Mixed-media artist Judy Tuwaletstiwa creates a language of fragility out of small kiln-fired glass pieces. In her glass paintings, a repetition of amorphous shapes takes the place of brushstrokes. She looks at the essence of glass, not its surface, working with the transformative element of fire. ~Ivy Ross, head of Google Glass, jewelry designer, Mill  Valley, CA

I have always found Napoleone Martinuzzi a true inspiration. He designed for the Venini Co. beginning in 1925. His experimental designs of botanical studies are unparalleled. Their sizes range from tabletop objects to 6-foot architectural pieces. The brilliance of his designs still inspires today. ~Debora Moore, glass artist, Seattle

One of the innovations in glass that most excites me is the flexible Willow Glass by Corning. It harkens back to a legendary tale of a lost glass technique in Rome during the reign of Tiberius Caesar. I find exciting the kinds of sculpture that might be possible. I’d love to get my hands of some of it. ~Sean Hennessey, multimedia artist, Baltimore

Advancements in material technology and the application of digital tools are driving and being driven by innovation in glass. Artists and makers look to glass to describe a world in flux. Anna Mlasowsky develops ingenious interpretations of traditional techniques while using new technology to communicate complex personal stories. ~Michael Endo, curator, Bullseye Projects, Portland, OR

Modernism, led by Duchamp, revealed that anything can be art; the possibilities and queries from that moment have been endless. Edith Dekyndt’s One Thousand and One Nights – a spotlighted carpet of dust continuously swept by a performer – recalls Donald Judd’s cubes, early happenings, cultural rituals, and the riveting, illusory spaces of James Turrell. ~Karyn Olivier, multimedia artist, Philadelphia