Thomas Kelly

"Glass always challenges you. I'm obsessive about bringing craft and design together to give each piece its own character. "

When Thomas Kelly went to work for Bob Rockwell—the world's leading collector of Carder-Steuben glass—he had no idea that glass would end up playing such a major role in his life. Under Rockwell's guidance, he had to opportunity to handle and examine the work of noteworthy glass designer Frederick Carder.

Several years later, he began to work in the glass studios of Alex Brand and Thomas Buechner, where he had the opportunity to learn from two distinctly different artists. This experience helped Kelly develop his technical ability and aesthetic sensitivity while finding his own voice in glass. Today, Kelly continues to hone his skills as the owner of Vitrix Hot Glass Studio, a contemporary glass studio in the historic Market Street district of Corning, New York.

Kelly's work has been exhibited internationally and can be found in galleries throughout the USA, Canada, Europe, and Japan. His work is displayed in a number of museums, including the Corning Museum of Glass, the High Museum of Art, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Museum für Kunst and Gewerbe in Hamburg, Germany.