Matt Salley
Matt Salley, owner and current studio manager, was born just outside of Ann Arbor, Michigan. On his way to Tennessee, he lived in the "Glass City", Toledo, OH. This began his interest in glass. In 1992, Matt began work under Knoxville glass artist Connie Christopher. He then went on to attend a number of sessions at Penland School for Crafts in Penland, NC. Soon after that, he apprenticed with glass artist Richard Jolley. Then, in 1998, he began his own studio experimenting with the many forms of hot glass. In 2008, Matt Salley and Chris Szaton co-founded Marble City Glassworks in South Knoxville.
Chris Szaton
Chris Szaton is the current resident artist and guest designer. He attended the University of Illinois graduating in 1997 with a BFA in fine arts with a concentration in glass. After graduation he moved to Knoxville TN where he continued to hone his skills working for Richard Jolley and Tommy Rush. Chris has taught at Penland School for Crafts in Penland, NC, and Duckbill Studios in Atlanta, GA. He has work in collections nationwide, where he is known for his whimsical style of sculpture. In 2008, he joined Matt Salley to realize their dream of becoming Knoxville’s first and only public access glass art studio.