FLAME OFF
Annual Torchworking Competition
Friday, February 8, 2019
7 to 11PM Doors @ 6:30PM
General Tickets $20
VIP Tickets $50
Learn about the Flame Off in 30 seconds with this video!
Tucson's annual torchworking competition is a week from today and this year's theme is "The (Un)Natural World."

Watch as glass artists compete to make the best torchworked piece based on the theme.

With timed heats and hosts commentating on the action, it's like Iron Chef for glass art!

Join us for Tucson's 18th annual torchworking event featuring beer, wine, food trucks, raffles, and, of course, a night of fiery competition!

All proceeds support the nonprofit Sonoran Glass School and its educational programs.
Thanks to our event sponsors and supporters!
We're excited to host torchworking demonstrations for our friends at the Desert Fire Charity Drive the day before the Flame Off, 2/7, in our Flame Shop.

Join us from 10AM-6PM!
AN EXCITING WEEK OF EVENTS
SONORAN GLASS
ART SHOW
FEBRUARY 6-9

Tucson's only all glass-art show with national and international artists and vendors.
TUCSON BEAD SYMPOSIUM
FEBRUARY 6

Experts and artists speak on various topics in bead history and trends.
18th ANNUAL
FLAME OFF
FEBRUARY 8

Live torchworking competition with beer, wine, and food trucks.
Tickets, Tickets, Get Your Tickets!
Buying tickets ahead of time allows you to skip the line. Just bring your ID or your printed email receipt.

Please have your whole group with you when you approach Will Call.

Tickets will also be available at the door for $20 starting at 6:30PM.

There are two levels of tickets : General Admission and VIP Tickets.

$20 General Tickets include:
  • Admission to the 18th annual Flame Off and Sonoran Glass Art Show tents

$50 VIP tickets include:
  • Admission to the 18th annual Flame Off and Sonoran Glass Art Show tents
  • Preferred, center seating in the competition tent with an HDTV in front of you showing live closeups of the artist pieces.
  • Two complimentary drink tickets (a $10 value).
  • A VIP event lanyard.
  • Admission to the VIP Lounge in the Hot Shop where you can relax with snacks and refreshments.
  • Increased support for Glass Art Education (this is a fundraiser)!
The Artists
Artists will compete against one another to make the best molten glass masterpiece based on this year's theme: "The (Un)Natural World."

Each artist will have 90 minutes to complete their piece during one of the two competition rounds.

Find out more about the artists and see samples of their work on our competitor page.
HEAT 1 | 7:00-8:30PM

1. Alex Williamson
2. Alexandria Young
3. Floor Kaspers
4. Elaine Forbes
5. Jonathan Russell
6. Kim Edwards
7. Skyler Blood-Raiter
8. Jack Morris
9. Brian Jacobson
HEAT 2 | 9:00-10:30PM

1. James Lynch
2. Andrew D’silva
3. Maureen Henriques
4. Chris Moreno
5. Courtney Thompson
6. TBA
7. Stoney Chicken
8. Chris Valdez
9. Michael Dickinson
The Prizes
In addition to awesome prizes from all our sponsors, first through third place winners will receive torches from GTT.

Thank you Glass Torch Technologies, Inc.!

1st Place: GTT Kuboki W/ Air Manifold 
2nd Place : GTT Custom Snub Nose Mirage with a Cheetah CF
3rd Place: GTT Sidewinder W/Lynx 4 stud
The Beer, The Wine, The Food Trucks!
The 2019 Flame Off is an official Food Truck Roundup!

There will be several sweet and savory local vendors for you to choose from.
Thunder Canyon Brewstillery beers will be on tap and wine is available throughout the evening for $5.

Ages 21 and up.
The Raffle Prizes!
Every 15 minutes or so we will be raffling off exciting items and experiences for you to enjoy around town.

Raffle tickets are $5 each or three for $10. Proceeds support nonprofit glass art education!

There are LOTS of prizes this year, with a combined value of over $1,200, so the chances of winning are way up! Enjoy gifts like free tickets to the orchestra, theatre, local attractions and even upscale hair styling from these partners:

Arizona History Museum, Fox Theatre, Old Tucson Studios, Tucson Symphony Orchestra, UA Arizona State Museum, UA Biosphere 2, Reid Park Zoo, Children's Museum Tucson, Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, Humane Society, Literacy Connects, Tucson Museum of Art, Amerind Museum, Rialto Theater, Mini Time Machine Museum of Miniatures, Arizona Theatre Company, Salon Salon, UA Musuem of Art.
Judging and Announcing Winners
After the pieces have annealed and artists have a chance to put them on display, Judges will review the entries. Sonoran Glass School has chosen a group of judges who are glass artists, non-glass artists, and community members. Each judge will score pieces according to a several categories related to concept, skill, execution, overall design, adherence and interpretation of the theme, and other categories.

2019 Judges are Roberta Elliott, Michael Henry, Katherine Nesci, and John-Peter Wilhite.

After the scores are tallied, the winners will be announced in the Sonoran Glass Art Show tent. The time of the announcement will depend on how long the photographing and judging of the pieces takes, but should be sometime around noon.

Winner will also be posted on our Facebook page , Instagram , and website shortly after they are announced.
Viewing and Bidding on Final Pieces
All pieces need time to anneal (cool down slowly) in a kiln after they are made and will be put on display the following morning in the Sonoran Glass Art Show starting around 12PM.

You can bid on finished Flame Off pieces in three different ways:

  • During the event at the bidding table
  • After the event, the next day, at Sonoran Glass School
  • Online on our Facebook bidding page.

Bidding will continue until Friday February 15th, 2019 at 4PM and will close one piece at a time in ten minute increments. Closing times will be posted with the picture of the piece on our Facebook page.

You can find more information about bidding in the program available at the event.
Flame Off on TV!
Sonoran Glass School will be talking about the Flame Off and doing live torchworking demonstrations on TV.

This Monday at 11AM - Watch KGUN (channel 9) at 11AM with Associate Director Nick Letson and glass artist Alexandria Young doing torchworking demonstrations.

This Wednesday at 12PM - Watch KOLD's Noon Notebook (channel 13) at noon with Associate Director Nick Letson with glass artist Brian Jacobson doing torchworking demonstrations.

LOOK OUT FOR OUR FLAME OFF COMMERCIAL - Before and after the Super Bowl this Sunday.
We still need volunteers!
Sonoran Glass Art Show | February 6-9
Tucson's only all-glass art show features national and international glass artists during Tucson's Gem Show. The show features glass art beads, jewelry, sculptures, tools and supplies.

Free and open to the public

2019 Hours:

February 6th (Wednesday) 10 AM to 6 PM
February 7th (Thursday) 10 AM to 6 PM
February 8th (Friday) 10 AM to 9:45 PM
February 9th (Saturday) 10 AM to 5 PM

2019 Vendors:

Beads of Courage
Bronwen Heilman
Burton Art Studios
Dvora Silberman
FireChilde Glass Studio
Floor Kaspers
Jen Smith Glass
Joy Munshower
Lone Tree Studio
MZ Glass
Nesci Glass
Pumpkin Hill Beads
Riley Designs Dichroic Glass
Sharon Peters Silly Beads
Sonoran Glass School
Weelainy Glass
Tucson Bead Symposium | Feb 6
February 6, 2019  |  Wednesday  |  7-9PM
$5 suggested donation
Open to the public
633 W. 18th Street
Attendees: Dress Warm!

Ornament Magazine, the Ethnographic Group, and Sonoran Glass School present the 2019 Tucson Bead Symposium featuring presentations from speakers and experts on bead history and trends.

The evening is hosted by glass artist Floor Kaspers.

2019 Presentations:

PROTECTION BY DAY-PROTECTION BY NIGHT
Amulet Beads of Ancient Egypt

David Ebbinghouse is an art enthusiast and researcher and an artist/designer working in many mediums, from collecting and designing with ancient beads to contemporary performance art.

TRENDS IN BEADS INSPIRED BY NATURE
A Trip Through 40 Years of Ornament Magazine

FAKING IT
A Short History of Plastic Imitations of Organic Materials

Rosanna Falabella, PhD Polymer Science and bead collector and researcher for 20 years

GLASS BEADS, BORROWED FROM NATURE

Margaret Zinser Hunt creates flameworked beads and pendants inspired by her love of the insect world.