| Michael
and Sonia met at Pescadero State Beach in California during a Raku
Ceramics Festival while they were students at San Francisco State
University. Sonia's studies were in ceramics and psychology and
Michael's were in glass and philosophy. They began collaborating
shortly there after. Their first projects were constructed on a
table in their home, fusing glass in small kilns that doubled as
end tables in their living room.
They moved to the foothills
of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and built a studio on their property.
For their first decade of collaborative work they focused on colorful,
contemporary paperweights in unusual shapes and beaded glass jewelry.
All elements contained in their work, from hand drawn furnace beads
and cane to rondels (plates) are designed and handcrafted by them.
Years later, their first granddaughter,
Haley, would raise her hands above her head to be picked up. Using
this gesture as inspiration Michael created their first figure,
"Joy of Life". Eleven years later, Michael designed their
16th figure for their second granddaughter, Grace. This figure is
called "Grace Under Pressure".
Their glass figures, which are
accompanied with story cards, continue to be given as gifts for
all occasions....from the celebration of a birth, wedding, anniversary,
birthday, retirement, to the acknowledgement of various life changing
events or in gratitude for friendship or help. Many non-profit and
for profit organizations and companies have also purchased their
figures for award or recognition gifts. |
