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Venezi'ArteMuriel Balensi's Glass Bead WorkshopArchived article
ABOVE: Muriel Balensi uses a gas torch to melt glass for a handmade bead. Update: When this archived article was written, Venezi'Arte was located in Venice's Castello district. That shop is now closed, but at last report, Ms. Balensi was working on Murano (Venice's glassmaking island) at Fondamenta Lorenzo Radi, 24. You can phone her at +39 347-47-54-187. Glass beads and necklaces are everywhere in Venice, but not all beads are the same. Some are manufactured by factories on the island of Murano, using industrial processes; others are imported from mass producers in countries such as China; and the best are made by hand, one at a time, by artisans like Muriel Balensi of Venezi'Arte.
Although the beadmaking process is time-consuming and the Murano glass canes can cost upwards of 100 euros per kilo, Venezi'Arte's prices are surprisingly reasonable: perhaps 25 to 50 euros for an attractive ready-made necklace. The shop also sells Ms. Balensi's abstract glass-bead sculptures and a small selection of clothing and accessories.
For larger, captioned photos of Muriel Balensi at work, see page 2. Next page: More Venezi'Arte photos
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