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MEDIAFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Liz Smith PR (808) 873-9654 lizsmithpr@yahoo.com
Local Glass Artist Rick Strini Wins Two National Awards
December 19, 2008 – Haiku, Maui, Hawaii – 2008 has been a successful year for Haiku-based glass artist Rick Strini, with two national awards and his second collaboration with the popular TV show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Recently, Strini won 1st place in the Glass Division for the Art in the Round contest. His ‘Haiku Chandelier’ also won the Judges’ Citation Award for LIGHTFAIR International’s Innovation Awards. Another chandelier was featured in the season finale of Extreme Makeover, giving Strini the rare distinction of being featured in both the season premiere and season finale of the reality TV show.
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His first appearance on the show was in 2007, when his largest artwork ever was featured in the season opening Oahu project. In May, Strini received the Judges’ Citation Award for his use of recycled material in lighting design for his ‘Haiku Chandelier’ at the LIGHTFAIR International (LFI) Innovation Awards. LFI is the largest annual Trade Show & Conference for architectural and commercial lighting. Each year, they celebrate the industry’s most innovative product designs with the LFI Innovation Awards. LFI received 184 submissions for the 2008 program, and each product was judged by an independent panel of renowned lighting professionals.
In November, Strini won first place in Art in the Round. Art in the Round is an online contest hosted by BeautifulBowls.com. The contest, in its inaugural year, was open to creative interpretations of the vessel form, including bowls, platters, vases, teapots, cups, mugs and urns. Besides glass, the other media categories were wood, ceramics, metal, gourds, basketry and mixed/other media. The artwork was voted on by visitors to the website www.artintheroundcontest.com. “Each of these awards is significant to me in a different way,” said Strini. “Art in the Round was voted on by the public, and it’s always satisfying to know that my art continues to appeal to so many people. The LFI Awards were voted on by professionals in the lighting industry, and since that’s a relatively new field for me, I’m thrilled to have received such an honor,” he continued.
In the past year and a half, Strini has also had the honor of having two, major pieces chosen for homes, as well as two minor pieces, in the hit TV show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. In 2007, he was selected to create a chandelier for the Oahu project, featured on the season premiere, by the show’s decorator Michael Moloney. After forming a friendship with Moloney, Strini paid his own way to New Orleans to create a piece for the season finale. The chandelier for the New Orleans project, which was installed in the Noah's Ark Missionary Baptist Church, was made of recycled glass and metal.
Rick Strini is recognized as one of the country’s best glass blowers. His distinctive, one-of-a-kind pieces have graced the White House and have been exhibited in several museums, including the Smithsonian and the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Working from his private studio in Maui , he has delighted art lovers and collectors alike with his stunning custom-designed vases, bowls, glasses and stemware. His artwork is available for viewing and purchase at his showroom in Paia, Hawaii or at his website www.striniartglass.com.
About Rick Strini
Rick Strini’s interest in glass began over 40 years ago with his first kiln in his parent’s backyard, and years later he is still stunning the world with his unique and brilliant pieces of glass art. A product of the 1960’s revival of studio art glass, Strini was one of the first artists to revitalize the age-old tradition of Italian-European glass blowing. Revered as one of the best at his craft, Strini is one of the few people in the world who has perfected the art of creating hand-made, shimmering Luster Glass. Working with no assistants, a rarity in his field, every nuance in shape, design, color and luminescence is derived from the heart of artist. He creates a unique hot glass color palette for each piece and personally signs each one as it is finished in a cooling furnace. Strini specializes in many types of art glass, including vases, bowls, stemware, decorative pieces and lighting, with each hand-crafted piece a rare and timeless beauty. He and his wife live on the island on Maui, which provides much of the inspiration for his vibrant artwork.
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