Stephen Schlanser

Stephen Schlanser, the founder and owner of Schlanser Design Studio, an innovative company that unfolded from a small stained glass studio in Southern California, has a diverse and interesting background. His occupations have ranged from racing motorcycles to modeling. He was raised in a community rich in heritage and as a result has a great appreciation for architecture and the arts.

Stephen found his interest in glass while working as an apprentice for the renowned German glass artisan Paul von Domarus and later opened his own successful stained glass studio. He has since taken the glass medium into unexplored territories. In 1990 he presented his first collection of kiln-fired glass; the process by which plate glass is carefully shaped by heating it to near melting temperature, then gravitating from its solid state to form the shapes that the artist wants to create.

Schlanser's works exhibit a complete mastery of the art of cut and blown glass, perfectly uniting functional art and gleaming sculpture.

Each piece is individually handcrafted by transforming sheet glass into a collection of decorative vases, bowls and platters. They are carefully shaped inside a closed kiln by heating it to melting temperature. Once the glass has approached its nearly liquid state, it gravitates to the shapes seen in the finished product. After a gradual decrease in temperature to a complete cool-down, each piece is handcut and high polished on diamond wheels. Some of the vessels are composed with various etched designs, giving each of them an individual flair. All designs are hand drawn, cut and high pressure sandblasted. Once a piece has proceeded through these work stages flawlessly, various polished or hand chipped bases are permanently attached. Upon completion, each piece is signed and dated.