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EVENTS:
EVENTS INFO
The Abate Zanetti Glass School can make, upon request, glass objects and replacements of all types (ex. parts of old and modern lamps or chandeliers). Contact: info@abatezanetti.it
OUR TUTORS


IGOR BALBI

Born in Murano in 1975. Son of Italo Balbi, master in glass shaping art, he learns his first glass basics at nineteen, under his father and uncle’s watchful eye. He starts his education thanks to a particular pragmatism and a good manual skill that shortly leads him to refine his personal lampworking technique of the so-called “Soft Glass".
Collaborations in teaching and in realizing works with international masters, such as: Lucio Bubacco, Vittorio Costantini and Kristina Logan, are remarkable. During his career, Igor collaborated in art works production for “La Murrina" and for “Pauly". This company has been represented by him during the international craft fair in Milan in 2005, during his best expression as an artist-professional, in the field of demonstration to the public of his own innovative glass techniques. Extraordinary is the lightness of his blown goblets.


MAURO BONAVENTURA

Mauro Bonaventura was born in Venice in 1965.
In 1983, after obtaining a diploma in Electronics, he starts working in a Venice furnace as assistant. Since that very moment he starts learning the glassblowing and glass decoration techniques and will never abandon the glass work.
After nine years of furnace, in 1992, he starts experiencing lampworking and only after a few months of practice he quits the hotshop. He is fascinated by the human figure and in the meanwhile he obtains the second diploma at the Art School in Venice.
Since then his drawings and paintings change aspect, but it is mainly the figure and in particular the research of the sphere geometric perfection that become more exact and technically correct.
He participates to many editions of the SOFA in New York and Chicago.
During years he has done demonstrations in several places all over the world, in 2002 and 2006 with the GAS (Glass Art Society – Seattle), respectively in Amsterdam and St. Louis.
In 2003 and 2005 he is in the annual selection of the Corning Museum of Glass of New York. His works and mainly his spheres are exhibited in important art galleries and museums all over the world, among them the Canargie Musem of Pittsburgh.




PAOLO CENEDESE

Born in Murano, in 1952, is the first member of his family to get involved into glass, infact although very young, he started his apprenticeship in tha glass factories of the island and after 35 years he is still enthusiast and willing of working with glass. After spending many years working in some of the more important glass factories of the island (Barovier & Toso, Seguso, Cenedese) in 1978 Paolo Cenedese opens his lampworking studio in Murano. In 1999 he participates at the prestigious “Venezia Aperto Vetro" and at several editions of “Mostra del bicchiere". At the Abate Zanetti Glass School he teaches lampworking and blown lampworked Murano glass techniques.


SIMONE CENEDESE

Simone Cenedese was born in Murano in 1973. Master glassmaker and Designer, he is one of the youngest Murano glass Masters, bringing with him the background of a glass Master dynasty.
He approached design with a personal interest, and soon the passion became creativity, crowned with Italian and foreign successes.
The beginning was in the father Giovanni’s furnace, where he learned the rudiments of an art that, still today the world envies us: the art of glass blowing.
Simone Cenedese succeeded in applying a modern style and design, keeping up with the times, to such an ancient material.
From this combination, only seemingly in contrast, originate the works of this young and dynamic artist-designer, who has collaborated and continues to collaborate with famous architects creating pieces destined to leave a trace in the world of glass sculpture and design.
SimoneCenedese is nowadays a name and a prestigious brand of Murano Glass.
Simone Cenedese has taken part in several personal and collective exhibitions in Italy and abroad.




RUGGERO COSTANTIN

He has been working glass for thirty years. He starts as assistant at the stained glass studio of Pierluigi Penzo. Then he undertakes work experience in stained glass as artisan in San DonĂ  di Piave, Venezia. His works are present in public and private environments. Moreover his passion has led him to experiment techniques nowadays got lost.
His main activity is lead came glasswork but he is also fascinated by lampworking and fusing.
He did the restaurations of: Corte dei Conti, Venice; Church of Gesuiti, Venice; Church San Giovanni Grisostomo, Venice; Malibran Theatre, Venice; Palazzo Bilia, Sacile; Palazzo Sesso Zen Fontana, Vicenza.


MASSIMO DAISSE'

Mosaicist born in Venice in 1962, he learned from his father the art of glass decoration and stained glass. He continued his studies of fine arts and history of art at the “ Istituto Statale d’ Arte" and “ Uiversità degli Studi di Ca’ Foscari" in Venice. He attended and collaborated with importants ateliers of Venetian mosaicists, here he specialized the technical of mosaic and he partecipated at the creation of a lot of important works in Italy and foregin countries like U.S.A, Africa, Austalia and Middle East. Since 1985 he has been teaching mosaic art and commesso work at the “Istituto Statale d’ Arte" of Venice. In 1986 he participated to the “XLll Esposizione Internazionale d’ Arte La Biennale di Venezia". He collaborated with “ Centro Interdipartimentale Studio Colore e Arte, facoltà di psicologia Università di Padova". He also has been dealing with restoration and conservation of mosaic and he is a member of the “ AISCOM (Associazione Italiana Studio e Conservazione dei Mosaici) association". He teaches in a lot of courses and he explains the technical of mosaic in a lot of conferencies for cultural associations, museums, “Accademia di Belle Arti di Venezia" and “Commissione Pontificia per la Conservazione dei Beni Ecclesiastrici". The most important public mosaics of Massimo Daissè are in New York (O.N.U headquarter), Dallas (Texas), Sidney (Medical center) and in Bolsena (Italy) “Catacombe, sepoltura di S.Cristina".


VALERIA DORDIT

Born in Venice in 1935. At the age of eleven, after the primary school, she starts working in the costume jewellery factory “tress" that produces lacquered beads, imitations of real ones. At twelve she works with her mother (she also very skilled in lamworked beads) in a prestigious studio as assistant. She is so skilled working as beader that she is entrusted to prepare the samples for the costume jewellery fairs in Milan. She immediately loves this art that allows her the realization of dreams. She specializes and realizes very beautiful beads. However her initiative leads her to try and to succeed successfully in realization of perfume small pots for bag. She pours out her great love for glass on the great variety of beads she creates: mosaic, fiorato (flower), cased beads with gold and silver, avventurina ground dust, little fruits, flat beads etc…For many years she produces earrings and buttons for fashion trademarks. She works until she is seventy, for the last fourteen years at the “Ercole Moretti" factory in Murano. She has been teaching this wonderful job to many students in many important studios and at the Abate Zanetti Glass School. Her greatest interest is to hand down this wonderful job.


VITTORIO FERRO

Born in Murano in 1932, Vittorio Ferro is part of a family who has worked in glass since the XIII century.
He began to work at the Fratelli Toso glassworkers when he was only fourteen and became master very early. His extraordinary ability had led him to all sector of glass production, from the most delicate filigree to massive pieces, although his preference for work is murrine. In 1969 he won the “Borselle d’Oro" prize for the original designs made with traditional techniques. He has received many prestigious rewards, collaborated with artists and designer, exhibiting in Italy, Japan, Usa. He taught in Finland, Nuutajarvi Glass Factory and collaborates with the Abate Zanetti Glass School.


MARCO FRANZATO

Born in Mirano (Venice) in 1973 Marco Franzato starts working glass attending the Venice School of Art since 1987 and graduating in 1991 (art master) and in 1993 (improvement and professional skill). In the same year he opens his stained glass studio in Venice which is still active. In 1995 he receives a prize from the House of Commerce of Venice for “the high quality of his products exposed" at the 73° International Fair in Padua. He collaborates with various artisans and artists. Among collaborations, important is the realization with prof. Marcello Moscini of the stained glass windows for the façade of the romanesque cathedral of Bolsena (Viterbo). He participates to various glass exhibitions in Venice, Murano, Milan, Nuremberg, Schio (Vicenza), San Vito al Tagliamento (Pordenone), Urbino. Since 2002 he teaches stained glass and “Tiffany" art at the Abate Zanetti Glass School in Murano.


FLAVIO FUGA

At the age of fourteen he is introduced to his father Anzolo’s studio. His father is a stained glass artist, graphic designer, director and teacher of the Abate Zanetti then-School for Murano glassworkers. At the same time he studies and takes his diploma of Art Master, he attends then for three years the School directed by his father, obtains his high-school diploma of applied Art, teacher training and finally he takes his diploma at the Academy of Fine Arts of Venice where he studies painting with Carmelo Zotti, former student of painter Saetti. The almost thirty-year long experience in the studio with his father takes him to develop a growing interest in glass matter and its many applications.


  NICOLA MORETTI

Born in Murano, 1964, he started his professional experience in 1984 at Ragazzi & C., becoming soon partner of the business. In the years he focused his interest in the technique of canes and murrine, gaining a very high quality level, thanks also to the precious suggestions of his father Francesco, an expert in this field. The experimentation and collaboration with architects and designers have been for Nicola and for the firm of primary importance and have lead to the production of items of great value. Nicola Moretti participated in two editions of “Premio Murano" with excellent results, and in the international exhibitions “Venezia Aperto Vetro" in collaboration with designers Alfredo Chiaramonte, Marco Marin and Franco Deboni.
He exhibited at Fondazione Bevilacqua la Masa, Rossella Junk Gallery, Muranese Gallery in Paris, where he did a personal and where he exhibits now some of his works.
He worked for the Aosta museum creating a reproduction of a romanic object and his works are exhibited at the Murano Glass Museum in the contemporary glass sector.
He collaborates as glass fusing teacher with the Abate Zanetti Glass School.




RAFFAELE MORETTI

Born in Murano in 1956. His father works glass all along and he starts very early working glass as apprentice in a hotshop. Later on, under an expert craftsman, he starts learning the lampworking technique and creating his own works. With the passing of time his style becomes more personal and progressively characterized by the movement and the plasticity of figures.
Thanks to his personal creativity he has been invited as guest in some national tv shows.
The value and the quality of his products are the result of many years of experience, always combined with creativity and fantasy.




DAVIDE PENSO

Born in Venice in 1965 and resident in Murano, he is specialized in lampworked artistic beads, both through a personal way and in collaboration with Kristina Logan. He has been teaching since 2000 mainly at the Abate Zanetti Glass School, besides some performances in Japan and Usa, many personal and collective exhibitions, collaborations in jewellery and custome jewellery design-realization for important marks both in artistic glass production and clothing lines. He is always searching for the potential of the glass medium, pursuing to transmit new field testing to his students.




ANDREA PENZO

Andrea Penzo, born in Murano, lives and works between Venice and Berlin and since 2005 collaborates as a teacher with the Abate Zanetti Glass School. Between 2000 and 2006 he publishes some books and wins several literary prices. In the latest years he has exposed his works in many personal and collective exhibitions in Italy and abroad.
In 2007 he taught at the Pittsburgh Glass Centre in Usa. During the years he did demonstrations all over the world. His glass works are exposed in many private collections, museums and galleries.


TIZIANO ROSSETTO

Born in Venice in 1971 from an ancient family of glassworkers, he started, as a child, playing with glass, succeeding in realizing lampworked little animals already at the age of six. In 1984 he works in a Murano glass factory, honing the lampworking techniques, both solid and blown, by respecting the ancient traditional Murano techniques. In 1996, with his sister, he founds the LAV, of Rossetto Susanna, company oriented to innovative glass jewelry articles, then the Gioielli R.T. – Murano, which has a great international success and the opening of an innovative shop proposing only glass jewelry and glass fashion accessories. In 2001he attends a fusing Miriam Di Fiore’s course at the Venice San Servolo island and later on at the Abate Zanetti Glass School courses on design, artistic design, creativity, history of glass art. He starts teaching, also to his new collaborators. In 2003 he participates to the “Terza mostra del bicchiere", organized by Centro Studio Vetro. In 2005, after a pause, and in 2010 he teaches beginner and advanced lampworking at the Abate Zanetti Glass School. In 2006 he participates to the VII International Designer Competition Trieste Contemporeanea realizing the project of designers Francesca Schaffer, Sayuri Eguchi,Giuseppe Ardu.


ELENA ROSSO

Born in Savona in 1969. After art high school studies she attends a Dorino Bormioli’s course and works as internship at Cenedese Company. She is greatly fascinated by the glass world and she moves to Venice in 1997, where she learns the glassblowing, murrina and roll-up technique. Since 2004 she actively collaborates with the Abate Zanetti Glass School as assistant in courses held by teachers such as Miriam Di Fiore, Kristina Logan, Davide Penso, Livio Serena, Moreno Bardella, Elio Quarisa, Andrea Zilio, Mattia Salvadore and Vittorio Ferro. Since 2008 she is owner of her company that produces handiwork. In 2009 she exhibits in Paris at the Cécile Maquet’s Muranese gallery and at the same time is tutor of a theoretical course in Argentina on Murano glass history and a practical course on beadmaking. Since 2010 she collaborates with the Abate Zanetti Glass School as teacher of fusing and beadmaking.


MATTIA SALVADORE

Born in Venice in 1979, he is a young glass master who lives and works in Murano.
After a short experience of university studies in law, he starts working in his father Davide’s hotshop where he develops a strong interest in glassworking. Determined to expand his knowledge he works also in other hotshops (Venini, Moretti), he collaborates with several artistic studios and realizes works for international artists and designers.
He is currently working full day in his family’s hotshop where, besides a personal artistic production, he participates actively working with his father as assistant at the main international glass schools.


LUCIA SANTINI

Born in Murano in 1960, she belongs to a family that has been working glass for 600 years. She learns how to paint by her paternal grandmother and starts her working career as decorator in several handicraft studios in Murano, specializing in the Venetian glass painting technique and elaborating then personal techniques.
She collaborates with lampworker Lucio Bubacco and with her brother Emilio Santini, she works as teacher at the Corning Studio in New York and in private studios in Usa.
Some of her works are exhibited at the Litvak Gallery in Tel Aviv, Habatat Gallery in Florida, CFM Gallery in New York.




LIVIO SERENA

Born in Murano in 1942, Livio Serena comes from a family involved for centuries with the art of glassblowing. At the beginning of the 16th Century, one of his ancestors invented the retortoli, a filigree technique also known in the 19th Century as zanfirico. His grandfather, Luigi, and his father Ezio, were master glassmakers at the Moretti Ulderico & Company glassworks. In 1956, at the age of 14, Livio Serena joined one of the largest glassworks at the time, Fratelli Toso, where he worked until 1982. Since 1983, he started his collaboration with Anfora, designers and artists of international level, creating incredible glass artworks. He also collaborates constantly with the Glass School Abate Zanetti teaching all levels of glassblowing techniques.


GIANCARLO SIGNORETTO

Born in 1962 in Venice he starts working glass at the age of 14, followed by his brother PINO SIGNORETTO, glass master of world renown, he keeps working in many Venetian glass factories.
1989 He opens his own studio in Murano to express his artistic ideas.
1990 He works in collaboration with the painters Leismuller, De Vittori, Bradley, Licata and Valle.
He exhibits his works, made on Licata and Valle’s drawings, in Paris (Galleria Scremini), then in Milan, Singapore and Amsterdam.
He moves to Detroit invited by the Center of Creative Studies for the tuition of glassworking courses and exhibits its creations.
He makes a “Black Madonna”, personally given as gift to the Pope John-Paul II.
He obtains a Laurea ad Honorem at the College of oprometria in San Giovanni Lupatoto (Padua).
1991 He participates to the Biennale of “Premio Murano” and wins two prizes thanks to the works inspired by Brunori’s drawings. 1992 He decides to move to France searching new experiences and artistic collaborations. He makes glass sculptures out of Krunic’s original works.
1993 He is chosen by the French Ministry of education to give a course on glass art and the awareness at the Eze School.
Inspired by childrens’ drawings, he creates glass works, exhibits and sells them through the fundraising “Art Together” for in-patient leukemic children.
He starts collaborating with Marc Estel.
1994 Artistic collaboration with Tessarolo.
Glass bas relief of the village, exhibited at the Eze municipality.
He makes the doors decoration of a church in Bosnia with the sculptor Dado (ten commandments).
1995 He opens “L’île du tresor” (Treasure Island), place of permanent exposition in Eze. He creates different trophies, among them the Cannes Golden Palm of gastronomy.
1996 Exhibition of his aquarium “Pesci di vetro” at the Oceanographic Museum in the Monaco Principality.
Collaboration with the tennis player Michael Stich in order to create the symbol for his benefit organization in favour of children sick with aids.
Creation of sculptures for painter Cesaretti.
1997 Invited by Cesaretti at “Triangle d’art” in Castillon.
Glass works production for the artists Marc Estel and Eduard Finne.
1998 He makes some glass trophies for the international tennis championship open junior in Cap d’Ail.
Exposition at the gardens of “Chevre d’or” in Eze.
Further participation to “Triangle d’art”.
1999 Trophy for the international tennis junior championship in Cap d’Ail.
Exhibition in Settimo Torinese.
He creates the symbol that he will personally give to the president of the famous Otsuky car brand.
From 2000 to 2002 he collaborates with various designers and artists from all over the world.
In 2002 he comes back to Murano and cooperates with various glass factories among which his famous brother PINO SIGNORETTO’s.
Now he collaborates with the Abate Zanetti Glass School as teacher of all the Murano glass working techniques.




CRISTINA SFRISO

Born in Murano in 1970 she works with glass since 1989.
Specialist in lamworked glass principally in human figurative art.
She participated to many art events among which the “Cheongju International Craft Biennale 2007".
She usually works in her little studio in Murano and realizes projects upon design collaborating also with hotshop masters.


GIULIANO ZENNARO

Giuliano Zennaro was born in Venice in 1967. He descends from two of the most famous Murano families: the Barovier and the Ferro. He starts working in glass factories at the age of 17 at the artisan furnace of Guido Seguso where he learns the basics, useful to his future career. During years he moved to several glass factories in order to learn as much techniques as possible, from the hand-worked open blown glass to the blown glass with mould, from solid to coldworking.
He currently collaborates with Fabio Fornasier for the production of lighting art works, the LU-murano.


ANDREA ZILIO

Andrea Zilio comes to the world of glass making after an experience in furniture restoration. At Anfora glassworks he was apprentice of the masters Giulio Ferro and Luigi Buratto, learning the traditional muranese techniques of glassmaking. He collaborates with various artists: Y. Ohira, R. Mishima, L. De Marchi, C. Bianchin, M. Burato, M. Micheluzzi, MG. Rosin, S. Rubino, E. Babled, M. Anderson. Passionate executor of antique models with an extraordinary refined hand, he has started few years ago in creating pieces based on his own design. His works are the expression of the tradition in a modern style. He has taught at the prestigious Pilcuck Glass School and collaborates constantly with Abate Zanetti Glass School.


GUEST
MOULAYE NIANG

Moulaye Niang was born in Dakar, Senegal.
He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Paris and he approached the glass world in 2001 when he moved to Venice where he attended the Abate Zanetti Glass School.
He collaborated with big masters like Davide Salvadore, Pino Signoretto and Afro Celotto and he had Egidio Costantini as mentor.
He has been collaborating with the Scuola Media Statale Morosini and with the University of Venice, Ca’ Foscari, by participating to workshops and apprenticeships.
Moulaye Niang exhibited his works in various galleries in Naples, Milan, Vipiteno, Venice and in other Italian cities and abroad. Among his most important exhibitions:
  • Mostra Internazionale del Vetro, Venice, 2005 at the Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti;
  • exhibition at Arthus-Bertrand, Saint-Germain-des-PrĂ©s, Paris.
The main aim of Moulaye Niang is transmitting the colours and the atmosphere of Africa by his lampworked beads: the lampworked bead technique is all along well known in Murano, however he tries to find a way to distinguish his works also from the technique, not only from the colours.
He tries to remove the shine from the majority of his beads: in fact they are put inside the hydrofluoric acid, attacking the glass surface and giving them opacity. Regarding decorations, he usually mixes the Murano technique (used for external decoration) with the American technique (used for internal decoration) and then he submerges them into crystal. His real inspiration is, however, Africa, where as well beads are made, but by recycled glass as in the continent there are no glass factories.
In Moulaye’s jewelry, beads are assembled with wood and bamboo, never with material such as ebony and ivory: for him the respect of nature is important and he does not want to use anything that may destroy it.


FIONA RENNIE SCHWIETERS

Fiona Rennie Schwieters
b. 1961 Wanganui, New Zealand
BVA 1996, sculpture, AUT, Auckland

Fiona became a glass sculptor through a trip to Italy in 2000. She had been carving and sculpting for ten years and wanted to carve marble in Pietra Santa, which she did. Inspired by the bronze works made and exhibited in the village she returned to New Zealand to learn more about lost wax technique.
She did a course with David Reid at the Studio Gallery in glass casting in 2001, which led to sharing the studio with Sam Ireland and Greg Smith. This allowed her to bring her creative talents in many disciplines to the medium of glass.
Her continuing experimentation and willingness to push the boundaries of normal considered practice mark her as an originator.
Fiona set up her studio in 2005 and learnt flame-work from Peter Viesnik.
She has developed unique processes to combine lamp-worked and cast glass elements, producing interesting and innovative work. Fiona takes her inspiration from the lush abundance of nature, the indigenous culture of Aotearoa New Zealand, from original mythologies and narratives.

The excitement is in the concept, then the colour mixing, add the alchemy of heat, releasing the glass form from the refractory and polishing the surface to colour and light. Working with locally made Gaffer Glass offers a range of options.

In 2010 Fiona returned to Italy, this time to pursue the seductive beauty of glass and its history on Murano Island. She met Elena Rosso and the team at Abate Zanetti. Fiona is an inspiring teacher and is keen to combine her skills and knowledge to offer a workshop in lost wax glass casting, to share these ancient yet timeless techniques.




MONIQUE SWINKELS
MONIQUE SWINKELS

Monique Swinkels’ passion for flame working started in 2004, after attending a workshop “glass bead creation" from glass artist Jan-Hein van Stiphout at studio Stipglas. She started with the creation of glass beads, often containing designs of flowers, and used them in her homemade necklaces and bracelets. She refined her technique and learned to work off-mandrel at workshops from Julie Anne Denton. In this period she creates glass sculptures like the dancing red ladies and the ivory elves.
Lately, Monique started to learn the art of glass blowing. With tubes from boro and soft glass, she creates hollow beads. Monique teaches in several flamework techniques in a glass-studio in Eindhoven the Netherlands and in here glass-studio in Hilvarenbeek (the Netherlands).
Besides her work with glass, Monique also is a certified instructor for working with silver clay. With her knowledge of glass and silver clay, Monique creates new pieces of glass jewellery like her hollow glass beads with silver finishing. Experimenting with new techniques resulted in her window beads, where the core of the bead is made visible by polishing and grinding the beads’ surface.
Through the years, Monique has developed her own style. Her figurative glass art is sophisticated and elegant. Sources of inspiration are nature and printed materials.
Her work has been exhibited on various occasions, like the annual Glass Art Fair in Leerdam, the GlasExpo in Horn, and is displayed in the gallerie KUNSTWERK! in Germany-Hamburg also in multiple galleries in the Netherlands.


MATTHEW URBAN

Matthew Urban began his studies at Philadelphia College of Art and Design as an industrial design major. Interested in modern design, Matthew then became interested in the history of glass designed in Italy from the 1930-1960. In 1997 Matthew took a course at the Studio at Corning with Maestro Gianni Toso which inspired him pursue a career in glass. Since that time Matthew has studied in Italy and worked with numerous Italian glass Maestros. Matthew has been an artist in residence at The Studio at Corning and works with Corning Museum of Glass as a gaffer for the museum’s “Glass Lab" design projects. Matthew has worked with Robert Rauschenberg, Thomas Stearns, Peter Shelton, Massimo Vignelli, William Christenberry, Carmen Lozar and numerous other artist and designers. Matthew was awarded his masters degree in sculpture 2007 from Illinois State University. He currently owns and operates a hot shop in Normal Illinois . His work is in the permanent collection at the Museum of Art and Design New York.


»   www.urbansglass.com







The hotshop of the School is equipped in order to develop all the typical Murano techniques like glassblowing and solid working

TUTORS
IGOR BALBI
MAURO BONAVENTURA
PAOLO CENEDESE
SIMONE CENEDESE
RUGGERO COSTANTIN
MASSIMO DAISSE'
VALERIA DORDIT
VITTORIO FERRO
MARCO FRANZATO
FLAVIO FUGA
NICOLA MORETTI
RAFFAELE MORETTI
DAVIDE PENSO
ANDREA PENZO
TIZIANO ROSSETTO
ELENA ROSSO
MATTIA SALVADORE
LUCIA SANTINI
LIVIO SERENA
GIANCARLO SIGNORETTO
CRISTINA SFRISO
GIULIANO ZENNARO
ANDREA ZILIO


GUEST
MOULAYE NIANG
FIONA RENNIE SCHWIETERS
MONIQUE SWINKELS
MATTHEW URBAN