Glassation blows up in Denver

Denver is the nation's capital for the glass-art community, says Mandy Davis, Founder of online glass-art community and market Glassation. The site offers all manner of glass art from fused and painted glass to blown glass and smoke ware. "Basically we're the Amazon of glass art," Davis says.

Davis launched the site around four years ago as a social network for the glass art community, she says. At the time she was studying at University of Tampa. She met Zen Glass Studio owner Josh Poll who mentored her. Afterward she moved to Colorado because of the glass-art scene here. "Our followers and our fans are mostly in Colorado so it made sense for us to relocate here," she says. "So right now we're just focusing on making with the local glass community in Colorado, particularly Denver."

Glassation offers artists' works and also works with equipment suppliers to provide for glass artists' needs, according to Davis. Since the site began as a social network for the glass art community about four years ago, it has morphed into what it is today, incorporating the marketplace for artists -- which launched this January -- and other features such as blogs, she says.

The artists offering pieces on the site are from across the U.S., the U.K. and Israel. "To be on the website, [artists] must apply with their artist's statement as well as four quality photos," she says.

Currently Glassation is an online-only endeavor, but Davis has considered opening up a retail location. "We have been playing around with that idea for a while...but right now it's completely online," she says. "We also have a catalog and our fall catalog will come out soon."

Contact Confluence Denver Innovation & Jobs News Editor Chris Meehan with tips and leads for future stories at chris@confluence-denver.com.