Italian Glass – Murano and Beyond

Murano is the centerpiece of our #RethinkingVenice program – our first “off-the-beaten-track” itinerary and the company’s symbol for “Alternative Cultural Adventures.”

Divertimento Group’s Glass Tourism Division

Divertimento Group’s founder grew up with Venetian glass in her house and has been in love with Murano glass and the island itself since she can remember. Later in life, she discovered the amazing history behind the Venice Lagoon and has always hoped to share that little-known area with cultural travelers (More on our Murano page).

Over the years, she has also discovered a handful of “glass towns” sprinkled throughout Italy where centuries ago a vital and thriving glass production had developed, thanks to the maestri from Murano who had settled there.

Divertimento Group’s dedicated Glass Tourism Division will create  stimulating cultural exchanges with university Glass Art program directors, hot-shop owners, and single glass artists who have a shared vision. The objective is to bring glass enthusiasts, collectors of glass  as well as artists & designers who work with or are inspired by glass to visit and study in these “glass districts” - relatively unknown to Americans.

What better way to combine Italian travel and glass art education than to launch a World Premier Program for Advanced Glass Artists with Murano Maestri on Murano.

Adventures for glass artists & designers

We chose Fulvia Notari to work with us on creating our glass adventures for glass artists and designers (of buildings or clothes or jewelry).

Fulvia is especially excited about helping Divertimento Group create exciting programs on that satisfy our travelers’ desires not only to learn more about Murano glass techniques, but also to have stimulating cultural encounters.

Fulvia was a visionary outsider (a Milan architect by training) who decided to move to Venice and work with Murano artists when that was unheard of.

Not even Venetians artists came to the island to collaborate with the Glass Maestri (Masters) – let alone female artists, since the environment was and still is predominantly male. Fulvia always believed that her emphasis on design could be what would distinguish her work from the more traditional Murano artists who, like her, were creating glass necklaces, bracelets, and earrings.

“It is important to add new pieces to the collection, but without following trends or being too frivolous. The test of good design is time. I still have many requests for some of my earlier pieces, two decades later. My formal training as a designer allows me to step back and look at this wonderful material – glass – and understand both its limits and its potential.” – Fulvia Notari

If you are attending the GAS Conference in Murano – you will want to attend Fulvia Notari’s Glass Jewelry Design/Promotion workshop – where her exclusive designs created exclusively for GAS Members will be on display and on sale.

If you can’t make it to the workshop to see the exclusive line of jewelry created for GAS MEMBERS, feel free to send an email to Lesley[at]divertimentogroup.com for a private showing.

We will be inviting glass artists and artists who work with or are inspired by glass to design special pieces for GAS Members. 

If you would like to receive a catalogue of these pieces at some point in the future, please send an email to Lesley[at]divertimentogroup.com with "GAS MEMBER CATALOGUE" in the subject line. ALSO - if you would like to contribute to this initiative by creating some pieces - please include that information in your message. We would be delighted!

If you sign up for our DG ITALIAN GLASS NEWS, you will automatically receive a catalogue of the exclusive jewelry line designed for GAS MEMBERS,  fill out request form below.

When Fulvia fell in love with Murano glass – both the material and the tradition – and with the idea of creating wearable glass ornaments/pieces of art – she must have been on the right track – because her company, Antares Venezia, has already celebrated its 22nd anniversary!

“Murano’s glass tradition and techniques give a certain depth to the art produced here, but 700 years of history can also be limiting, which is why I have always found the American Glass Art Movement so stimulating”. – Fulvia Notari

Divertimento Group will want to continue to keep the spotlight on Murano long after the GAS convention is over. Our on-going exchanges between “old” and “new” continent artists – both in America and in Italy represent the spirit behind Divertimento Group’s initiatives.

We hope that you will have the opportunity to meet Fulvia Notari during the GAS conference or join us for our unique travel + education “glass adventures” any other time of the year!

Chicago event Nov. 2018 – “Murano: A new narrative”

Divertimento Group & Antares Venezia will be presenting  “Murano: A new narrative” at the Italian Cultural Institute in Chicago in November 2018. We will be joined by other artists who will share stories about their experiences at the GAS Conference. The specific date will be announced through social media and on our website.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO ATTEND THE CHIGAGO EVENT AND TELL YOUR “MURANO STORY” OR YOUR “GAS CONFERENCE EXPERIENCE ON MURANO” – SIGN UP IN FOR OUR NEWSLETTER AND WRITE “Chicago Narrative” ON THE FORM (where “other” is indicated).

Divertimento Group is the only company in the world with a dedicated Glass Tourism Division.  Great way for glass artists collectors or enthusiasts to leave their comfort zone at home and celebrate life!

MURANO Workshops and Private Tutorials

Our Glass Tourism Division is creating cultural exchanges and small group full immersion courses or private sessions on the island of Murano! No other travel company in the world can combine travel-educational opportunities with internationally acclaimed Murano Maestri (for more info write Lesley[at]divertimentogroup.com)