Hanson and Kastles
PAC In Conversation with Ken and Ingrid Hanson
Ken and Ingrid Hanson are a San Carlos husband and wife glass blowing team who have been working collaboratively for 17 years. Their company is Hanson and Kastles and together they create hand blown art glass that is both unique and contemporary. Hanson and Kastles are the featured artists in this year’s 16th Annual Great Glass Pumpkin Patch event featuring thousands of one-of-a-kind, hand-blown glass pumpkins crafted by more than 30 artisans, as well as torchworking demonstrations and opportunities to learn about the glass-blowing process from the artists themselves. The event is held Sept 27-30 at Rinconda Park in Palo Alto with the sale on October 1 & 2.
PAC: What sparked your interest in glassblowing as an art medium you wished to explore?
K&I: We both became interested in Glass blowing in college and San Francisco State University. (Note: These two are quite the slackers. Between them they hold five bachelor’s degrees from San Francisco State University. Ken has two BS degrees, one in computer science/electrical engineering and one in sociology, and a BFA degree in ceramics. Ingrid has a BS degree in sociology and a BFA degree in sculpture/art education. She also has a Dutch Language Certificate of Fluency from the University of Amsterdam!)
PAC: How did you decide to make it your career?
K&I: We loved blowing glass and decided to build our own studio and try to make a career out of it. It worked!
PAC: What aspect of working with glass is most technically challenging?
K&I: Every aspect of glass is challenging, the melting of the glass, the making of the glass, the upkeep of the studio. There is always something new and challenging to work out.
PAC: Can you describe what a typical work week is like for you?
K&I: We typically work 7 days a week. Glass blowing is very time consuming and laborious. We never seem to catch up with our work load. There is always something that needs to be done in the studio.
PAC: What inspires you?
K&I: We are inspired by everything around us. We are inspired by nature, and patterns found in nature. We both love to snorkel and get inspired every time we snorkel and see a new fish or coral.
PAC: Are there other glass blowers that you admire/follow?
K&I: We admire the Italian and Swedish glass Masters.
PAC: Do you have any advice for artists who are just beginning?
K&I: My advice to artists starting out is to be patient and persevere.
PAC: Where is your studio? Is it open to the public?
K&I: Our studio is on Center Street in San Carlos, CA. We are not open to the public.
PAC: Where do you show your work?
K&I: We open our studio to the public only twice a year and have a sale of our work.
PAC: Where is it sold?
K&I: We show and sell our work in galleries and museum shops across the United States, including the Scottsdale Cultural Center and Scottsdale Center for the Arts, both in Arizona, and at the Palo Alto Cultural Center in California.
We also show our work at various art and wine festivals in the United States. Such as the Bellevue Arts Fair in Seattle, http://www.bellevuearts.org/fair/index.html and Park City Art Festival http://www.kimballartcenter.org/ and our work is also sold on several on-line galleries, such as Stylehive
http://www.stylehive.com/bookmark/ken-and-ingrid-hanson-art-glass-5956
PAC: Thank you for sharing your story with our audience.
K&I: Our pleasure.
For More Information on this talented duo, visit:
www.hansonartglass.com
info@hansonartglass.com
Mailing Address:
Ken and Ingrid Hanson
Hanson and Kastles
1045 Center Street
San Carlos, CA 94070
Mark your calendars for the 16th Annual Great Glass Pumpkin Patch event in Palo Alto September 27- October 2nd
Article by Mary Alice Bowie and Julie Fellers, PAC August 2011
