"Sometimes one pays most for the things one gets for nothing." - Albert Einstein

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Murano glass pendant from L'Arte di Casanova


I must admit, I'm entranced by Murano glass, especially when it comes in the format of jewelry. Wandering around the island of Murano, I couldn't take my eyes off of the multi-colored, almost technicolor displays of glass wares in all the shop windows. And it's a pretty democratic medium, going the gamut from high-end and artistic to low-end and tacky. The artisans on this island have spent hundreds of years perfecting their glass-blowing craft, and I appreciated all of it, from the cheesy, colorful trays to the artful, blown glass vases. Being a bit of a modernist, I was on the hunt for the perfect piece, be it jewelry or housewares. I finally settled upon this delightful tray, a study in colorful geometry. Then later, as I was perusing the market near the Rialto bridge back in Venice, I stopped into a store after this pendant caught my eye in the window. It's a beautiful amber color in a teardrop shape, suspended on a rubber tubing necklace--a perfect meld of my Murano glass affliction and my modernist sensibilities! If you visit Venice, stop by the store,  L'Arte di Casanova, located at San Marco, 718 or check out their website: www.lartedicasanova.com. Ciao ciao!