Custom glass awards, handmade in Chicago.
Sculpted in hot glass, marked by hand and set on a base made for it. One award or a series, for clients nationwide.
Every award leaves our West Town studio as a one-of-one. Our artists shape it in the hot shop, the same studio that blows glass for Michelin-starred restaurants, then it is engraved by hand and mounted on walnut, acrylic or glass.
- Lead time
- 6–8 weeks
- Minimum
- $500 a project
- Quantity
- One, or a series
- Delivery
- Nationwide · international
Recognition with a point of view.
Form, color, texture and inscription each carry part of the story. A selection of awards made here, with the details that give each one its character.
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The French Laundry
The French Laundry · Yountville, CaliforniaClear glass · laser-engraved · walnut base
A pin-shaped form sculpted by hand while the glass was hot, then laser-engraved with the restaurant's mark. The walnut base was handcrafted for this piece, so the glass sits exactly as it should.
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Illinois
Illinois Economic Development CorporationWaterjet-cut sheet glass, fused · CNC-cut acrylic base · laser-engraved
The outline of Illinois in three colors of sheet glass, each piece waterjet-cut and the pieces tack-fused into one. The clear acrylic base was CNC-carved with a pocket for the glass and laser-engraved with the text. Pictured is the prototype that proofed the design; the inscription is a sample.
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Michelin Green Star
Daisies · Chicago · 2024 Michelin Green StarSculpted green glass · engraved walnut base
Made for Daisies, the Midwestern pasta restaurant in Chicago, to mark its 2024 Michelin Green Star: a four-leaf clover drawn in one line of green glass, sculpted hot and set upright in a walnut base engraved with the year and the Michelin mark.
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Creative Voice Award
Arts Alliance Illinois · Vic Mensa · 2026Sculpted glass · blue, green and yellow · lettered
A double-neck form in blue, green and yellow, sculpted by hand while hot, carries Vic Mensa's name for Arts Alliance Illinois. The lettering was made for the design.
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Citizen Advocate Award
Arts Alliance Illinois · The Pritzker Pucker Family · 2026Sculpted glass · violet and green · lettered
The same sculpted form in a second palette, violet and green, made as a companion piece for the same evening. A series can share one form and still give each recipient their own color.
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Outstanding Leadership in Community Engagement
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum · Chicago Academy of SciencesClear glass · sandblasted butterfly and lettering
A clear oval, hand-shaped and polished, with the museum's butterfly and the recipient's name sandblasted into the face so they read as frost against the glass.
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Solid teardrop, cobalt
Studio seriesSolid sculpted glass · cobalt over clear
A solid teardrop, gathered in layers of cobalt over clear and shaped by hand. A form like this repeats well, so an annual program can give a matched award each year with a new name on it.
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Solid teardrop, violet
Studio seriesSolid sculpted glass · violet over clear
The same teardrop in violet. Color is chosen piece by piece, so a series can run in one color or move through a palette.
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Setna IO
Setna IO · corporate awardCane-worked color · clear cast-glass base
The brief asked for an abstract form that still carried the company's identity, so the award became its two letters: a column and a ring drawn from the same cane-worked color, standing on a flat base of clear cast glass.
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Endotronix
Endotronix · heart failure managementSculpted glass · engraved logo filled with orange enamel
A matched pair of hearts for a company that manages heart failure. The heart logo is engraved into the surface of the glass and filled with orange enamel, so the mark sits in the piece rather than on it.
Open any piece for its materials and the story behind it.
From molten glass to a personal mark.
- 01 · Form
Shaped by hand in the hot shop
Every form begins as a gather of molten glass at around 2,000°F. Our artists sculpt it by hand, in clear or in color: a teardrop, a clover, a state cut from sheet glass and fused, a shape that is yours alone.
- 02 · Mark
Sandblasted
Logos, names and dates are cut into the surface with fine abrasive, so they read as frost against the clear glass. Best for larger marks and bold artwork.
- 03 · Mark
Laser-engraved
For fine lettering and detailed logos, the mark is laser-engraved into the glass or the base. The method is chosen to suit the glass, the design and the detail required.
- 04 · Base
Walnut, acrylic or glass
The base is part of the work: a hand-finished walnut block, laser-engraved acrylic, or glass, with a pocket CNC-cut so the piece sits exactly as it should.
Decisions about materials follow the design, not the other way round.
Tell us what the award should say and we work out how to say it in glass: color, silhouette, finish, and the mark that carries the name.
One piece or fifty, each is made by hand here in Chicago. Matched sets share a form and can still differ in color.
- Glass
- sculpted · cane-worked · fused sheet
- Marks
- sandblast · laser
- Bases
- walnut · acrylic · glass
- Quantity
- one · a series
Start with the meaning. Then explore the form.
You do not need a finished design to begin. Tell us who or what you are recognizing, the quantity you have in mind and the date that matters.
- 01
Share the occasion
Send a brief, a reference or a starting idea. An estimated quantity, timeframe and budget help frame the conversation.
- 02
Explore the possibilities
We discuss form, materials and personalization, and what is feasible for your date and budget.
- 03
Define the commission
Design, scope, pricing and schedule are confirmed with the studio before any glass is made.
- 04
Make and deliver
The studio makes the agreed work. Collection at the studio or delivery is arranged for the project.
Priced by the piece. Planned around your date.
Every award is priced individually, from the form and color to the mark and the base. These are the figures that hold for every project.
- Minimum project
- $500one award or a series
- Design development
- $500only when needed · credited to the final invoice
- Lead time
- 6–8 weeksfrom an approved design
- Rush orders
- availablerush pricing applies
- Delivery
- nationwideinternational on request
- Size and complexity of the form
- Clear glass, solid color or cane work
- Sandblasted or laser-engraved marks
- The base and how it is engraved
- Quantity, and whether the pieces match
Tell us your date first. Six to eight weeks is the usual lead time from an approved design; if you need it sooner, say so and we will tell you what is possible and what rush pricing applies. Looking for something other than an award? See custom work.
A few things worth knowing.
Every commission has its own practical considerations. Your inquiry is the place to begin working through them.
Can I commission just one award?
Yes. We take inquiries for single awards as well as series. Projects start at $500, and the studio reviews the design and schedule for each one.
Do I need a finished design?
No. Begin with the occasion, a reference image or an idea. Tell us what the award should express and any details that are already decided, and we take it from there.
How is a custom glass award priced?
Projects are priced individually, from $500. If your brief needs additional creative development, the studio confirms a $500 nonrefundable design fee after the initial email discussion to develop one to three design options. The fee is credited to the final invoice; it is not an automatic charge for every inquiry.
Can you include our logo or a recipient's name?
Yes. Names, dates, logos and other design elements are sandblasted or laser-engraved into the glass or the base. The method depends on the glass, the design and the detail required.
How much time should we allow?
Plan on six to eight weeks from an approved design. Tell us when the finished awards are needed and whether the date is fixed; rush orders are possible with rush pricing.
Can we order from outside Chicago?
Yes. We welcome clients nationwide and international inquiries. Include your delivery destination so shipping and timing can be worked out for your project.
Tell us what this award means.
Share the occasion and what you have in mind. A clear starting point helps; a finished design is not required. Expect a reply within three business days.