logo
How this Boston physics student became one of Murano's youngest master glassmakers

How this Boston physics student became one of Murano's youngest master glassmakers

CNN14-05-2025

Born in the Italian town of Brescia, Roberto Beltrami grew up just a few hours' drive from Venice and the island of Murano, world-famous for producing beautiful glassware. But it was nearly 4,000 miles away in Boston, Massachusetts, that he first came across the art of glassblowing.
'I was just so struck by this material, the colors, the transparency, the shapes,' recalled Beltrami.
It was 2011, and Beltrami, then a sophomore physics student at Boston University, was captivated by an exhibition of the work of American artist Dale Chihuly. Known for pushing the boundaries of contemporary glassblowing, Chihuly's pursuit of his craft has taken him around the globe, including a stint in Murano in the 1960s.
Beltrami visited the island on his summer break, taking up a class in glass blowing. That class turned into an apprenticeship, and the summer turned into a year. Beltrami quit university, trading lecture halls for roaring furnaces, sweating it out in centuries-old workshops, and studying under some of the world's most renowned glassblowing masters.
At one time, Murano was the global leader in glassmaking, renowned for unparalleled quality, style, and innovation, including the invention of 'cristallo,' clear glass.
But over its 700-year glassblowing history, Murano has faced numerous challenges, and in recent years, the number of factories has plummeted. While many in the industry say that young people are disinterested in pursuing hot, hard manual labor, Beltrami has a different perspective.
With a long legacy of closely guarding their trade secrets, workshops in Murano are reluctant to welcome newcomers, said Beltrami, 34. 'Everybody was afraid you were going to steal their job, and nobody wanted to teach you anything.'
'It was really nightmarish, having this passion for this material, and then you can't really learn anything,' he added.
Frustrated by the lack of opportunities, Beltrami decided to strike out on his own. In 2017, the then-25-year-old started his own workshop, Wave Murano Glass.
Now with a team of 20, many of them in their twenties and thirties, Beltrami — believed to be the youngest glass master in Murano — is ushering in a new generation of artisans. 'We're not all under the age of 35 but the average age is definitely under 35 — which is unheard of in Murano,' said Beltrami.
Glass is formed by melting sand, soda ash and limestone at temperatures of up to 1,600 degrees Celsius (2,912 degrees Fahrenheit). With a texture similar to treacle, the molten glass mixture is held on the end of a hollow pipe, inflated with air, and then shaped swiftly by swinging, blowing, and rolling while the material is still hot and pliable. Once cooled, it takes on a hard, transparent form.
In Venice, glass has been manufactured for over 1,000 years. To prevent fires from the hot furnaces and keep trade secrets from escaping the city, all the glass factories were moved to Murano in 1291, where they've remained since.
In addition to the invention of cristallo, Murano became well-known for its ability to add vibrant color to clear glass.
'It's not so easy to have different colors of glass together and have them match chemically,' said Beltrami, explaining that each shade uses a unique element — such as cobalt for purple-blue, lead for pale yellow, or tellurium for a pink tint — which expand and contract at different rates when they heat and cool.
'Being able to melt all these colors and have them match chemically so a piece doesn't break at the end was one of the biggest strengths of Murano glass,' Beltrami added.
A self-confessed pyromaniac who unwittingly torched a sofa before he could walk, Beltrami says glass blowing combines his love of fire with his passion for making things and working with people.
'Glass blowing is kind of like a team sport, because it's very physical, very intense. You need to work in a team because you can barely do anything by yourself,' he said.
The size and weight of many of the glass objects require at least one person to hold the pipe and turn the molten glass, while another shapes it, and another person may be required to torch the glass to keep it pliable, or add embellishments. 'It's like a choreography,' Beltrami added.
At its peak in the 16th century, more than 30,000 people were living on the 1.7-square-mile (4.6-square-kilometer) island of Murano. Now, it is home to around 4,000 people. According to Consorzio Promovetro Murano, a trade consortium that promotes and protects Murano glass, less than a third of them work at the island's 105 glass-making workshops.
The small factories struggle to compete on large-scale industrial orders, said Beltrami. Murano instead focuses on luxury and artistic glassware, although that too has been threatened by an influx of counterfeit goods: according to Consorzio Promovetro Murano, cheap imitation products are common in Venice's souvenir stores. Not only do they divert profits from local glassmakers, but they also risk damaging the reputation of Murano glass.
The industry has been further impacted by a series of crises, including the financial crash of 2008, the Covid-19 pandemic, and rising gas prices. But despite the challenges, Beltrami is optimistic about the future of the craft.
A major problem he saw across the factories he worked in previously was antiquated equipment and inefficient processes. So, at Wave Murano Glass, he introduced a variety of modern technologies, including streamlining administrative workflows with AI-enabled software and introducing more energy-efficient furnaces.
Designed in the US, these furnaces capture heat that is typically lost via exhaust fumes and reuse it to preheat the air going into the burner, reducing gas usage by 80% compared to furnaces of a similar size, said Beltrami.
According to Beltrami, Murano's factories have historically worked on small-scale industrial orders, with many rejecting commissions of less than a few hundred but unable to cater for those of a few thousand. Seeing a missed opportunity, he set up his furnaces to be flexible, allowing Wave to cover anything from one-off pieces, to a few dozen, up to 1,200 pieces.
While the bulk of Wave's output is white label products for brands, designers, and artists, up to 10% of the company's turnover comes from classes and tours, which Beltrami hopes can share the art of glass blowing with a wider audience.
His efforts have already paid off. Beltrami has made a point of offering internships to young, enthusiastic talent from around the globe, many of whom are now employed at Wave, including several women, who are underrepresented in the industry.
For Beltrami, finding new talent is an essential step in preserving the craft he's come to love — and continuing its legacy of artistry and innovation.
'The craftsmanship, the tradition of over a thousand years of history, all make it very special,' he added.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Sustainability Is Fueling Innovation at Ferrari
Sustainability Is Fueling Innovation at Ferrari

Harvard Business Review

timean hour ago

  • Harvard Business Review

Sustainability Is Fueling Innovation at Ferrari

When Ferrari, the Italian luxury sports car manufacturer, committed to achieving carbon neutrality and to electrifying a large part of its car fleet, investors and employees applauded the new strategy. But among the company's suppliers, the reaction was mixed. Many were nervous about how this shift would affect their bottom lines. Harvard Business School professor Raffaella Sadun and Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna discuss how Ferrari collaborated with suppliers to work toward achieving the company's goal. They also explore how sustainability can be a catalyst for innovation in the case, Ferrari: Shifting to Carbon Neutrality. Key episode topics include: strategy, environmental sustainability, corporate social responsibility, luxury goods, ESG, climate change, car manufacturing, innovation HBR On Strategy curates the best conversations and case studies with the world's top business and management experts, to help you unlock new ways of doing business. New episodes every week.

Creatio Releases Second Edition of The No-Code Playbook: Age of AI with Integrated AI Guidance
Creatio Releases Second Edition of The No-Code Playbook: Age of AI with Integrated AI Guidance

Associated Press

time3 hours ago

  • Associated Press

Creatio Releases Second Edition of The No-Code Playbook: Age of AI with Integrated AI Guidance

The vendor-agnostic Enterprise playbook adds new AI practices, a value assessment framework, and an integrated online toolkit to the No-Code Methodology BOSTON, MA, UNITED STATES, June 11, 2025 / / -- Creatio, a global vendor of an AI-native platform to automate CRM and workflows with no-code, is thrilled to announce the release of the second edition of The No-Code Playbook: Age of AI, a comprehensive vendor-agnostic guide designed to help Enterprises scale their no-code development capabilities in the era of AI. The first edition of the No-Code Playbook was introduced three years ago by Creatio's CEO Katherine Kostereva, Creatio's Global VP of Product Marketing and Strategy Burley Kawasaki, and legendary technologist Steve Wozniak, and quickly became the industry's go-to framework for no-code success. With over 20,000 copies distributed in print, e-book and audiobook formats, the Playbook has become a go-to resource for business and technology leaders alike. Now, with the rise of AI and intelligent agents, Creatio is ushering in a new chapter. The second edition of The No-Code Playbook: Age of AI provides updated strategies, practical frameworks, and actionable tools for Enterprise no-code teams looking to accelerate digital transformation by combining no-code development with AI-powered automation. 'We're entering a new era where AI and no-code are working hand in hand to transform and accelerate how organizations innovate,' said Burley Kawasaki, Global VP of Product Marketing and Strategy and the co-author of The No-Code Playbook. 'This edition is designed to help no-code teams build cutting edge AI solutions with speed, intelligence, and agility while staying in control. This book was also inspired by the great feedback from the thousands of Creatio partners and customers on their use and adoption of the original No-code Playbook.' What's New in the Second Edition: AI and Role-Based Agent Use Cases Introduction to AI and new insights on how AI and AI agents augment no-code development and drive real business impact across a wide variety of business functions within the Enterprise. Extended No-Code Methodology for AI Enhanced guidance for incorporating AI at every stage of the no-code lifecycle, from initial upfront Design to Deployment of the First Release and Everyday Delivery. The NOVA Framework A new model for assessing No-code and AI Value Assessment (NOVA), which helps guide how organizations prioritize AI use cases based on ROI and strategic relevance. The No-Code Toolkit An online companion packed with ready-to-use templates, tools, and resources to operationalize playbook principles across teams. Read more about the No-Code Playbook Toolkit. The second edition of The No-Code Playbook builds on the success of the original, which has helped thousands of teams worldwide to start and scale their no-code initiatives. The new edition comes at a pivotal moment, as organizations increasingly adopt AI-native platforms to enhance productivity, reduce development time, and foster continuous innovation. To learn more and download the second edition of The No-Code Playbook: Age of AI, visit About Creatio Creatio is a global vendor of a no-code platform to automate workflows and CRM with a maximum degree of freedom. Millions of workflows are launched on our platform daily in 100 countries by thousands of clients. Genuine care for our clients and partners is a defining part of Creatio's DNA. For more information, please visit PR Creatio Creatio +1 617-765-7997 email us here Visit us on social media: LinkedIn Facebook YouTube X Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.

How a Chinese Copper Art Workshop from Jiande Win Hearts, Applause in Florence
How a Chinese Copper Art Workshop from Jiande Win Hearts, Applause in Florence

Associated Press

time3 hours ago

  • Associated Press

How a Chinese Copper Art Workshop from Jiande Win Hearts, Applause in Florence

FLORENCE, ITALY - Media OutReach Newswire - 11 June 2025 - From April 25 to May 1, the 89th Florence International Handicraft Fair in Italy was held. Tongshifu, a company from east China's Jiande City, stood out among more than 530 exhibitors worldwide with its exquisite copper artworks and received extensive attention. [VIDEO] At the dazzling booth of Tongshifu, every piece, from delicate and compact copper gourds to magnificent statues of Guan Gong, an ancient general known for his loyalty and bravery in battles, demonstrates a high level of artistry by taking the traditional lost-wax copper casting technique as the core and integrating modern aesthetics and cultural elements. The sculpture of Bumblebee from 'Transformers,' in particular, is an eye-catching Tongshifu collaboration with an internationally renowned IP. Using the high-temperature coloring technology for copper materials, it restores the mechanical texture and heroic fighting posture of the movie character, winning thumbs-up from numerous audiences. These exquisitely crafted, vivid, and well-balanced artworks not only carry forward the time-honored inheritance of Chinese copper art but also convey the vitality of modern innovation. Behind the stunning debut of Tongshifu at the fair lies the unremitting efforts of Jiande, where its headquarters is located, in painstakingly forging and cultivating cultural enterprises over the years, which have breathed new life into local traditional culture. Founded in 2014, Tongshifu faced many problems, such as a shortage of funds, in the initial stage of its business. Keenly aware of the start-up's problem and potential, the local government of Jiande took the initiative to assist the enterprise in applying for specific supportive funds totaling over 4 million yuan, a timely boost to the development of the start-up. Meanwhile, Jiande has attached great importance to highlighting cultural inheritance, which is the soul of Tongshifu's success. In 2020, Jiande conducted in-depth visits to Tongshifu to explore the value of the traditional techniques behind it, and helped the lost-wax copper casting technique of Tongshifu to be recognized as a local intangible cultural heritage. In 2024, the lost-wax copper casting intangible cultural heritage workshop was selected as the second batch of provincial-level projects in Zhejiang. This has not only continuously enhanced the brand cultural connotation of the enterprise but also attracted broader attention to this ancient technique. The ability of Tongshifu to reach the global stage of the Florence International Handicraft Fair benefits from the charm of the intangible cultural heritage behind it, as well as the accumulation and breakthrough of its design aesthetics, technological innovation, and cultural integration capabilities. As early as 2021, Jiande held a cultural and creative design competition, encouraging enterprises to showcase the development of the times with traditional techniques. Jiande is known for hosting the Xin'anjiang Hydropower Station, China's first large-scale hydropower station. The local government collaborated with Tongshifu to develop a copper relief painting of the hydropower station, setting a successful example of modern expressions of traditional culture. Today, thanks to continuous launches of new artworks with both artistic and collection value, Tongshifu has become a well-known brand with annual sales of hundreds of millions of yuan and 5 million fans. The lost-wax copper casting technique has a complex process and high costs, with each artwork requiring an independent wax mold, and the production process taking 30 to 45 days. In fact, for an enterprise like Tongshifu to shine on the world stage, it relies not only on the inheritance of culture, technological breakthroughs, and expressions of the times but also on the patient, meticulous, and dedicated cultivation and support of the local government. Hashtag: #FlorenceInternationalHandicraftFair The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store