The book is made up of three parts. The first consists of three essays by scholar-artists that consider the recent history of craft; the relationships among craft, design, and art; and the many facets of beauty. Section two presents a retrospective on the 50-year career of internationally acclaimed artist Paul J. Stankard. The third provides overviews of the careers of twelve contemporary glass artists. Collectively, the reader is presented with insightful perspectives on the aspirations, strategies, challenges, and accomplishments of a representative sample of internationally respected flameworking artists.