking a class at Urban Glass and meeting Jess Panza, who trained her in lampworking techniques.