Timo Sarpaneva was a Finnish sculptor best known for his glass works. Sarpanerva’s sculptures blurred the boundaries between utilitarian design and art. “Glass is very mysterious. It's changing all the time. That's what makes it magical,” Sarpaneva said. “It released me from the conventional and the three-dimensional. It opened its deepest reaches to me and took me on a journey to a fourth dimension. I understood the opportunities that clear, transparent glass gives to an artist and designer.” Born on October 31, 1926 into a family of craftsmen in Helsinki, Finland, Sarpaneva received his formal training at the Institute for Industrial Arts in Helsinki. Later, he won a competition held by the Italla glass company and was immediately hired on as a designer. The artist died on October 6, 2006 in Helsinki, Finland. Today, his works are in the collection of The Museum of Modern Art in New York.