Jody Fine, long recognized as a master of his craft, says of his work, "I am one lucky fellow! I love to get up in the morning, hug my wife and son, and get into the studio. I hope that some of my joy and delight comes through in my work." Accomplished in the classical Italian techniques of latticino, murrini, and millifiori, Fine uses these ancient methods to create contemporary "off-hand" blown pieces. Jody???s one-of-a-kind works include sculptural forms and vessels distinguished by bright multicolored patterns and loose organic shapes. His current work includes takeoffs on the 1950???s style Osterizer?? blender, roadside diner pie, and desert prickly pear cactus. Ongoing studio lines include bowls, jars, spinning tops and everybody???s favorite, marbles. Jody says that Captain Marble makes the marbles, but strangely, he and the masked Captain have never been seen together, causing speculation about Captain Marble???s true identity. Following studies at New York???s Bard College, the University of California at San Diego, Jody received a National Endowment for the Arts master-apprenticeship grant to study glassblowing under Maestro William Bernstein. After completing his apprenticeship in the 1970???s, Jody formed a partnership with Dick Marquis and Jack Wax in Berkeley, California. He established his own studio, J. Fine Glass, in 1980. Jody gathering glass at his 200-pound furnace back in Berkeley. Jody has conducted workshops and seminars at major universities and design schools throughout the country, including Detroit???s Center for Visual Studies, California State Universities at San Jose and at Sonoma, the Penland School of Crafts, the Pilchuck School, UCLA, and the California College of Arts and Crafts. His works have been shown at major museums and galleries, including the American Crafts Museum in New York, the Seattle Museum of Art, The Triton Museum in California, the Habitat Gallery in Michigan, The deYoung Museum in San Francisco, Seekers Gallery in California, the Jewish Museum in New York, and in the "American Glass" exhibition shown at museums throughout Japan. Jody???s pieces reside in numerous private and public collections, including those of the Marble Collectors Society of America, the Smithsonian, the Corning Glass Museum, and President Bill Clinton???s White House collection. Several are currently travelling in the U.S. with the "Hot and Cool" Exhibition. You can read about Jody Fine in Grist???s Guide to Marble Collecting, Barrett???s Aggies, Immies, Shooters, and Swirls. You can find him in Dick Marquis??? Objects, and he is featured in Mark Block?s new book, Contemporary Marbles and Related Art Glass.