Linda Sacra started crafting glass beads and designing jewelry in 1992. Originally self-taught, she began working strips of glass with a plumber’s torch. The first mandrels she used were made of copper. She says, “That lasted about five seconds because copper is not cheap! Although I didn’t have a clue of what I was doing, I knew I loved doing it and kept working at it!” After years of practice and later studying at the Penland School of Crafts in Penland, NC, Linda has become well known for her skill in lampworking glass and designing jewelry. She has won numerous awards and now teaches at her alma mater, the renowned Penland School of Crafts as well as other workshop venues in NC. Her work is shown in fine art galleries throughout the southeast and collected nationally.