Marusca Gatto

Marusca’s love of glass began with a visit to Murano, Italy many years ago. The play of light as it reflects through
glass captivated and enchanted. Her love of the ocean and nature inspire her to interpret these themes in fused
glass. Creating colorful abstracts
stretches her imagination. Marusca’s
growing passion for glass includes flame work, kiln-formed mosaic fusing and
shaping through slumping and draping over hand made forms, verre eglomise,
glass casting and reverse relief glass casting.
Her knowledge of glass expanded as a an Assistant at Corning Museum of
Glass, classes at Oatka School of Glass, Glass Expo in Las Vegas and working closely
with various glass artists.

Experimentation and continued glass experiences as an assistant in large
scale glass casting at Corning Museum of Glass deeply enriched Marusca’s career
as a glass artist. As a glass instructor at Rochester Arc & Flame Center, Studio One, Old School Square Creative Art
School and Coral Springs Museum, Marusca has shared her knowledge of glass work
with student glass enthusiasts.

All art glass pieces are designed by Marusca, hand-crafted kiln-formed glass, fused and
slumped/draped at temperatures of 1200 to 1400 degrees, then cold worked on
grinders finishing with a fire polish in the kiln. Themes are interpretive botanicals, nature,
oceanic and abstract work. Recent expansions include lighting, large garden floral, fused glass tabletops and
working with custom commissioned and found metals.

Marusca moved to Delray Beach in 2014 and expanded her love of art as Director of Operations
for Cornell Art Museum for 6 years. In addition, she served on the Public Art Advisory Board and the Arts Warehouse
Artist in Residence Advisory Panel. Since 2020, as the Downtown Activation Manager for the Downtown
Development Authority, she has grown her passion for art and art event activations. Marusca initiated the development
of the DDA’s Delray Art Trail by documenting Delray Beach’s abundance of
murals, art installation, galleries, artist studios and cultural centers.

“Don’t tell me the moon is shining; show me the glint of light on broken glass.”