Stearns T. Artwork valuations, appraisals and auction estimates

After graduating from the Cranbrook School of Art, Thomas Stearns (1936 - 2006) wanted to learn the Italian method of glass blowing. In 1959 he was awarded a Fulbright scholarship and an Italian government scholarship which allowed him to travel to Venice for an apprenticeship at the prestigious glassworks Venini and Co. Read the full biography

After graduating from the Cranbrook School of Art, Thomas Stearns (1936 - 2006) wanted to learn the Italian method of glass blowing. In 1959 he was awarded a Fulbright scholarship and an Italian government scholarship which allowed him to travel to Venice for an apprenticeship at the prestigious glassworks Venini and Co. It was Paolo Venini himself who chose Stearns for this position, as he was deeply impressed by the plate glass windows the young artist had created while in Cranbrook. Tragically, Paolo died a few months before Stearns arrived in Italy, and he never got to see the work that Stearns would create in his factory. Inspired by the Abstract Expressionist movement that swept across America, Stearns' works strove to capture emotion through form and the use of bold color. He often used the incalmo technique to build objects by fusing two or more elements, which allowed him to create clear contrasts of color. Stearns was paired with one of the youngest master glassmakers at the Venini factory, “Checco” Ongaro, and the two often clashed stylistically. Together, Ongaro and Stearns have created sculptural works that blend traditional techniques with new design. Too difficult to mass-produce, the exceptional pieces that Thomas Stearns made for Venini are among the rarest and most desired forms of important Italian glass. The next generation of American artists who studied at Venini, including Dale Chihuly, Toots Zynsky, Richard Marquis and others, owe a debt of gratitude to the patient and intrepid Thomas Stearns.