A pioneer of the studio glass movement, Herb Babcock has been an influential teacher and advocate for over four decades. Originally known for his hand blown vessels, he turned to his roots in metal sculpture with off-kilter yet balanced forms composed of cast glass, steel, and stone.

Schooled in glass making in both Japan and the United States, Hiroshi Yamano is considered a master artist and teacher worldwide. Originally inspired by Scandinavian glass, he has developed a signature approach that applies ancient metalcraft techniques to thickly blown glass along with surface etching.

From the Czech Republic, Martin Janecky is the recipient of the Salvador Dalí Award by the European Union of Arts. Using a combination of traditional techniques with contemporary tools and methods, he creates haunting sculptures of musical instruments and human figures that partake of his fascination with the circus.

Artist-philosopher and admirer of Walt Whitman, Paul Stankard is recognized for the intricate, fragile beauty of flamed-worked still life sculptures of botanical and insect life in clear crystal. Considered the father of modern glass paperweights, he introduced “cloistering,” in which a layer of color glass is laminated to filter or absorb light

Transforming richly colored blown glass with a sandblaster, Paul Schwieder situates his expression within the feminine and nature, especially the gestures and movement of the prairies of his native Saskatchewan. Currently residing in Sweden, he teaches at the Le Centre Des Métiers du Verre du Québec.