Venice has been producing glass since the 10th century, and Murano became the main center in 1291 when glassmakers were ordered to relocate their furnaces to the small island in the Venetian lagoon to mitigate fire hazards. Over the centuries, the Murano masters have changed our perception of glass as an artistic medium. In Italian, La Moleria is a workshop for grinding glass, the specialty of Pietro and Riccardo Ferro. Working with abrasive spinning wheels, the Ferro brothers cold work glass vessels in brilliant colors. Their dramatic cuts are sometimes five layers deep and they cradle each piece for hours, days, and often weeks, painstakingly grinding away to reveal what lies underneath. There is always the danger that the piece will shatter, so it is a painstaking process. The finished vessel is a passionate work of art in vibrant translucent colors and energetic textures. Pietro and Riccardo were born in 1975 and 1980, respectively, and they followed in the footsteps of their father, the cold-working Maestro Paolo Ferro. Under his guidance, they worked in various Murano factories to learn traditional techniques, including different grinding effects, such as diamond scribing, stipple engraving and the bold Battuto, which resembles hammered metal.In 2000, the Ferros opened La Moleria, where they created masterpieces for world-renowned artists, including Lino Tagliapietra and Pino Signoretto. They also collaborated with famous Murano factories, such as Venini and Seguso. Today, they are more focused on their own unique glass art designs and their work can be found in prestigious public and private collections worldwide.They have visited the US to meet their collectors and demonstrate their methods at the Pilchuck Glass School and the Corning Museum of Glass.