Tom Stoenner

"I create glass that adds to the pleasure of the drink."

Tom Stoenner has always believed that objects made by hand offer a shared experience between the maker and the user. "A simple object can forge connections," he says. The artist has concentrated on functional work for more than a quarter of a century. If it is suitable for everyday use, so much the better. If it displaces a machine-made item in the owner's cabinet, it is a success.

Using techniques borrowed from both production glassmaking and the studio art glass movement, Stoenner creates drinkware that incorporates random patterning and uniform shapes and sizes. Every piece is similar, but different.