Raj Kommineni

Raj is a young local glass artist from Massachusetts.  He has always had a fascination with glass and its inherent beauty and tangibility.  He began working full time as a lampworker in 2003 after graduating from the University of Massachusetts.  The primary focus of his business is marbles and paperweights, but he also makes glass jewelry and wine stoppers as well as custom pieces.  His work has been published in The Encyclopedia of Modern Marbles, Spheres and Orbs and Glass Line Magazine.

Raj's lamp work pieces are at once simple and complex.  His marbles are classic, yet they have a contemporary edge. The marble or paperweight draws the viewer in, but there is also attention paid to the "back" of the piece and the surface.  One of Raj's signatures is the faceted sphere with polished "windows" sliced off of an acid etched paperweight.  This seemingly simple technique changes the piece dramatically and adds visual interest. 
Raj's marbles and paperweights are meant to be touched, turned and examined.  Through his creative expression, he is spreading the fascination with glass.  Raj currently lives and works in Northampton, Massachusetts.