Three Artists: ONE Special Evening!
As part of the GAS and SiNaCa conference being hosted in Fort Worth, Gallery 440 will be a participating gallery showcasing the gorgeous works of master glass artists Jared Rosenacker (Austin) and Rob Stern (Dania Beach, FL). Also on view will be Fort Worth artist and printmaker, Tess Lackey. Reception: May 15, 5-8 p.m
More About Jared Rosenacker
Jared F. Rosenacker is an accomplished glass artist based in Austin, Texas, known for his mastery of form, technique, and design. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Bowling Green State University in Ohio, where he graduated at the top of his class and was awarded the prestigious James W. Strong 3-D Studio Achievement Award.
Following his formal education, Jared moved to Seattle, Washington, immersing himself in the city’s vibrant and renowned glassblowing community. He continued to refine his skills at The Penland School of Craft in North Carolina, where he was recognized with multiple scholarships for his outstanding talent and dedication to the craft.
Jared’s career took an exciting turn when he joined the world-renowned Corning Museum of Glass in upstate New York. Over four years, he served as a demonstrator and educator, sharing his passion for glassmaking with guests aboard Celebrity Cruise ships as part of Corning’s outreach program. This unique opportunity allowed him to visit nearly 40 countries, each leaving its mark on his evolving artistic vision.
In 2015, Jared founded JFR Glass and introduced his signature line, “Drinkware to Last a Lifetime.” His move to Austin in 2018 helped solidify a loyal local following, drawn to his distinctive craftsmanship and innovative designs. His work caught the attention of major brands, most notably being selected for a VIP celebrity gift campaign for Matthew McConaughey’s Longbranch Whiskey.
Today, Jared continues to expand his product line while dedicating time to creating one-of-a-kind artworks and custom commissions. His work seamlessly combines technical excellence with global influences, offering pieces that are both functional and profoundly expressive.
More About Rob Stern
Rob Stern is an acclaimed master glass artist whose work bridges the realms of nature and human experience. With over three decades in the field, Stern has studied under glass masters like Dale Chihuly, Lino Tagliapietra, and Pino Signoretto, and trained extensively at the Ajeto Glassworks in the Czech Republic. He holds a BFA from San Francisco State University and an MFA from the University of Miami, where he also led the glass sculpture program.
Stern’s career highlights include large-scale architectural commissions, international exhibitions, and teaching roles at prestigious institutions such as Pilchuck Glass School and Penland School of Crafts. His work is featured in prominent collections, including the Wiener Museum of Decorative Arts and the Imagine Museum.
Artistically, Stern explores the intersection of the organic and the angular, aiming to capture the transient beauty of the natural world through glass. He views his creations as a dialogue between human perception and the cosmos, seeking to reflect the evolving patterns of space, light, and time. His philosophy emphasizes the importance of detail and the pursuit of understanding life’s complexities through art.
More About Tess Lackey
Tess Lackey is a printmaker based in Fort Worth, Texas, whose work centers on landscapes and Western subjects through reduction and relief printmaking techniques. Her deep connection to the land and a strong sense of place serve as the foundation for her artistic practice. By layering color, narrative and emotion, Lackey romanticizes real locations, blending memory and imagination to explore her relationship with the world around her.
Originally a self-taught graphite artist, Lackey spent her early adult years working on ranches across the West, where she documented scenes of rural life through drawing. In 2018, a printmaking class sparked a major shift in her creative focus, leading her to fully embrace printmaking as her primary medium. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Wyoming and an associate degree in rangeland management from Northwest College, a combination of studies that further deepened her connection to natural landscapes and working lands.
Lackey’s prints often hint at specific regions while building emotional narratives around place, experience and memory. Her work has been exhibited across Texas, Oklahoma and Wyoming, and she has received several awards, including second place for her reduction print Moab at the juried exhibition Printmaking in the Rockies and on the Great Plains. Through her process, Lackey continually explores how personal history and physical environments shape identity and belonging.
A Few Things in the Show
