Dalla Valentina: the legacy of a passion between challenges and renewal
We meet Stefano and Arianna Dalla Valentina in their workshop in Murano. A place that breathes the history of a family and the devotion to an ancient art, handed down from father to son. Here, the memory of Maestro Adriano Dalla Valentina, founder of the company in 1982, is still alive and palpable.
Adriano’s Legacy: a Challenge taken up by his children
Stefano and Arianna speak of their father with emotion and pride. Adriano, who started working with glass at the age of 9, had acquired a unique technical expertise and creativity, which had led him to open his own business. In the 1990s, the entry of his children into the company marked the beginning of a new chapter.
Stefano, after artistic studies and a career as a designer, joined his father as a master glassmaker. But his passion for glass was born much earlier, almost in secret. “My father wanted me to study, he kept me away from the craft,” he recounts. But Stefano, fascinated by this art, found every excuse to get closer to that world.
“I used to spy on a gentleman who had a glassworks and made chandeliers,” he recalls with a smile. “I would sit on the steps, and when it rained he would invite me in. I would stay there for hours watching.” A passion that grew day by day.
Arianna, on the other hand, takes care of the commercial aspect. Together, they carry on their father’s legacy, amid challenges and difficulties. “When dad passed away, I wasn’t worried about closing the business,” Arianna recounts. “I knew that Stefano would be able to continue. But it wasn’t easy; both emotionally and due to the arrival of the pandemic.”
Ingenuity in the face of Covid
One of the biggest challenges came with Covid. The spike in the cost of gas put many Murano workshops to the test. But Stefano did not give up. With inventiveness and creativity, he transformed the difficulties into opportunities.
“I had to transform the furnace, making it smaller, with a 50 kg basin,” he explains. A forced choice to cope with the increase in energy costs, but one that did not stop his art. On the contrary, on this reduced furnace, Stefano manages to create works that leave one speechless, passing with mastery from monumental sculptures to the most delicate objects.
The uniqueness of each Dalla Valentina piece
What makes them unique here is the approach to production. “There is production due to market demands and then there is desired production.”
Every day is a new creative adventure, with pieces born from the inspiration of the moment and the specific requests of customers. “These newly conceived creations increase the now 40-year production [.. ] iIn this case each object is practically unique”, explains Arianna. “We rarely create more than one pair of the same piece”. A philosophy that is also reflected in Stefano’s ability to interpreting other people’s projects , collaborating with young talents to bring their ideas to life in glass.
From the iconic turtles, to vases and sculptures that combine different techniques such as filigree, reticello and incalmo, Dalla Valentina works are distinguished by their uniqueness and craftsmanship. Stefano continually experiments, fusing glass with other materials such as wood, marble and metal, to create pieces that push the boundaries of glassmaking art.
The Art of Glass: a continuous challenge
For Stefano and Arianna, the art of glass is an opportunity for endless growth and discovery. Despite the daily difficulties of the sector and the unfair attempts at copying, the love for this art, inherited from his father, is stronger than everything, and continues to be carried forward, with the pride of not disappointing him.
“Glass always teaches you something new, at any age,” says Stefano. “That’s its beauty: you never stop learning.” A spirit of research that translates into tireless experimentation, in the will to always push further.
This is the true legacy of Adriano Dalla Valentina . Not just a technique or a style, but a boundless love for an ancient and ever-new art. A sentiment that Stefano and Arianna carry on every day, amid the flames of the furnace, with the same passion as their father. Because, as Adriano used to say, “if there is dedication, nothing is impossible.”
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