Jessica Schimpf
Glassblower / Owner
Mantra Glass Art
Denver, CO USA
“The best experiences I've ever had have been those leaps of faith where I decided, 'Screw it, I'm just gonna go for it.”
Videos
By Roadtrip NationJessica Schimpf
Milestones
My road in life has been direct.
Went to school for welding and design, says at the time, welding was "everything" to her.
At age 22, joined the world's biggest welding design studio, where she was the only female.
Realized that she was unhappy making someone else's work, getting sick from welding fumes everyday.
Decided she had to drop everything and start over; moved to Colorado for a while, explored the U.S.
Found glassblowing during her senior year of college and fell in love.
When starting her business, she made it a point to create her own brand as a unique, tattooed female artist, making sustainable glass.
Says she's learned the value of being honest and open; people respond positively when she shows her personality in her work.
Has respect for her craft-glassblowing is a dangerous, and your work can easily shatter, but if you put positive energy into it, it turns out well.
Keep following my journey
Education
High School
Career
Glassblower / Owner
I create art and glassworks that promote sustainable design, organic plants and horticultural methods.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Art
Entrepreneurship
Being Creative
Hurdles
Challenges I Overcame
Other
Interviewed By
Make it Your Own
The road-trippers try their hand at spinning molten glass with glassblower Jessica Schimpf. The world isn't looking for you, she says, you have to go out and find it--she left a big-time welding gig to follow her dreams. In Texas, the team interviews Austonites on the street and goes for beignets and palm readings in New Orleans before hitting crowd-powered T-shirt purveyor Threadless in Chicago.
