Thomas Finsterwald is an award winning artist who started his own business in Santa Cruz, CA in 1971, designing & fabricating stained glass. In 1977 he moved to NYC where he began to develop his reputation for fine design and expert construction and repair. He has had studios in Manhattan, Williamsburg and Brooklyn. He now lives and works in Rockland County, NY.

Thomas has worked with important designers & architects such as Richard Mier, Peter Marino, Alan Shope, Oliver Cope, Vatche Simonian, Denise Balazzi and David Roth (see complete client list). His work can be seen in Rockland, Manhattan, all over the country and in Europe. For his clients he’s created leaded and stained glass transom windows, front door entryways, wall sconces, floor & table lamps, and a variety of other windows including a 35x50 foot stained glass front facade on the Colgate-Palmolive Building.

He also designed and fabricated windows and lighting fixtures for the Permanent Residence of the Ambassador to Finland in Manhattan.

Thomas has had his work featured in Architectural Digest, Interior Design, and various other magazines and journals (see complete publications list). He was also the first recipient of the Rockland County Historical Society Artisan of the Year Award in 2003.

Mr. Finsterwald uses commercial glass, as well as the glass he paints and shapes in his kiln. His designs range from pictoral scenes, to hard, square and angular designs, to abstract designs using softer, circular shapes. In these designs he is not only concerned with the color, shape and texture of the glass, but also with the finished effect of refracted light on the surrounding walls and furniture.

His wall sconce, lamp and chandelier designs also range from hard edged and color-filled, to layering of paint and texture with sensual themes, to using painted, wavy glass combined with industrial hardware.

Mr. Finsterwald comes from a family of artists and bohemians, and has continued this legacy. Tom’s grandfather was Willard Wiener, a journalist for the New York Journal in the 40’s, who later moved to California where he painted and wrote plays, one of which was produced in New York City. His uncle, Leigh Wiener, was a famous photographer who published many books and photographed special assignments for Life and Look Magazine. Tom’s mother was a painter and bohemian, and his grandmother was an extra in Hollywood movies.

Thomas Finsterwald is a fascinating, free spirited, highly talented artist with over 30 years experience in his craft and his work speaks for itself.