Cardinal Portrait Pendant

The cardinal is one of the most recognizable and beloved birds of backyard feeders. Show your love of nature with this wearable art, a portrait of one of nature's most delightful creatures sculpted out of colored glass. In a process known as lampworking, glass rods are melted over a torch. Once soft, the glass is wrapped around a steel mandrel and shaped to form the marbled base bead. While the bead is still warm, bas relief details are painstakingly added using tiny stringers of color. When the design is complete, the whole bead is annealed in a digitally controlled kiln. Finally it is dipped in an acid etching solution to give it an all over velvety texture (accept the eyes, of course).

I prefer to show off these portraits on a simple sterling silver snake chain.