Wendy High

Wendy High is the owner of Highlites, which she started in 1998. She handcrafts jewelry using sterling silver, copper, gold-filled findings, freshwater pearls, Bali beads, semi-precious stones, and glass, Swarovski crystal, and Czech beads.  A Midlander, High is also widely known for her pendants made by fusing dichroic glass in a kiln at 1600 degrees. The process typically takes multiple firings to get the results that High wants in her finished pieces. In her display of pendants at the shop, she provides customers with some of their own design control. Customers can select a pendant and then choose from numerous necklace options – ranging from simple sterling and wire chokers, to ribbons and exotic fibers, to beaded necklaces.

“I love to work with glass – and color, color, color!” says High. “I love glass because it’s so versatile. My pendants are made with three to five layers of glass, with dichroic glass in the middle. Each piece is created individually, and you never know what you’re going to end up with. Every firing is a big surprise.”

She first worked in stained glass in San Francisco. She learned about glass molding at Delphi in Lansing and then glass fusing at Dancing Glass in Bay City. Her jewelry has been shown at Midland’s Healing Arts Gallery, Hen in the Holly in Bay City, Traverse City’s “Fire and Ice” Beadmakers’ Show, Traverse City’s holiday artist’s market, and a gallery in Saugatuck. She is a member of the Midland Artists Guild, the Midland Beading Guild, and the Traverse City Bay Area Artist Guild.