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Simon Pearce

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Factory in Quechee, Vermont

Simon Pearce (born 1946 in London) is an Irish-American entrepreneur in glassblowing and pottery, who learned his trade in Italy and Kilkenny, Ireland.

Business development

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Pearce located his first US factory, in Quechee, Vermont, in 1981. This site, which is powered hydroelectrically by the Ottauquechee River and is part of the Quechee Historic Mill District, became a showroom, restaurant, and glass-blowing demonstration facility.[1] The New York Times described him as a prominent American designer of glassware[2] and his works have been given as gifts to foreign dignitaries[3] and to presenters at the Academy Awards.[4]

Pearce's company headquarters is in Windsor, Vermont; another manufacturing facility is in Mountain Lake Park, Maryland.[5] His company has several retail outlets in the East of the USA

Personal life and family

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As of 2016, Pearce maintained a home in Hartland, Vermont;[6] previously, he resided in Norwich, Vermont.[7] He and his wife, Pia, have four sons.[6] Their youngest son is Kevin Pearce, a snowboarder, who was seriously injured in 2009 while training for the Olympics.[7] Kevin is the subject of the 2013 HBO film The Crash Reel.[6][8]

Pearce's book, Simon Pearce: Design For Living was published in the fall of 2016.[9][10]

References

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  1. ^ Eiseman, Alberta (August 21, 1988). "Glassmaking Finds a Home in Vermont". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 February 2011.
  2. ^ Hooper Samuels, Sam (March 24, 2006). "Glassmaking in Vermont". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 February 2011.
  3. ^ Cullen, Kevin (May 2, 2008). "Irish PM gives $2M to the Kennedy Library". The Boston Globe. Retrieved 26 February 2011.
  4. ^ Pollak, Sally (Feb 27, 2007). "Vermont goes to the Oscars". Burlington Free Press. Archived from the original on June 29, 2011. Retrieved 26 February 2011.
  5. ^ "About Us—History". Simon Pearce Company website. Retrieved 2011-12-24.
  6. ^ a b c Neilson, Laura (2016-06-24). "A Quaint Vermont Destination for Buying Glass (and Brunch)". New York Times. Retrieved August 8, 2016.
  7. ^ a b Branch, John (May 3, 2010). "No Place Like This for Soothing Care". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 February 2011.
  8. ^ "The Crash Reel". Retrieved July 9, 2014.
  9. ^ Kardashian, Kirk (17 September 2016). "New Book Illuminates Simon Pearces' Influences and Design Philosophy". Seven Days. Burlington, Vermont. Retrieved 6 December 2016.
  10. ^ Suokko, Glenn; Sherman, John; Pearce, Simon; Downes, Margaret (2016-09-13). Simon Pearce: Design for Living. Rizzoli. ISBN 9780847849321.
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