David Gappa

“I have found that the passion of my life is working with the shifting energies of molten glass into its final stages of artistic completion. I choose glass as an artistic medium for many reasons: the complexity of color and light; the classic beauty of glass; the challenging mental and physical discipline required; and the poetic and seductive nature of molten glass. For me, working with glass is the magical act of translating the ethereal into solid form. The creation of each piece is a journey as I strive to trust in the path the glass chooses for me…a trail of color, form and function.

It is my current and future endeavor to strive to achieve a quintessence of glass by unifying various glass media such as blowing, fusing, casting and sculpting and even diverse media such as metal and wood into a composed embodiment of art glass, requisite to its environment and perpetual in its beauty. This impending mission is and will be my life-long journey.

I strive to educate my audiences on both the history of this art medium as well as the difficult and complex process of the completion of each piece. My priority has been to seek the Spirit of God as the basic foundation of my art and business. Each creation is the recognition of the joy and beauty that God has given me…transformed into glass.”

A native Texan, born in Fort Hood and raised in Fort Worth, Gappa discovered and embraced his love of art from a very early age, spending countless hours exploring his creative talents and honing his skills in numerous artistic mediums …painting, sculpting, sketching, and drawing to name just a few. As a young adult, he spent over a year in Europe studying these various mediums of art and a significant amount of time in Murano, Italy with the glass artisans.

Gappa earned a Masters Of Science in Architecture from the University of Texas at Arlington, graduating Salutatorian of his class. During his studies at UT, he embarked on his passion for glassblowing while assisting with the founding of the university’s glassblowing program and participating in the glassblowing elective for two years. Thus began his vision of opening Vetro Glassblowing Studio, which came to fruition in May of 1999.

Since then, Gappa has continued learning through intense workshops, conventions, traveling artisans, private study and directly from the masters themselves including Martin Janecky, Ross Richmond, Afro Celotto of Italy and Kenji Ito of Japan.

It is through his continuous studies, the building of relationships with artists, the exploration of design, the growth and development of his team, the creation of his art and the presentation of that art to the public that Gappa strives to serve others. It seems that the closer he comes to achieving this calling, the more there is to accomplish.

GAPPA Fine Art Glass specializes in working with homeowners, business owners and interior designers to create one-of-a-kind commission pieces for private residences and commercial properties. Combining architectural training with innovative artistry, founder David Gappa is a master at transforming glass into fine art sculptures, chandeliers, tabletops, pendant lights, decanters, wall sconces and displays. “I have found that the passion of my life is working with the shifting energies of molten glass into its final stages of artistic completion. Glassblowing, for me, is a magical act of translating the ethereal into solid form. The creation of each piece is a journey, as I strive to trust in the path that the glass chooses for me,” says Gappa.

Employing a turnkey process—concept, design, installation—each commission is original and customized for the client and the space. His pieces of art glass can be found and purchased at Vetro Glassblowing Studio & Fine Art Gallery in Grapevine, Texas. Gappa Fine Art Glass brings the ancient art of glassblowing to life with a modern twist.