Thomas Stearns - (1936-2006) was the first American to design at Murano for Paolo Venini from 1959 to 1961 on Fulbright Travel Grant. He came from Cranbrook Academy, and showed up in Murano with new ideas, and no knowledge of the Italian language.

From this seemingly impossible situation, Stearns created ground-breaking designs and won the Best of Show Award at the Venice Biennale of 1962. The judges rescinded the award when it was revealed that he was an American.

His pieces made the leap from functional glass to glass as sculpture inaugurating the studio glass movement. His highly collectable designs include the doges hat, spiralato, the facades, and the Sentinel of Venice (only two remaining in existence).

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