4 Glass is the furnace opened in Murano in 2016 by master glassmaker Michael Penna, French by birth but of Venetian father. The opening of a small, independent furnace was the culmination of a long apprenticeship in artistic glassmaking undertaken by the founder, who began devoting himself to the Murano art from a very young age and can now boast a wealth of experience. His mission as a craftsman is the constant search for the essence of beauty, the result of a personal alchemy between tradition and identity in which research, design, experimentation and craftsmanship meet. 4 Glass’s creations include among others lamps and chandeliers, vases, goblets and glasses, furnishing objects and various decorations.
4 Glass works mainly custom-made, in collaboration with and on behalf of private individuals, architects, interior designers and institutions, but is also a point of reference in the restoration of antique Murano chandeliers. To ensure the punctual and flawless execution of all commissions, in addition to Michael Penna’s experience, creativity and passion, 4 Glass can count on the skill of a team of furnace assistants.
Materiale: vetro
D. F. Glassworks di Davide Fuin
D.F. Glassworks is the name of the small independent furnace created in the late 1990s by master glassmaker Davide Fuin in Murano. His workshop on the island of glassmakers is the magical place where, for decades, masterpieces have been created that have entered some of the most prestigious galleries and collections around the world. This is also thanks to the reputation Davide Fuin has achieved with his work and his teaching at renowned international schools such as the Corning Museum of Glass in New York and the Toyama Glass Institute in Japan.
Born in Murano and the son of a master glassmaker, Davide Fuin began his career as a glassmaker at a young age, working with some of the best-known Venetian furnaces, including Barovier & Toso, Venini and Salviati, and over the course of his long career he has worked on projects with numerous international artists and designers. Today he keeps the purest Murano tradition alive by working mainly on glasses, goblets and other objects but also on Venetian-style museum reproductions. In recent years, he has been working on the creation of a collection in avventurina glass, a material with exceptional brilliance.
Chiara Ferraris
Chiara Ferraris approached the theory of art as craft from her studies, graduating in History of the Miniature from the University of Turin. She continued her training at the School for Restorers, specializing in glass. In 2000 she opened her business, beginning to produce objects, in particular for corporate merchandising and home accessories. The need to create artistically more refined articles led her to organize exhibitions in her workshop in Turin, and collaborate with established designers. In her studio there are pictures, decorative panels and articles for home furnishing, including on request, all made with the technique of painting on fused glass.
Simone Crestani
Born in 1984 in Marostica, Simone Crestani began working with glass at just 15 years old. Over the years, he has developed a distinctive artistic voice and now runs his own atelier in Camisano Vicentino, in the province of Vicenza. Named a MAM – Master of Arts and Crafts – in 2020, Simone is widely recognized for his work with transparent glass, which he shapes using lampworking and other sculptural techniques, the result of ongoing research and experimentation.
In Simone Crestani’s creations, glass seems to transcend its material nature to become a pure conceptual element—a personal and distinctive language that blends technique, poetry, lightness, and elegance. His artistic inspiration is drawn primarily from the natural world, in a continuous celebration of life expressed through animal and plant forms crystallized into artworks. These pieces, sometimes monumental in scale, are always crafted with meticulous attention to detail and capable of evoking a sense of wonder.
His creations are regularly featured in the most important events in the world of glass and art, and he is frequently invited as a teacher and visiting artist by prestigious art academies and glass schools around the globe.
Vanessa Cavallaro
Vanessa Cavallaro is a glass master from Altare. She was born in Savona in 1971. At the age of 10, she began her apprenticeship in the family’s atelier, learning the basics of the art of engraving by lathe from her father.
She studied art at secondary school, then enrolled at the European Institute of Design–IED in Turin, where she majored in graphic design. Her engraving skills are underpinned by her in-depth theoretical knowledge of glassmaking techniques and continued experience in engraving.
In 1993, she opened her own studio. One of her first commissions, for the Lions Clubs of Liguria, was the “Nuvola” collection: a collection of 93 hand-engraved and numbered vases. She then began long-term partnerships with glassmakers in Tuscany and Murano. She also collaborated with well-known fashion and homeware labels, such as Christian Dior, for which she creates dinner settings.
Her calibre as an international artist was acknowledged in 2000 when she was invited to exhibit at the 11th Decor and Garden Show in Monaco.
Cavallaro has been featured in newspapers and industry-related publications: interviews and photos of her works were published in leading magazines such as AD, Marie Claire Maison, and Gente Casa.
In 2016, she was awarded with the “MAM – Maestro d’Arte e Mestiere” accolade. She displayed her artworks at Milano Triennale, on the occasion of the exhibition “Vitrea”, and at Homo Faber (Venice) in 2022.