ABOUT

The Studio

Nikolas Weinstein established his sculpture studio in San Francisco in 1991. His site-specific installations lie at the intersection of art, architecture and the natural world, leveraging new technologies to build works in glass. The sculptures respond sympathetically to the definition of architectural space, and range in scale from small and intimate to very large works.

 

SUPPLEMENTAL LINKS

• Interview with Nikolas About His Work and The Studio [pdf]
• Download a folio of our work [pdf]
• Interview with Nikolas about Art and Technology [pdf]

 

Nikolas Weinstein

Nikolas Weinstein was born in New York City in 1968. His aesthetic derives from a longstanding interest in the natural world. The influence of organic forms in his work dates to a young age, established during internships at The American Museum of Natural History and The Scripps Institution of Oceanography. After graduating college with a degree in comparative literature, he moved to San Francisco, where he briefly worked as an assistant to a prominent graphic designer before founding his studio.

 

Studio Staff

Jack Cackovic studied at Columbia College Chicago, earning a BFA in Fine Arts. In Chicago, he immersed himself in a community of local artists and co-owned a 22-foot mobile art gallery. He also created murals for the City of Chicago, and recently the City of Oakland. During his spare time, he works on independent art projects all while settling into his new home in the Bay Area.

Jennifer Collins earned her BFA at the California College of Arts and Crafts in Glass with an emphasis in casting. Prior to joining the studio she worked as an artist's assistant for artist and professor Clifford Rainey as well as a gallery manager and production manager for an architectural glass company based in the North Bay.

Michael Hall studied Art History and Ceramics at Boston College. He learned to blow glass in his home state of Vermont. With over ten years experience, he is the gaffer (lead glassblower) here at the studio. His digital dexterity is also eagerly applied to his 1966 Mustang and guitar playing. He is a trained farrier.

Matthew Hayes earned his Masters in Architectures in Leeds, England and practiced there before sidestepping into the exhibits industry to work on a host of projects ranging from immersive environments to interactive pieces for museum exhibitions. He was part of a 3-man design team that produced the world's largest fully-animatronic dinosaur show. When not buried deep in a set of drawings at the Studio, Matt's exploring his new home of San Francisco and further afield. 

Dave Johnson trained to be an engineer but has made his living in everything but, including movie special effects, juggling, modelmaking, writing and editing, computer programming, dog training, and electronic design. When he's not figuring out how to fabricate, mount, and light difficult glass installations, he can be found watching the glassblowers.

Adam Kisor has earned Bachelors Degrees in Cognitive Science and Visual Art from UC San Diego. Prior to joining the studio, he worked for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in the Electrochemical Technologies group. In addition to building robots that smell things in spaces he has taught blacksmithing and metal working. 

Alexandra Padilla received her Bachelors of Arts from Sonoma State University. After graduating she hit the ground running and gained skills as a studio manager, in 3D printing, in mill work, and fabricating multi-million dollar fine art stainless steel sculptures for artists like Anish Kapoor. Some of her hobbies include indoor rock climbing and playing her four-string guitar, the ukelele.

Natascha Petersen earned her Bachelors of Science in Industrial Design from San Francisco State University. Prior to joining the studio, she worked with a 3D printer company and also designed small, 3D printed accessories for a backpacking company. During weekends she spends time enternaining guests with her social and bartending skills at a local watering hole.

Kaitlyn Plante received her BA in Anthropology from UC Santa Barbara before deciding to continue her studies in Psychology and Studio Art, specializing in sculpture and immersive environments. Before moving to San Francisco she worked as a tutor in the Ceramics department at Santa Barbara City College. When not at work, Kaitlyn enjoys dancing, hiking, and hunting down the best food the Bay Area has to offer. 

Bill Sistek's degrees in Biology from UC Berkeley, and Fine Arts-Glass from California College of Arts and Crafts, have fueled a wide-ranging career path that has included stints as an environmental chemist, sailmaker, entrepreneur, and glass blower. Before joining the studio, he managed the CCA Glass Studio. His current interests include maintaining and enjoying an antique wooden boat, and racing Wylie Wabbits

Matt Szosz studied at the Rhode Island School of Design, receiving a BFA and a BID in industrial design as well as an MFA is glass. In addition to working on special projects for the studio, he makes art in glass, wood, and metal.

Emily Vassos has a degree in Art History and a degree in Industrial Design from the Rhode Island School of Design. Before joining the studio she was a project coordinator for a firm that developed and designed visitor centers for the National Park Service as well as history museums and cultural centers.

Matt Welsh earned his BA in ceramics from San Francisco State University. But he started blowing glass in high school and has continued for the last twenty years. Displaced from his natural habitat of the Hawaiian tropics, he now finds solace near the furnances and torches here in the chilly fog of the Bay Area. Outside our studio Matt toils away at relating the two disparate and similar media of glass and ceramics. 

 

 

 

 

Nikolas Weinstein Studios in the Press

Glass: The UrbanGlass Art Quarterly
Summer 2017
Boutique Design
November, 2016
Glass Art Society News
Summer 2015
7 x 7 Magazine
November, 2013
Tradeology, the Official Blog of ITA
July 24, 2012
New Glass Review 33, Corning Museum of Glass
March, 2012
Handful of Salt
April 11, 2011
Glass Quarterly Magazine
March 2011
Interior Design Magazine
February 2011
Looking At Glass
January 2011
The GLASS Quarterly Hot Sheet
January 2011
SFGate
August 2010
The Kensetsu Tsushin Shimbun News
July 2010
Prestige Magazine
March 2009
San Francisco Chronicle
November 2008
San Francisco Chronicle
November 2008
"SPARK" - KQED Public Television
April 2003
Glass Processing Days
June 2001
Schott Info
November 2000
New Scientist
November 2000
San Francisco Magazine
February 2000
Wired
February 2000

Nikolas Weinstein Studios in the Press

Glass: The UrbanGlass Art Quarterly
Summer 2017
Boutique Design
November, 2016
Glass Art Society News
Summer 2015
7 x 7 Magazine
November, 2013
Tradeology, the Official Blog of ITA
July 24, 2012
New Glass Review 33, Corning Museum of Glass
March, 2012
Handful of Salt
April 11, 2011
Glass Quarterly Magazine
March 2011
Interior Design Magazine
February 2011
Looking At Glass
January 2011
The GLASS Quarterly Hot Sheet
January 2011
SFGate
August 2010
The Kensetsu Tsushin Shimbun News
July 2010
Prestige Magazine
March 2009
San Francisco Chronicle
November 2008
San Francisco Chronicle
November 2008
"SPARK" - KQED Public Television
April 2003
Glass Processing Days
June 2001
Schott Info
November 2000
New Scientist
November 2000
San Francisco Magazine
February 2000
Wired
February 2000