Viewing articles by Irene Angeletti

Concept Drawings For Lino Tagliapietra Maestro By Edx Seattle 7

Concept drawings for "Lino Tagliapietra: Maestro," designed by EDX Seattle. courtesy: museum of glass, tacoma

Friday October 16, 2026 | by Irene Angeletti

The Lino Tagliapietra Legacy Gallery, set to open in December at the Museum of Glass, crowns a $22 million capital improvement project

When the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, Washington, opened in 2002, its architecture announced its primary focus would be hot glass by its centerpiece being a massive stainless-steel clad exhaust cone. The amphitheater hot shop inside was the literal and figurative hearth around which audiences gathered to watch glassblowing demonstrations and the visiting artist residencies. In the decades since, the museum has made a strategic shift to accent the live glassblowing with an expanding permanent collection of Northwest Coast glass art, which has recently been enhanced substantially with the gift of 175 works from Lino Tagliapietra's personal Seattle archive. Considered the most significant acquisition in the museum's history by executive director Debbie Lenk, it sparked a $22 million capital improvement project which, when it wraps up in December, will see the reveal of the "Lino Tagliapietra Legacy Gallery"

Tuesday October 6, 2026 | by Irene Angeletti

Trifecta Glass Art Lounge, a hybrid studio and bar, could be named the best speakeasy in the US by readers of USA Today

Between the years 1920 and 1933, anybody who produced, imported, transported, or sold alcoholic drinks in the U.S. could face fines, imprisonment, or both. Despite the risks, secret drinking establishments cropped up in the back of restaurants, shops and other businesses. Known as “speakeasies,” these illicit bars flourished as the adventurous sought an escape from the restrictions of Prohibition. Fast forward a century later, and today anyone 21 or over is free to consumer alcohol. Yet the era when drinking required a sense of adventure and willingness to break the law hasn't lost hold of the public imagination. For one glass studio in Lexington, Kentucky, nostalgia for the speakeasy has become a way to enhance their engagement with glassmaking and present a unique blend of art, craft, and glamour to their patrons.

Tuesday September 29, 2026 | by Irene Angeletti

Dale Chihuly, Tanja Pak, and Lino Tagliapietra receive top awards at Venice Glass Week 2026

After days of deep immersion into the artistic world of glass, the 10th edition of The Venice Glass Week came to an end with its usual awards ceremony, which took place on the evening of September 17th, at Palazzo Franchetti. The event featured recognition and celebration, as well as the presentation of three major prizes.

Tuesday September 22, 2026 | by Irene Angeletti

After a $785,000 renovation, the Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass has improved accessibility in more ways than one

The Bergstrom-Mahler Museum of Glass in Neenah, Wisconsin, has officially completed a $785,000 renovation--the first in 35 years. After months of work, the museum reopened to the public on June 27, 2026, with upgraded technology and accessibility aimed at elevating its visitors' experience while also preserving the historical importance, vintage character, and charm that have defined the museum since it opened in 1959.

139 4 Contemporary Glass September 2026 Marvin Lipofsky Igs Vii 3 Rago Auction

Marvin Lipovsky, IGS VII #3, 2000-02. Mold-blown glass, cut, sandblasted and acid-polished. H 13½, W 19⅜, D 16 in. courtesy: rago auctions, lambertville, nj

Tuesday September 15, 2026 | by Irene Angeletti

Rago's upcoming September 17 contemporary glass sale is a love story in more ways than one

According to their daughters, the late art collectors Jules and Conney Kay, of Rydal, Pennsylvania, kept their long marriage strong through their shared love of collecting art, including glass.

Glass Bateo 2024 Consorzio Promovetro Murano Ph Credit Zeta Group 07Bc28B8B1 2

Wednesday September 9, 2026 | by Irene Angeletti

An expanded Venice Glass Week opens on September 12 with more exhibitions, new workshops, and a bid for international importance

The Venice Glass Week 2026 is about to begin and, for its tenth consecutive edition beginning on September 12, the city of Venice and its surroundings will once again open their doors to this international week-long festival entirely dedicated to glass. Launched in 2017, the event started small, envisioned as a way to celebrate and value the material that has shaped the city's history and identity—and rooted in centuries of glassmaking tradition. Ten years later, the festival has grown far beyond its original vision and is making a bid for greater international prominence.