Lino Tagliapietra returned to Centre College for a week of master classes and demonstrations this week. A native of Murano, Italy, Tagliapietra is widely acknowledged as the world’s foremost glass artist. This is his 10th time at Centre — the connection  began in ’96, when he exhibited with Stephen Rolfe Powell, the college’s Stodghill Professor of Art and founder of the glass program. Years later, Powell persuaded the artist to come back to Danville with the promise of a trip to the Kentucky Derby, and Tagliapietra later received an honorary degree from Centre. Now 83, he retains his exuberant dedication to teaching and sharing with the next generation of glass artists. “My students will have extraordinary access to Lino and his very talented team,” Powell says.

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