Lino Tagliapietra is arguably the world's finest living glassblower.
Raised on the island of Murano, the Venetian glass center, Tagliapietra
began learning the trade at the age of 11 from Muranese masters and had
earned the title of maestro by age 21. He first came to Seattle in 1979,
and openly shared his unsurpassed experience, understanding, and
knowledge of traditional Venetian glassblowing techniques with artists
in the United States. In return, he gained an appreciation for the
American artists' quest for creative expression through experimentation
and individual creativity, pushing him beyond his excellence in
execution and into the realm of studio art.