Glass Artist Bio:
Karen Robbins

Karen Robbins is a University of California film graduate. She began her college studies in 1984 at the University of Massachusetts where she spent two years studying technical theater production before transferring to the University of California to pursue a career in film and video production. After graduating from UCSC in 1988, Karen worked for a few years in the San Francisco Bay Area in the video production industry. She became interested in hot glass when she met Dana at San Jose State in 1990. She saw him blowing at the hot shop and immediately wanted to capture the process on video.

So intrigued by the art form, Karen decided to learn how to blow glass. In the summer of 1995 she worked as a staff member for two sessions at Pilchuck Glass School, where she had a chance on weekends to blow glass in the hot shop. The six week adventure at Pilchuck changed her life.

After more than 14 years living and working at the Robbins Ranch, Dana has trained Karen to work with him as skilled hot shop assistant. She contributes to the design process by selecting colors, and laying out shapes for their artwork. In addition, she manages the marketing, customer service and business while Dana handles both the creative and technical side of running a hot glass studio.