Tagliapietra Inc.
Tagliapietra Inc.
SHOWCASE PIECE
Fenice, 2020
Lino Tagliapietra
19 5/8” H x 20 1/8” W x 14 5/8” D
Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
Dinosaur, 2005
Lino Tagliapietra
44 1/8” H x 17 3/8” Wx 6 1/4” D Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
14 1/8” H x 5 1/8” W x 7 1/8” D Blown
Photographs by Russell Johnson
Asola
Lino Tagliapietra
Glass
7 7/8” H x 85 3/8” W x 7 1/2” D
Photographs by Russell Johnson
Gondola, 2013
Lino Tagliapietra
Blown Glass
Endeavor, 2008
Lino Tagliapietra
8 5/8” H x 61 1/8” W x 6 1/4” D
Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
Endeavor, 2009
Lino Tagliapietra
7 1/2” H x 55 1/8” W x 6 3/4” D
Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
Ala, 2013
11 3/8” H x 54 3/8” W x 3 1/2” D
Lino Tagliapietra
Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
61 3/4” H x 40 1/8” W x 7 7/8” D
Masai, 2021
Lino Tagliapietra
Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
Endeavor, 2020
Lino Tagliapietra
6 3/4” H x 57 7/8” W x 5 1/8” D
Photographs by Russell Johnson
Blown Glass
Riverstone, 2001
Lino Tagliapietra
16 1/8” H x 15 3/4” W x 8 5/8” D
Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
66 1/8” H x 27 1/8” W
Masai, 2021
Lino Tagliapietra
Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
Osaka Aquilone, 2021
Lino Tagliapietra
16 1/8” H x 9 7/8” W x 9 7/8” D
Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
20 1/2” H x 11 3/4” W x 5 1/2” D
Photographs by Russell Johnson
Aquilone, 2020
Lino Tagliapietra
Blown Glass
Kookaburra, 2013
Lino Tagliapietra
24 1/8” H x 19 5/8” W x 14 5/8” D
Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
15 3/4” H x 16 1/8” W x 7 1/8” D
Photographs by Russell Johnson
Carso, 2011
Lino Tagliapietra
Blown Glass
18 1/8” H x 13” W x 5 7/8” D
Luna, 2007
Lino Tagliapietra
Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
Africa, 2013
Lino Tagliapietra
10 5/8” H x 15 3/8” W x 15 3/4” D
Photographs by Russell Johnson
Blown Glass
31 1/2” H x 14 1/8” W x 8 5/8” D
Photographs by Russell Johnson
Mandara, 2009
Lino Tagliapietra
Blown Glass
Saturno, 1998
Lino Tagliapietra
5 7/8” H x 28 3/8” W x 24 3/4” D
Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
9 1/8” H x 18 1/8” W x 18 1/8” D
Poesia, 2015
Lino Tagliapietra
Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
Contarini, 2016
Lino Tagliapietra
26” H x 10 1/4” W x 6 1/4” D
Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
44 7/8” H x 9 1/8” W x 6 3/4” D
Oca, 2002
Lino Tagliapietra
Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
Medusa, 2006
Lino Tagliapietra
15 3/4” H x 17 3/8” W x 5 7/8” D
Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
21 5/8” H x 9 1/2” W x 9 1/2” D
Photographs by Russell Johnson
Tholtico, 1998
Lino Tagliapietra
Blown Glass
Dinosaur, 2006
36 5/8” H x 18 1/8” W x 6 3/4” D
Lino Tagliapietra
Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
59 7/8” H x 50 1/8” W x 7 1/8” D
Masai, 2020
Lino Tagliapietra
Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
Endeavor, 2020
Lino Tagliapietra
4 3/8” H x 48 1/8” W x 6 3/4” D
Photographs by Russell Johnson
Blown Glass
7 1/8” H x 13” W x 13” D
Florencia, 2019
Lino Tagliapietra
Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
15 3/8” H x 15” W x 15” D
Florencia, 2019
Lino Tagliapietra
Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
21 5/8” H x 11 3/8” W x 6 3/4” D
Photographs by Russell Johnson
Florencia, 2018
Lino Tagliapietra
Blown Glass
Florencia, 2019
Lino Tagliapietra
6 3/4” H x 18 1/8” W x 18 1/8” D
Photographs by Russell Johnson
Blown Glass
Tornado, 2018
13” H x 29 1/8” W x 1 5/8” D
Blown & Fused Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
Lino Tagliapietra
London, 2017
37 1/8” H x 9 7/8” W x 9 7/8” D
Lino Tagliapietra
Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
23 5/8” H x 11 3/8” W x 11 3/8” D
Contarini, 2016
Lino Tagliapietra
Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
Africa, 2016
20 7/8” H x 17 3/4” W x 17 3/4” D
Photographs by Russell Johnson
Lino Tagliapietra
Blown Glass
Africa, 2016
9 7/8” H x 18 1/8” W x 18 1/8” D
Lino Tagliapietra
Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
36 5/8” H x 16 1/8” W x 7 7/8” D
Dinosaur, 2012
Lino Tagliapietra
Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
7 1/8” H x 25 1/4” W x 25 1/4” D
Photographs by Russell Johnson
Florencia, 2018
Lino Tagliapietra
Blown Glass
22 1/2” H x 11 3/8” W x 5 1/8” D
Bahia, 2010
Lino Tagliapietra
Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
Canale Dietro Torcello, 2012
Lino Tagliapietra
28” H x 20 1/2 W x 3/4” D
Fused Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
18 1/2” H x 20 1/2” W x 5 1/8” D
Photographs by Russell Johnson
Saturno, 2008
Lino Tagliapietra
Blown Glass
16 7/8” H x 8 5/8” W x 5 7/8” D
Stromboli, 2011
Lino Tagliapietra
Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
21 5/8” H x 14 5/8” W x 9 7/8” D
Fuji, 2011
Lino Tagliapietra
Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
Osaka, 2012
Lino Tagliapietra
10 1/4” H x 9 1/2” W x 9 7/8” D
Photographs by Russell Johnson
Blown Glass
Africa, 2013
9 7/8” H x 11 3/4” W x 11 3/8” D
Lino Tagliapietra
Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
19 5/8” H x 11 3/4” W x 5 7/8” D
Provenza, 1999
Lino Tagliapietra
Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
15 3/4” H x 11 3/4” W x 5 7/8” D
Photographs by Russell Johnson
Aquilone, 2020
Lino Tagliapietra
Blown Glass
18 1/8” H x 7 7/8” W x 3 1/8” D
Ebro, 2019
Lino Tagliapietra
Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
20 7/8” H x 20 1/8” W x 11 1/8” D
Fuji, 2011
Lino Tagliapietra
Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
Lino Tagliapietra
21 5/8” H x 12 5/8” W x 12 1/4” D
by Russell Johnson
Lanzarote, 2018
Blown Glass
Photographs
13 3/4” H x 13 3/4” W x 13” D
Contarini, 2018
Lino Tagliapietra
Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
Africa, 2015
Lino Tagliapietra
19 5/8” H x 16 7/8” W x 16 7/8” D
Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
Africa, 2015
22 7/8” H x 15” W x 15 3/8” D
Lino Tagliapietra
Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
22 1/8” H x 18 1/8” W x 9 7/8” D
Poesia, 2015
Lino Tagliapietra
Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
Venice Panel, 2012
Lino Tagliapietra
22 1/2” H x 32 1/4” W x 1 5/8” D
Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
1998
18 1/8” H x 9 1/8” W x 9 1/8” D
Borneo,
Lino Tagliapietra
Blown Glass
Photographs by Russell Johnson
Osaka, 2011
Lino Tagliapietra
15 3/4” H x 14 1/8” W x 13 3/8” D
Photographs by Russell Johnson
Blown Glass
GLOSSARY: INDEX OF PIECES FEATURED IN CATALOG
AFRICA
ALA & ENDEAVOR
AQUILONE
Inspired by the vibrant colors and prints of West African wax fabrics, the Africa series features bold murrine and bright colors.
Having grown up on the canals, Lino took inspiration for the Endeavor and Ala series from the boats and birds that fill Murano’s landscape. The designs themselves, graceful and simple curves of glass, developed from Lino’s admiration for Hugo Pratt’s Corto Maltese, a series of Italian comics that chronicle the adventures of a sailor. In these illustrations, birds and boats are depicted in a pared-down style, which Lino admired and sought to recreate in glass.
The Maestro began the Endeavor series in the late 1980s, using molds to create small and slender boats. Over the next 10 years, Tagliapietra continued to experiment with Endeavor, eventually achieving the meter-long vessels that compose the series today. Today, Endeavor begin as closed vessels. During the blowing process these long bubbles of glass are stretched over metal molds to form the gentle curves and tapered points that define the series. Having cooled, the vessel is in half horizontally with the base of this cut then becoming the final Endeavor.
The Ala series developed after the Endeavor. The “V”-shaped artworks, though seemingly uncomplicated, posed a challenge for Lino who needed to consider the right type of mold that could accommodate his vision. The Ala as we know it today was first made in 1995 at the Pilchuck Glass School while Tagliapietra was working with glassblower William Morris. Since then, the bird-like shapes have become a signature of Lino’s career.
Many Endeavor and Ala are heavily engraved. This process involves master cold workers painstakingly etching individual cuts across the surface of the glass to create texture. Lino explains that this process adds a “graphic quality” to the already commanding vessels. While the Endeavor and Ala developed as individual artworks, they are frequently paired to create large-scale suspended installations.
The Aquilone series, an innovation from early 2019, features oval shaped murrine, rather than traditionally square-shaped murrini. This change in style allows for more light to come through the glass and creates “windows” of color throughout the artwork. The Maestro took inspiration for these murrine from his childhood on the island of Murano. Reminiscing over the colorful kites he and his companions used to fly, he imbued the glass with similarly bold hues and even named the piece after the pastime: aquilone means kite in Italian. Speaking to his recent innovations in design, the Maestro commented that even with stylistic changes, his expression through glass “is still always me”. Like other works in the
BORNEO
CARSO
CHIOCCIOLA
CONTARINI
DINOSAUR
Maestro’s oeuvre, the Aquilone’s shape is uncomplicated, and utilizes the simplicity of form to highlight the intricate and colorful design of the glass. This, and the playful translucency of the glass, are themes in Lino’s works that have persisted throughout his long career.
This intricate artwork requires multiple layers of delicately twisted canes that are grouped together and stretched to create long bands of looped glass. The name Asola refers to a type of knot used in tying fishing reels, which Lino tried to emulate in his manipulation of the canes.
In the Borneo series, Lino applies long thin canes to the exterior surface of the glass, which interrupts the internal swirl of cane within the vessel itself. Lino wanted to evoke the idea of a bamboo forest, and the movement the plants have when blowing gently in the wind.
This fused panel, created by using fused frit, is part of the series “ the colors of Burano”. This panel was inspired by the color of the water in the canals of Burano. The central blue line was created using a solid glass rod, and it symbolizes the canal and how it splits the two islands that form the one of Torcello.
Carso is a rocky limestone territory. The limestone gets eroded by the rivers in the area, so The Maestro wanted to recreate the same geographical environment with the blue pattern of the murrine, symbolizing the river flowing through this land. Lino has expressed his appreciation for this territory, its colors and its beauty, he also said that he has always loved the name Carso and wanted to create a piece that would give justice to this name, hence the choice of very different color and technique.
One translation of Chiocciola in Italian is Snail. The Maestro was inspired by the graphics of the particular murrine as they are visually similar to a snail. These blown vessels are created using zanfirico cane segments.
Lino named his Contarini series for one of Venice’s most famous and historical families. There are a number of palazzos throughout Venice that once belonged to the Contarini family, and each feature eye-catching architectural details that have inspired the Maestro to recreate in glass over nearly two decades. First begun as long cylindrical artworks, the Maestro has since developed the Contarini into the spherical shape seen here. Like its namesake, the Palazzo Contarini, Lino’s Contarini features “windows” which here offer us a glimpse of the opposite side of the vessel.
One of the Maestro’s most enduring series, the Dinosaur series represents the drama of glassblowing. Lino stretches and curves the neck of the vessel in the last moments of the glassblowing
FENICE
FLORENCIA
FUJI
GONDOLA
KOOKABURRA
LANZAROTE LONDON
process a feat that requires the precision and attention of the entire glassblowing team.
Lino uses the Ebro to feature a very specific type of murrine. The small glass pieces have a layer of white sandwiched between darker hues. Lino felt that this would create an understated but deep pattern. The Ebro are blown into simple shapes to keep the emphasis on the pattern of the colored glass.
Fenice, or “phoenix” in English, are named for La Fenice theatre in Venice - a historic building that has burned down and been rebuilt three times throughout its long history. An homage to his hometown, these artworks gracefully rise and curve into delicately tapered necks.
Named for the floral pattern of its murrina, Florencia vesseles are created by layering and folding together differentcolors of flat ribbon cane in order to create a petal-like structure within the rod of stretched glass. Once sliced into small pieces, the murrine are laid out on a heating stone and grouped tightly together. When laying out the murrine, Lino can assess how the glass pieces will stretch and shape during the blowing process. This series is named for the fleur-de-lis symbol that represents the city of Florence, and the pattern allows Lino to play with translucency and shadows in glass.
Maestro Tagliapietra has visited Japan a number of times and remains fascinated by the culture and landscape of this captivating country. Reflecting on this particular series, Lino comments that his travels in Japan taught him that “simplicity is not easy. It is complicated to make a simple design refined.”
Taking inspiration from his childhood on Murano, Lino reimagines the spectacle of iconic gondolas of the Venetian canals in these blown glass works. The sleek and simplified style for these forms came from Hugo Pratt’s illustrations in Corto Maltese, a series of comics that Lino has loved since he was very young.
Inspired by his visit to Australia and the aboriginal paintings he saw there, Lino created the Kookaburra series. These vessels feature vibrant and intricate patterns similar to the aboriginal style, and play with balance as the forms often perch atop a small base.
For this artwork Lino took inspiration from the island of Lanzarote. The Maestro stated that the water, the vegetation and the volcanic landscapes were the key factors into creating this piece.
Lino often takes inspiration from architecture that he’s experienced on his travels. This piece in particular was inspired by “The Gherkin” - an oval-shaped skyscraper that graces the London skyline.
This piece was created using multiple layers of canes that got stretched and twisted to achieve this effect. For this artwork, Lino drew inspiration from nature, particularly from dry autumn leaves. Using a technique similar to Pilchuck ’96, he brought this dynamic effect to life.
The Mandara series are primarily closed-form vessels whose surfaces have been heavily engraved in a variety of patterns. In conceiving these works, Lino reflected on the decorative mandala drawings of the Buddhist religion, whose intricate and geometric designs encourage meditation and focus. The effect is similar in these glass vessels, whose multi-faceted surfaces invite the viewer to more deeply observe its form. This particular series is one that Lino has revisited at several times over his long career as the Maestro similarly finds meditation and reflection in the process of glassblowing.
The Masai Series is another of Lino’s enduring inspirations. Named for the Masai Tribe of Kenya and Tanzania, Lino pays homage to the tribe’s long decorative spears in these wall installations. The transparency and absence of engraving of these works allow the Masai to cast incredibly colorful shadows.
The Medusa series, named for the Italian word for “jellyfish”, recalls the sight of these sea creatures floating gently on the water’s surface. To achieve this effect, Lino begins by blowing a sphere in which he punctures a hole and inserts the small circle of cane. The glass fuses together and creates the “jellyfish” that drift across the exterior of the vessel.
The Oca begin similarly to Dinosaurs: building up layers of glass and shaping the base while heating and cooling to maintain the temperature. However, rather than pull a long neck, Lino must keep the bubble near the top of the glass for the Oca’s “head”, and then carefully squeeze the “neck” to be very narrow. This is a very delicate process that results in the graceful and slender Oca.
The Osaka vessels have a painterly quality. The simple form allows Lino to explore pattern and texture in the murrine. The banded design recalls traditional Japanese kimono. The horizontal stripes of Lino’s vessels recall the obi that wrap around kimono and secure them in place.
For Lino, glassblowing is meditative. He follows his intuition and instincts in the hot shop, allowing his creativity to flow in all directions. The Poesia are particularly hypnotic: the intricate canes swirl together and invite the viewer to experience the same meditative qualities that Lino experiences while making the pieces.
These opaque vessels are made with freshly melted colors, rather than reheated glass rods. This adds vibrancy to the work and
STROMBOLI
THOLTICO
TORNADO
VENICE PANEL
highlights the warm tones of the reds and oranges. Named by the Provence region of France, the Maestro took inspiration from this landscape, as well as the French artist Cezanne, for these painterly vessels.
Lino first developed this series in the early 1990s and has revisited the idea repeatedly over the subsequent decades. The vessel has changed very little in its essential design since its initial creation. Its simplicity is its most important quality as it allows the colors, canes, murrine, and cold-working to stand out.
For Lino, blowing glass is emotional. He feels personally connected to each artwork he creates and insists that he will “never finish learning” all there is to know about the medium. This work demonstrates Lino’s commitment to glass. Considered by the Maestro to be “the biggest technical challenge” of his career, the stately Saturno represents the pinnacle of Lino’s innovation and creativity. The Maestro began working on this idea in 1968, and explains that the technique took nearly twenty years to perfect. Using a play on the Italian process incalmo, which combines separate vessels to create bands of color, Lino instead fuses together two bubbles of glass: a feat requiring intense precision and a deep understanding of the material itself.
Artworks like Stromboli have simpler forms, which allow Lino to more dramatically play with color and design. Lino will often play with transparency in the murrina, which allows him to highlight not only the exterior of the vessel but the inside as well.
Lino considers the drama of engraving in the Tholtico series. By layering opaque colors of glass and then adding engraving through the top layer, Lino creates playfully patterned pieces that reveal new colors beneath their surface.
After watching an exhibition in Massachusetts, the Maestro was fascinated by the beauty of the majestic panels he saw there. That inspired him to create Tornado, a panel focused on movement, on the idea of chaos. This panel was firstly blown and secondly cut and laid flat. This technic is actually used in Murano to create windows and mirrors.
The Venice Panel celebrates Lino’s hometown, and also reinterprets traditional methods of window and mirror-making. These panels start as blown cylinders, that are annealed and cool before being cut vertically and flattened into their final forms. Each work is like an individual painting, with distinct composition and design.
