Over his 28 year career in glass, Rob Stern has risen to the top of the field. From 1990-95 he trained at John Lewis Glass factory in Oakland, Calif., and has advanced degrees from San Francisco State University and the University of Miami. Stern has traveled, lived, and studied extensively in numerous countries, and has worked with the most accomplished glass artists and masters throughout the world. He trained to be a master in the Czech Republic where, in the glass factory Ajeto of Master Petr Novotny, he continues to design and execute monumental site-specific sculptures. Stern has participated in and led numerous workshops worldwide and travels annually to teach and serve as a gaffer at the most prominent institutions for glass – Pilchuck Glass School (Wash.), Penland School of Crafts (N.C.), Bildwerk, (Frauenau Germany), and The Glass Furnace (Turkey). He was a professor at the University of Miami Glass program from 1997-2004 and was most recently a visiting professor at the Glass Department University of Texas, Arlington for 2010.

Stern has completed numerous public and private architectural commissions internationally while continuing to create original works including sculpture, furniture, and custom lighting. His work has been installed, exhibited, and collected in Europe, Asia and the Americas.

Paul Swartwood was first introduced to blown glass in 2000, and

was so taken by the process, he began studying glassblowing

and sculpture at Salisbury University, where he earned his Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2002. After graduation, he moved to West Chester, Pennsylvania, where he worked producing crystal ware at the renowned Simon Pearce glass company for four years, before relocating to Maryland, where he now works and resides.

Over the years, Paul has been mostly influenced by Swedish and Italian techniques, admiring the luscious heaviness mastered by Swedish artists and the infinite combinations of color explored by Italian artists. He has shown his work in several galleries along the east coast and has been invited to demonstrate his glassblowing techniques in numerous studios and universities. In January 2009, Paul became a resident artist in Glen Echo Park, where he teaches

all levels of glassblowing classes, as well as offers private lessons

to those who wish to refine their style and improve their technique.

Dan Alexander has always been interested in art, history, nature, and creating. After seeing glass being made for the first time he knew this was a trade he had to master.

He attended Kent State University and received a BFA-Glass Concentration. In college he was able to further explore glass as an artistic medium while being introduced to other materials, art history, color theory, and composition.

Post graduation, he studied with some of the top glass artists in the field today and even worked in Murano italy. He spent several years working for the Corning Museum of Glass where he held the Lead Gaffer position traveling the world and educating the public about the science and history of glass art.

Dan has now branched out from his studio manager role and has made a name for himself as an independent artist. In recent years he was awarded an emerging artist residency ath Duncan McClellan Gallery, the AACG professional artist residency at Goggleworks Center for the Arts in Reading Pennsylvania, he was included in The Chihuly Collection “Made” exhibition and was also nominated for the Glass Art Sociecty’s Saxe Emerging Artist Award. 

His work is on display in fine art galleries across the USA and abroad. He is currently also exhibiting in Istanbul Turkey, Vienna Austria, and Melbourne Australia. 

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