Paul Marioni

Paul Marioni (1941–2026) was an American glass artist and a founding figure in the studio glass movement. His work is known for its use of painted glass vessels, often featuring human figures, humor, and imagery drawn from dreams and everyday life. He taught widely in the United States and received the Glass Art Society’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Early life and education Marioni was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. He graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 1967 with a degree in philosophy. He first worked as a filmmaker before turning to glass, drawn by its ability to explore light, reflection, and expression.

Career In the mid-1960s, Marioni moved to California, where he was drawn to San Francisco’s Beat poets and the city’s growing counterculture. In the early 1970s, he became part of a group of artists in the Bay Area working in stained glass. He is a Fellow of the American Craft Council and has received three fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Marioni’s work explores human nature and is often inspired by his dreams. He creates playful, tactile works and encourages viewers to touch them. His painted glass vessels frequently feature human figures, and some are shaped in ways that recall the human body. He had two children, Marina and Dante, both of whom are artists. Marina is a jewelry maker and Dante is a glassblower.

In 2019, Marioni moved to Central Mexico. He died in 2026.