Tom Philabaum began studying the art of glassblowing at the University of Wisconsin in 1971, where he earned an MA in 1973. After coming to
Arizona in 1975, he built his first glass studio in Tucson, and in 1983, earned an MFA from he University of Arizona.
His glass studio has been a landmark in the Tucson art scene for 30 years, creating utilitarian, sculptural, and architectural works in a tradition that dates back thousands of years.