James Vella was born in Denver, Colorado and graduated from Hastings College in Nebraska where his undergraduate degree was in education and studio painting. As a graduate student James discovered glass and glass has been his medium for over fifteen years. His work has been featured in galleries across the country and internationally. James’s artwork is also included in several private collections and is in the permanent collection of the Knoxville Museum of Art. As the owner of Vella Vetro Art Glass Studio in New Orleans, Louisiana he pursues a balance both finically and creatively between custom work and the construction of fine art to operate his studio for over a decade. In addition to an exhibition history, James has been on staff at Pilchuck Glass School for many years and has done workshops and demonstrations at various glass studios and institutions across the county as well as in Germany and Canada. In the spring of 2005 James was awarded one of the first Artists in Residence program at the Eisch Factory in Frauenau Germany and given a show at the Eisch Artilla.

Through out the years James’ glass career was solely based on learning glass tradition and it’s techniques. It has since transpired into an elaborate vocabulary of sculptural elements that he believes to be his artistic voice. James often uses every day items as inspiration and gives them life and meaning in the context of his sculptures. These recognizable objects are transformed in glass to tell a story. By looking at things left behind you create an ongoing story. Through the selection of objects that he chooses to recreate in glass he hopes that he can steer his viewers to small aspects of his character; most often with humor and a strong sense of irony.

“And never forget to make everything beautiful” James Vella