IN MEMORIAM: Outsider artist Robert Blackstone (1971 - 2023), whose Crystal City installation is a visionary portrait of Dayton, Ohio, falls victim to the city's gun violence

Even before the COVID pandemic, Dayton, Ohio, was known as one of the top 5 deadliest U.S. cities, as CBS designated it in 2019. On August 1st, 2023, one of the most important artists to try and capture the spirit and energy of this complex Ohio city was gunned down on a downtown street. Robert Blackstone, the self-taught installation artist who worked extensively with glass, was grievously injured by a gunshot wound to his chest, and he died from his injuries. The alleged shooter, who has a long criminal record, is in custody.

Saturday December 31, 2022 | by John Drury

IN MEMORIAM: Tony Jojola (1958 - 2022)

Instrumental to the early teams of Dale Chihuly and Lino Tagliapietra, Native artist Tony Jojola (b. 1958) died unexpectedly as the result of a bacterial infection, which originated in his intestine and migrated to his bloodstream. He passed away on December 28, 2022, surrounded by his mother; son, Domingo; daughter, Mia; and loving partner, Rafelita.

Benjamin Moore returned to Venini for the 2018 GAS conference in Murano, where he spoke eloquently about his time at Venini.

Sunday June 27, 2021 | by John Drury

IN MEMORIAM: Benjamin Moore (1952 - 2021)

Details are still emerging, but glass great Benjamin Moore died on Friday, June 25th, 2021, in Seattle. Moore is considered one of the most influential American glassblowers of the 20th century, not only for achieving a rare level of skill, but for helping to connect the nascent American Studio Glass movement with esteemed European masters via his influential role as the longtime creative director of the Pilchuck Glass School, a title he held until 1987. And the studio he established in Seattle, Benjamin Moore, Inc., quickly became an essential crossroads where a new generation of glassblowers learned their craft and connected with established elders.