John Keppeler
I was born in Waimea, Hawaii. Graduated from University of California, Davis, with a degree in Viticulture & Enology and Agricultural Economics. I studied glass at the Oberlin Glass Coop in Portland, Oregon.
Growing up in Hawaii, much of my life was centered around the water. Be it riding waves on a beach, racing in the pool at the Olympic Trials, or competing in an Open Water race from Lanai to Maui or from Alcatraz to San Francisco, my love is the water. Which has lead me to my true passion, Glass.
While competing for the United States Swim Team in Monte Carlo, our team took a side trip to Biot, France, where I was introduced to glass and glass blowing. There I saw glass artists creating pieces of art from molten glass. I was hooked! Focusing this enthusiasm, I began enrolling myself in classes. I read books on the subject, spoke with artists, and attended workshops. Glass, like so many things, is a work in progress and one never stops learning.
Fused glass has a lot more movement to it than we think. In this collection, I want to challenge people to see fused glass differently. I want people to see that it’s alive!
As my curiosity about the nature of glass grows, so to does my art.