Listen as glass artist William Gudenrath, describes the techniques used to create "Endeavor" by Italian artist Lino Tagliapietra. A sense of weightlessness characterizes this installation of 18 boat-like forms. Inspired by the sight of the many gondolas that gather at the entrance to the Venetian lagoon on the feast day of the Ascension of the Virgin, Lino Tagliapietra imagined the colorful wooden boats as abstract shapes floating in space. To some viewers, this installation recalls a flock of birds or a school of fish, or the forms simply represent vivid strokes of color. Tagliapietra has had a lasting impact on American studio glassblowing. Born on the island of Murano, he worked as an apprentice in the island's glass factories, where he earned the title of maestro at the age of 21. In 1979, he traveled for the first time to the United States to teach at the Pilchuck Glass School. This was the beginning of an international career and collaborations with noted European and American artists.

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