Robert Stewart Art Glass Boxes

Robert Stewart produces one-of-a-kind museum quality pieces using antique wheels that he preserves for his work. Stewart meticulously hand grinds and polishes the glass and jewels, then combines them with various metals that he patinas. His work is among the collections at the Smithsonian Institution, the Illinois State Museum and the Milwaukee Art Museum. Stewart has been commissioned to create his original ornamental boxes by the National Endowment for the Arts and Notre Dame University; for the White House Blue Room Christmas Tree (1993 and 1997); and for Presidents George H. W. Bush and Ronald Reagan, several Illinois governors, and numerous foreign dignitaries. Stewart works as an individual artist, designing and fabricating each piece. His wife, Barbara, works as a consultant to meet the needs of their clients. "I believe there's something childlike- timeless, sparkling and magical- about my jewel-like vessels," he says. "For a few minutes, when people look at my work, they become children again. They recall fond memories of the past."