Nik Christensen:

      “I love watching students who encounter glass for the first time.  It reminds me of the thrill of figuring this material out and how exciting that can be,” says Christensen.  “With glass, you’re always learning something new in an art form that, superficially, seems like it might be a lot of repetition.”

      Christensen started blowing glass in 2001 when he took Doug Auer’s class at Washington University.  What began as an elective class taken with friends has become his passion and life’s work.

      He enjoys the challenge of doing the technique-heavy things such as reticello, switch axis, and murrine work.  “I try to use those techniques in service of some aesthetic goal, they’re also just fun to figure out, and by pushing yourself to do things that are challenging, you are forced to learn at a quick pace.”

      In 2006, he took a Master Class titled “Venetian Technique Meets Scandinavian Design” with Tobias Mohl at the Corning Museum of Glass.  “Tobias has himself taken lessons from Lino Tagliapietra, who is a master of ‘Venetian techniques’ (among other things) but tries to design from a Nordic standpoint with minimal color use, thicker glass than traditional Muranese work, and through some differing methods,” he explains.  “I'd followed his work and liked it. I learned lots by just watching him make the pieces he's known for and comparing how he works to how Sam Stang and Kae Maehata work at their studio in Augusta, MO.” 

      Christensen has been working for Kae and Sam since 2004. “To be able to watch these glassblowers each week, to see all the different techniques they use, and to be able to ask all manner of questions has been crucial to my development as a glassblower.”  He says learning also comes from watching beginning students. “To see all the possible mistakes and fixes over the years has taught me a whole lot about how this material behaves and how to instruct others in working with it.”

      Christensen teaches beginning and advanced classes, including classes through the Washington University College program.

Who We Are:

Jim McKelvey Co-Founder	Doug Auer Co-Founder
Anne Murphy Director of Marketing & Development Cody Meirick Special Events Manager Lisa Volner Gallery Assistant
Instructors:
Mike Hayes	Nik Christensen
Amber Marshall	Ben Klein
Aaron Quigley	Jessica (Cope) Kopitske
Chris Dowdy	Whit Rogers
Shawn Lipe

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