SkLO founders Pavel Hanousek, Karen Gilbert and Paul Pavlak bring their background in jewelry and architecture to glasswares of intermediate scale: handmade housewares that range from formal to functional. Pavlak noted that Czech techniques are significantly different from those of, say, their Italian counterparts from Venice, and as a result, the bulbous forms have a remarkable clarity for glass objects of such size and scale. (Hanousek is the man on the ground in the Czech Republic; Gilbert and Pavlak hold down the fort in Northen California.)The heart of our work is Czech glass, drawing on hundreds of years of tradition and experience. Our designs strive to highlight what is inimitable and unique about Czech glass: Scale (the ability to blow large forms with great precision), clarity of glass, perfect depth of color, and the Czech cutting and polishing abilities. Working directly with glassmasters in the Czech Republic, we are proud that our work is rooted in a craft tradition: Where our products are made and who makes them are an important part of the design process and the quality of the end product, rather than a bottom line.

Our design philosophy is rooted in materiality and process. Highlighting process plays a critical role in the designs of SkLO—revealing the unseen beauty of the material and the way things are made, resulting in details and subtleties that make each piece unique.

"Wrap" sculptures

The lighting collection, below, is the newest addition to their product line, originally inspired by the "Hold" vessel (above), which they've repurposed as a sconce. In fact, many of the tabletop objects—from the "Wrap" (above) to the "Lasso" (after the jump)—are available as pendants.

L to R: "Petal," "Brace" and "Float" pendants

"Catch" vessels

"Float" vessels

As with many ICFF exhibitors, SkLO fell victim to the poor lighting conditions, so you'll have to trust my judgment that 'exquisite' is perhaps the most accurate descriptor for the pieces on display.

Seeing as even the press photos fail to capture the remarkable clarity of the glass, I'd recommend seeing SkLO in person at upcoming shows in Dallas and Atlanta if you can.

Detail of "Lasso"