KIRCHMAN GALLERY
SPECIALIZES IN CONTEMPORARY FINE ART
photography, painting, drawing and sculpture.

Peter Mangan: ARTIST'S BIOGRAPHY continued

Art has always been an important part of my life. This interest was fostered and encouraged by my mother who is also an artist.  I attended one of the first arts magnet high schools (Skyline) in Dallas, TX.   I continued studying art through college, receiving my BFA from UT Austin in 1978. 

My first exposure to working with glass was a job at John Kebrle Studio in Dallas.  This was followed by working with Susan Stinsmuehlen at Renaissance Glass in Austin, TX.  Through Susan, I was able to assist her at the Pilchuck Glass School in Oregon in 1982 and 1983. 

A move to San Francisco in 1979 expanded my artistic awareness.  I worked in various glass studios in the Bay Area for eight years.  At that point I decided to attend graduate school at San Jose State University.  I received my MFA in 1987. 

For the last twenty years I have been a self-employed artist.   My artwork has been shown and collected in the United States and internationally.   When I look back on pivotal experiences, certain events come to mind such as:  my apprenticeship at Bullseye Glass Company in Portland, OR, 1983;  being a Visiting Artist at the New York Experimental Glass Center, 1988; and traveling around the world in 1996.

Since 1998, I have had two studios, one in San Francisco, CA and the other in Blanco, TX, in the heart of the Hill Country.  The chance to live and work in two locations has shaken things up and allowed new ideas to generate.

I enjoy creating artwork.  This exploration has ventured into areas such as: color, natural materials, representation, abstraction, functionality, symbols and aesthetic beauty.  I have tried to find and develop an original voice.  This is an ongoing process that invigorates and sustains my life.  As my experiences broaden with age, travel, and continued learning, I look forward to seeing what new artistic developments will follow.