Today we’d like to introduce you to Manda Barnes.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
“I’ve loved art for as long as I can remember — drawing, photography, all of it. But glass blowing wasn’t even on my radar until I got to the College for Creative Studies in Detroit back in 2008. I actually started out studying Graphic Design. Then I took this extracurricular glass blowing class, almost on a whim, and it completely changed everything for me. I fell in love with the techniques, the material, the whole process — and I switched majors right then and there.
After school, I worked for studios all over Texas and Michigan, teaching classes and selling my own pieces along the way. Eventually I knew I was ready to do my own thing, so I started my own label, Athena Glasswork.
Now I sell my designs online and at local artisan markets, and I also take on custom commissions — that’s actually one of my favorite parts, working with someone to bring their own idea to life in glass.”
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
There have definitely been some struggles. Glass blowing is not a cheap field to get into — the equipment, the studio space, all of it adds up fast. For a long time I worked at other people’s shops just to have access to glass at all.
It didn’t really hit me until after my son was born in 2020 — which, we all know, was a pretty crazy year — that I wanted more than just working for someone else. So for a while I was working full time wherever I could, and then renting time at Lost Pine Art Center in Bastrop, Texas, for about three hours a week, which was all I could afford.
Honestly, I still use Lost Pine as my home base today, while I work toward being able to build out my own shop.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’ve been blowing glass since 2009, back in college. But honestly, it took me until the last couple of years to really find my style in this lost art form. A lot of what drives my patterns comes from my love of bright color and nature — and, oh gosh, even the struggle of trying to be a full-time artist while being a mother. My struggle with depression and anxiety feeds into a lot of that work too. You’ll also see my goofier side come through in my Plant Friends series.
The project I’m most proud of to date is working with Five Stone Artisan Brewery in New Braunfels, making their lifetime member glasses — and PS, check them out, they have amazing beer!
As an artist, I’m always up for trying new projects, whether it’s in my wheelhouse or not.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I don’t know if luck has anything to do with it. Honestly just been trying to fill my life with good wholesome people. I won’t be where I’m at if I did have the people around me.
Pricing:
- pricing range from $35 dollars and up
- my custom art are base on the project itself
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Athenaglasswork.com
- Instagram: @Athena_glasswork
- Facebook: Athena Glasswork
