Team | The Glass Jungle

Claudio
De Martino

Resident Artist / Instructor / Owner

Claudio began his journey into the exciting world of glass blowing in 2019. Shortly there after he took private lessons from Manu Buchli, which further strengthened Claudio’s desire to dig deeper into the glass world. He purchased tools and the basic equipment needed, and built a home studio, where he would practice what he learned until 2022. In 2022 his dreams got even bigger. Financing and building The Glass Jungle, Claudio presently finds himself facilitating the growth of a larger glass community in Switzerland.

Mishahl (Mikey)
Al Meman

Resident Artist / Instructor

Mikey is relatively new to glass blowing. In 2020 Mikey’s close friend Claudio De Martino introduced him to glass blowing. Catch the glass ”bug” Mikey bought his first torch that year. Finding a love for the flower marbles of John Kabuki, he pushed himself to learn this technique. With the help of Ryan Gabel, Manu Buchli, and Claudio, he now excels at the compression marble technique.

Spending one year to build The Glass Jungle, he had to take a year off from glass. That didn’t stop him. He is making beautiful marbles to this day.

Ryan Gabel

Resident Artist / Instructor

Ryan began blowing glass in 1999, the beginning of the glass pipe movement in the US. Originally from Southern Oregon Ryan found himself living in many places. From Eugene Oregon, to Costa Rica, California, and New Mexico he would support himself with glass blowing and or cooking. Whether it be Jerome Baker Designs, The Palace Restaurant and Saloon, working soft glass at Tesuque Glassworks, or Rainbow King Lodge, he never forgot his love for glass.

In 2019 Ryan relocated once again, this time to Zürich Switzerland. He met Claudio, Mikey and Manu in 2021. Quickly becoming friends, Ryan helped Claudio build The Glass Jungle, where you can find him most every afternoon.