Description
Pauli Maiville has two passions in life: fish and glass. He melds these two interests into outstanding works of art. One of the earliest memories of his childhood in Connecticut is that of his grandfather teaching him to fish. Since moving to Florida at the age of twelve, he has intensified his passion through long hours of wading the flats of the Gulf Coast of Florida. So, when he began blowing glass in 1987, it was natural that the first form to appear on the end of his pipe would be a fish. Since then, his work has grown and evolved, but the influence of the sea is still inherent in all his art. Even his vases, bowls, and paperweights include the organic and fluid rhythms of the sea.
While most of us sleep…Rising up at 4 am to fish and embrace the morning sunrise… Paul Maiville often begins his days pursuing one of his deep loves of fishing and being on and in the water. He will often, then head to embrace and work with his other love…Glass.
Maiville spent his early years in coastal New England and Michigan eventually arriving in Florida at the age of 12 where soon he began embracing the outdoors, music and art. This is where he began to see the images and character of his environment that would come to shape his gift of creativity. After high school Paul took on work with an ethic that kept him on a path to his true calling of glass. His first opportunity of discovery of this calling was a chance introduction to Ybor Cities custom hand beveler Calvin Sloan. His studio, “Star Bevel Studio” and in the same complex ‘West Of The Moon” a stain glass studio was in 80’s Florida, one of the centers of the ‘glass universe’. He would embrace and master these first glass working intros with growing passion and desire to do even more with the medium. He was led to Dean James’ “Ybor Glass And Iron” which specialized in ornamental iron and blown glass where he found his strongest passion in blown glass. Paul was offered a demonstration and work opportunity at Tampa’s ‘Museum Of Science And Industry’ where he built and operated their studio for 2 years. The next chapter was the beginning of a major upward chapter on his glass journey. Paul was hired by renowned glass artist Duncan McClellan and “Sigma Studio” owner Chuck Boux. There, Paul found a creative home for 15 years where he developed and honed his skillset to a new level. He produced for McClellan and Boux and began production on his own pieces. Shortly after he received a call from Owen Patch for an opportunity to develop a working demonstration studio at St Petersburg’s Morean Gallery. At the direction of world renown glassblower, Dale Chihuly the Morean began to build a studio and demonstration space, and Pauli was instrumental in facilitating his wishes. In 2009 the work begins on all the required custom designed and built needs for this world class installation. With the opening of “The Morean” in 2010 Paul would work, demonstrate and market his glasswork for years till the close i 2018. In 2019 at the recommendation of his contemporaries and following his own desire to stretch his creative envelope further, Paul departed to pursue a solo career. He would take this time to develop the body of new work represented here as well as creating new designs, memorial pieces, commissions and more.
