The singular and exceptional results of the venture are a testament to the spirit of skill, spontaneity, experimentation, and friendship that began “way back” and continues to this day.These photos are taken by Roger Meyers. Kiley clearly respects Marioni, who was surrounded by glass from a young age (his father is American Studio glass pioneer Paul Marioni), honed classic glassblowing techniques working with Maestro Lino Tagliapietra, then firmly established his own style of elegantly blown diaphanous forms patterned with impeccable reticello cane work. On this five-day Seattle Glass Collectors Tour,  we had an up-close and personal view of artists’ studios and hot shops. From that residency, and their subsequent sessions together, came an extraordinary amalgam of two minds in joyous equilibrium. Marioni learned the art of glassblowing from masters like Lino Tagliapietra, Benjamin Moore, and Richard Marquis. His father, Paul Marioni, was involved in the American studio glass movement, and as a result, Dante was constantly exposed to the glassblowing artists of the San Francisco Bay Area. Marioni had shut down his furnace for his annual summer hiatus so he relented when, two days before the residency began, Kiley stopped by his studio and suggested he come along and bring some of his “seeds”. The son of pioneering studio glass artist Paul Marioni, Dante Marioni grew up with a family of artists that includes two well-known uncles, painter Joseph Marioni and conceptual artist Tom Marioni. Although he loved glassblowing, making production studio glass felt limiting. His father, Paul Marioni, was involved in the American studio glass movement and, as a result, Dante was constantly exposed to the glassblowing artists of the San Francisco Bay Area. From Rago/Wright, Dante Marioni, Yellow and Blue Trio, Seattle, WA (1996), Blown glass Dante Marioni was exposed to and enamored of glassblowing by the age of 15, when he moved with his family to Seattle. When a guy came into his restaurant wearing a Pilchuck shirt, they struck up a conversation. There were over 1600 images for us to choose from, and for those, he had to edit his images down from about 3000! Kiley bugged Marioni for years to get his hands on some of his little “seeds” (kernels of concentrated and painstakingly designed patterns that he blows and stretches in his larger forms), thinking it would be interesting to experiment with a design element as the membranes of his joined pieces. Eventually, Kiley ventured out on his own to pursue his personal style, characterized by a signature technique in which separate hand-blown geometric forms are joined, then cut, polished, and poised in precarious balance; the resulting configurations offer myriad passageways for light and for the interplay of color. The son of American studio glass pioneer Paul Marioni, Dante was raised in a family of artists, one that included two well-known uncles: painter Joseph Marioni and conceptual artist Tom Marioni. Marioni is a contemporary American glass artist. His father, Paul Marioni, was involved in the American studio glass movement, and as a result, Dante was constantly exposed to the glassblowing artists of the San Francisco Bay Area. On this tour, the artists we visited who we also represent included:Dale Chihuly, Lino Tagliapietra, Rik Allen, Shelly Muzylowski Allen, Martin Blank, Sonja Blomdahl, Nancy Callan,  Jason Christian, Benjamin Cobb, Paul Cunningham, Dan Friday, David Huchthausen, John Kiley, Dante Marioni, Paul Marioni, Benjamin Moore, Debora Moore, William Morris Studio, Schantz Galleries Seattle Glass Collectors Tour, 2018.Kim is warming her feet with some good reading—the catalog for our tour is made for each participant.Nancy Callan and Julia Ricketts gave a talk about her process.… and Roger Myers, photographer, gets in the photo!John Kiley speaking about his newest focus on fractured glass.Benjamin Moore shared a brief history of the Studio Glass Movement in the USA.Cutting the rubber stencil with Preston’s drawing before the sand carving.Richard Royal explains the molds he made for this series.… we always have the best caterers and restaurants for this trip.Kait Rhodes with the beginning of her large commission for the Pacific Seas Aquarium.Dave Walters in a technically amazing glass sculptor and illustrator as well.Jim Schantz… who makes every single arrangement for this tour!Rik Allen and Shelly Muzylowski Allen gave a great demo together.Did I say that we have really great food on these trips?> For Kiley’s 2015 Museum of Glass residency, Marioni finally gave him one of these “seeds” to make a piece for auction, though Marioni did not participate in making the work. He was saving money for a course on lost wax casting at Pilchuck Glass School (he wanted, but was too young, to enroll in glassblowing). To appreciate the relationship between John Kiley and Dante Marioni, Kiley suggests you get in the “way back machine” to when he was a high school student in Seattle and an apprentice chef with a knack for ceramics.