Master Glass Artist • Escondido, California
Transforming Light, Glass & Metal into Timeless Public Art
For over five decades, James Stone has pursued the ancient craft of glassblowing with relentless passion. His work stands at the intersection of traditional Venetian techniques and contemporary artistic vision, creating pieces that capture and transform light in ways that inspire wonder.
As the owner of Stone and Glass in Escondido, California for over 14 years, James has become a cornerstone of San Diego's artistic community. His public art installations grace hospitals, universities, resorts, and civic spaces across the nation.
Beyond his artistic practice, James is committed to passing on his knowledge to the next generation through workshops, mentorship programs, and collaborative community projects that engage students and emerging artists.
A $550,000 Landmark Sculpture for the Grand Avenue Roundabout
The "Escondido Living History Tree" is an ambitious 14-foot sculpture of steel, concrete, and hand-blown glass designed to become a defining landmark at the heart of our city.
UCSD Eighth College
A groundbreaking collaboration between master glass artist James Stone and UC San Diego students. These 10 functional art benches, crafted from aluminum and luminous glass using James's signature cut-and-cast method, now permanently grace the Eighth College campus.
Portfolio
Public Art • UC San Diego
A collaborative public art installation with UCSD students, commissioned by Chancellor Pradeep Khosla. 10 artistic glass benches now permanently installed across the Eighth College campus.
Commissions
A revolutionary trailer-mounted glassblowing studio bringing hands-on glass art education to communities, schools, and events. Featuring a $15,000 grant to teach 30 students through the California Center for the Arts.
Other
Bringing live glassblowing demonstrations to the largest glass show west of the Mississippi. April 16-19, 2026 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Selected Works
Publications
An intimate memoir chronicling one artist's transformative journey from addiction to enlightenment through the ancient art of glassblowing. A raw, honest exploration of creativity, recovery, and finding purpose.
Buy the Book
The story of an unprecedented collaboration between a master glass artist and eight UC San Diego students, documenting the creation of artistic benches that now serve as permanent public art on campus.
Buy the BookRecognition
Handmade Business Magazine
San Diego Home/Garden Lifestyles Magazine
San Diego County Fair Exhibition of Fine Art
San Diego County Fair Exhibition of Fine Art
Beverly Hills Affaire in the Gardens
Training
2013
Pilchuck Glass School, Stanwood, WA
2009
Eugene Glass School, Eugene, OR
2007
Viccalo Studios, Van Nuys, CA
1990
Pilchuck Glass School, Stanwood, WA
1990
Palomar College, San Diego, CA
1974
Fairleigh Dickinson University, NJ
What People Say
"I took one glass blowing class with James and got hooked! After a while he let me come up with anything I wanted to build, I started trying to incorporate penguins into anything! They all turned out amazing and I love each piece. Best glass blowing experience ever! "
"His thread started with the wire (electric) that his father began mastering. and then on, you keep unrolling the thread, and discover at each turn a new twist in his life, a new connection. Glass is made of a goeey material, and so many ingredients and colors enter in its composition. Life is also made (sorry for the cliche) of so many intertwined evens, and you may understand, you will understand what made James Stone. Through the meanders and the turns of the road that he followed and endured, he became a Mensch", a singer, an artist. Please read it through."
"Reading The Glass Thread is like traveling through time with James, as he relives the amazing events in his life. James has a very casual, down-to-earth style of storytelling that makes you feel like you’re traveling with a dear friend. Using colorful and accessible language, James takes us on a very personal – and almost unbelievable – journey. Through his stories, James illustrates his belief that everything in our existence is just energy, and everything in this existence is connected through that energy. It’s sometimes amazing how each story ties into another, or how one story wanders off beautifully into the next, repeatedly illustrating the strength of The Glass Thread."
"“The Glass Thread”, a memoir by James Stone, is a story so unique, so improbable, that somebody just had to write it up. Luckily, James made the time and made the effort. This is a story of how a self-professed “difficult” child, growing up essentially in a swamp, charmed and elbowed his way through schools, colleges, and speeding tickets, always just hanging on by a thread. James, always ready to jump before he looked, boldly promoted himself into positions of great responsibility in diverse fields such as photography, restaurant management, stage production, and director of sales for video production studios. While all the business success and personal growth was going on, and with the benefit of hindsight, James notices forces, coincidences, and lucky breaks that steer him towards his calling, what he was meant to be, what he always wanted to be, but could not quite voice to himself, succeeding as a glass artist. The glass thread was the magic energy that weaved its way through his life to bring about an enduring reason to live. No one was more amazed than James which prompted him to write the book honoring these mystical coincidences for “Coincidences are God’s way of staying anonymous”. Early on James was intent on becoming an underwater photographer. The sparkly lighting, and the look of color suspended in a transparent medium, struck him as beautiful. And what has been the primary subject matter of his glass works? Underwater scenes: fantastic fish, coral-encrusted shells, fanciful undersea foliage, eyes of pearls. It is not surprising that James – I have read - dedicates generous portions of his time to causes seeking to end water pollution, over-fishing, and climate change. “The Glass Thread” is a wonderful work from which I have learned a great deal. While James was out interacting with 100,000 people from all walks of life, I was sitting in my engineering cubicle. Thank goodness for his expansive life and thank you James Stone for sharing it. If I had read this decades earlier, I might be a success by now. "
"This is a good read if you are interested in how the mind of a creative/innovative/naive person works. It is essentially a series of short stories about the amazing and sometimes crazy adventures James creates for himself. The stories are well written and push the reader to finish each one wondering if his naiveite or anger management will block his way to success. It is hard to believe how many different adventures he experiences over his lifetime-more than many of his readers all put together.. The reader keeps waiting for him to find his true passion "while he is young as it never gets easier". There are a few sections where more detail is provided than necessary."
Get in Touch
Whether you're seeking a monumental public installation, a private collection piece, or custom commission work, James Stone brings five decades of mastery to every project. Repair services and artistic consultations also available.