Behind the Booth: The Story of Our Youngest Team Member

In my last blog, I talked about our glass; this time, I want to talk about the company behind it, or more specifically, one very important member of it. Many of you already know the story of how Sage got into glassblowing, especially if you’ve seen us at craft shows, the Memorial Art Gallery, or other events around town. If you don’t, keep an eye out; that story is coming in a future post. Today, though, I want to talk about someone else, and to do that, I need to start with a little background.

Sage Studios has always been part of our family, and our family has always been part of Sage Studios. Sage is the glassblower/flameworker, and 90% of what she makes comes straight out of that wonderfully chaotic mind of hers. The other 10% is split between me, our daughter Tess, and our son Wyatt. 

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If you’ve visited us at a craft or art show, you’ve probably met Tess. When she first started doing shows with me, she barely said a word. If you’ve seen us in the past few years, you may have had your ear talked off while she tried to make a sale, or you might have spotted her hiding behind me, happily devouring some food‑truck creation she convinced me to buy. She probably told you how “fire” it was and promoted the truck like she was on commission. Either way, Tess has become a staple of the Sage Studios booth. She’s my partner at shows; she helps me set up, tear down, and stay sane.

​But that’s not where she started. 

She began much younger, sitting at the bench and watching her mom work. Eventually she joined her at the torch, making small shapes and figures, then graduating to more complex pieces: gummy bears, worms, ornaments, vessels. She brought talent, yes, but also her own brand of creativity.

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Then came her sophomore year of high school, and a pottery class that changed everything. I won’t pretend Sage wasn’t a little disappointed, but the artist and parent in both of us was thrilled to see her passion for clay take off. And she didn’t just learn pottery; she reshaped the clay culture at her school.
She built a pottery club from the bottom up, even when the administration didn’t support the idea, writing to hundreds of companies, artists, and galleries asking for donations. She secured contributions of materials, guest speakers, and even field trips. She hosted informational meetings and wheel demonstrations, and created a club the principal couldn’t ignore.

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In her senior year, she was invited to speak in front of more than 500 teachers, staff, and local business leaders about how she built, from scratch, the most popular club the school had seen in years. The little girl who once couldn’t bring herself to speak to a customer at a craft show stepped up and addressed an entire auditorium of adults. She didn’t just become an artist; she became a leader, a teacher, and an all‑around remarkable human being.​

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Her drive didn’t stop there. As a junior, she spent Tuesday afternoons volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters. As a senior, she found a way to help people closer to her heart, people like her brother and friends on the autism spectrum. She joined Best Buddies, took part in a Care PE class, and helped with her school’s Special Olympics team.

​This past June, she graduated from high school. She wasn’t in the top 10 or even the top 20, but she had excellent grades, was a great student, and an even better person. Which made today harder: we dropped her off at her new home for the next four-plus years - college.  
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We are super proud of Tess and will miss her around the shop. I’ll especially miss her standing next to me, chomping on a street taco or a Nutella‑filled crepe she made me overpay for while she tries to sell just one more glass gummy bear necklace.

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We know she’s going to do great in college, and after that, when she becomes an elementary school art teacher.
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So that’s Tess, our young glass apprentice turned ceramic artist. Stay tuned for my next blog

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