“In order to achieve an exclusive and high-quality product, glassmaking has to be handmade, and the only way to do a great work is to love what you do“.
My passion for this work is the basis for success, energizing me and giving me a much better chance of creating beautiful glass artworks.
I am a glass artisan from Venice, Italy with a family history of glassmaking spanning over 60 years. It all began with my father Giampaolo De Laurentis who was born in Murano. He started learning the art of glassmaking at the age of 14 in the 1950s. In the glassworks in Murano Sacca Serenella he learned the various techniques of glassmaking, specializing in milling and etching Murano glass. In the 1970s, he opened a glass grinding factory with 12 employees. In the 1980s, he preferred to run his own business with the help of family members, including my brother Stefano. My father became the best and only engraver in the island, receiving many requests for his work from around the world, especially from Arab countries and famous people. In 1986, he opened a shop in San Basilio to sell his works and my brother started learning the lampworking technique to commit time in the workshop. My brother’s speed of learning brought after only 2 weeks already work orders.
In 1990, I graduated in mechanics but chose to follow my destiny in the world of Murano glass. The next day after graduation, I started learning the lampworking technique in the San Basilio workshop. After just two years, together with my brother Stefano we founded De Laurentis Fratelli S.n.c. These were years of hard work, made up of trial and disappointment, but mostly of success and satisfaction. Technique and skills acquired and matured in lampworking contribute to the improvement of the collection. In 2010, we opened another store in San Barnaba where I moved and started creating artistic and elaborate pieces with the help of my father’s advice.
Each generation brings, modifies and renews a millenary process such as Murano glass. I too have refined the technique and my peculiarity is a marked creativity helping to make each product unique and original. Inspired by glass master Guerrino Lovato, known for his creations used by Franco Zeffirelli, Stanley Kubrick and Kenneth Branagh, and with the help of clients and friends who provide feedback with improvements and criticism I now create works that were once unthinkable.
Since 1986 De Laurentis Fratelli has been involved in artwork using the lampworking technique, continuing the centuries-old tradition of Murano’s glass masters, and we are distinguished by our one-of-a-kind items.
