Cindy Goetz is the owner of Cinjo Handmade, a micro-business in the Peoria Foothills, north of Phoenix, Arizona. Cindy grew up and went to college in the Valley of the Sun, returning in 2012 after a 31-year career as a chemical engineer in Texas and Illinois. Needing to keep busy in retirement, she decided to use her beading skills to make wind chimes paired with stained glass. She learned how to cut, drill and grind stained glass and started the business.

Then, she discovered fused glass and fell in love! Fused glass is less likely to chip or break so it worked much better for the wind chimes. Plus, there are so many design options!

Glass fusing is an art form that involves melting glass in a kiln at temperatures to 1500 degrees Fahrenheit and beyond. Fused glass art always starts out flat, in single or multiple layers and is then either slumped, draped, dropped or cast to form various shapes. Along the way, the glass is embellished, painted, combed or otherwise improved. Each piece is often fused in the kiln two or more times, each “firing” usually taking more than 10 hours, even days. There are many ways to create fused glass; so many techniques, it would take more than a lifetime to learn them all. It’s very fun and you will often hear fused glass artists saying that the highlight of their day is opening that kiln to see the beautiful result.

Cindy has been enjoying this new phase of her life. She can combine her technical and analytical skills from years of operating chemical plants with her new-found and growing creative side. She loves learning and trying new things while keeping her art simple and pleasing. Her current focus is on creating items for the home and garden - wind chimes, suncatchers, dishes, garden and yard art. 

Cinjo Handmade sells at local markets, in Etsy and online at Cinjo Handmade. 

Cindy is available for custom work. Contact us at sales@cinjohandmade.shop.