RELEASED: November 6, 2008

DANVILLE, KY—Lino Tagliapietra, acclaimed Venetian glass artist from Italy, will make his fourth visit to Centre College's campus Nov. 13-18, with a series of public glassblowing demonstrations. The demonstrations will be held on campus in Centre's state-of-the-art hot glass studio located inside the Jones Visual Arts Center. [For directions to campus and the JVAC and for a campus map, click here.]

For the past 30 years, Tagliapietra has generously shared his unsurpassed mastery of traditional Venetian glassblowing techniques with glass artists and audiences around the world. He has been largely responsible for a new renaissance in glassblowing that has swept through the world of studio glassmaking.

His visit to Centre celebrates the glass master's enduring relationship with the College. Centre's Stephen Rolfe Powell, world-renowned glass artist and H.W. Stodghill Jr. and Adele H. Stodghill Professor of Art, will assist Tagliapietra in the studio.

"This fourth visit to Centre College for Lino Tagliapietra illustrates the strong relationship Lino has with Centre College and his continued generosity of sharing his virtuosity with glass," Powell says. "Lino feels that a good student learns by watching in the right way. Having the best in the world here at Centre will, once again, furnish students the opportunity of a lifetime."

Powell says that because Tagliapietra has visited Kentucky several times and is familiar with the Bluegrass region, this trip is aimed at focusing on work. However, in addition to being a masterful glass artist, Tagliapietra is also an incredible chef, says Powell, and the two plan on cooking. They also plan on squeezing in time to play scopa, a popular Italian card game.

"We're also going to see the University of Kentucky play Vanderbilt in football," Powell says. "Lino's never seen a game!"

Members of Tagliapietra's crew will be on campus with him, including Centre alum D.H. McNabb '02.

In 2000, Centre named Tagliapietra Humana Distinguished Professor. The Documentary "Lino Tagliapietra: Maestro of Glass" (co-produced by Powell) was filmed at Centre, and aired on public television stations nationwide in 2001.

At Centre's 2004 commencement, Tagliapietra received an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters along with Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor.

The following glassblowing demonstrations are free and open to the public:

Thursday, Nov. 13
8 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Noon - 2:30 p.m.
Friday, Nov. 14
8 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Noon - 3 p.m.
Monday, November 17
8 a.m. - 11 a.m.
Noon - 3 p.m.
Tuesday, November 18
8 a.m. - Noon

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Founded in 1819, Centre College is ranked among the U.S. News top 50 national liberal arts colleges. Consumers Digest ranks Centre No. 1 in educational value among all U.S. liberal arts colleges. Centre alumni, known for their nation-leading loyalty in annual financial support, include two U.S. vice presidents and two Supreme Court justices. For more, visit http://www.centre.edu/web/elevatorspeech/

For news archives go to http://www.centre.edu/web/news/newsarchive.html.