The Ohio Artist Registry (OAR) is an exciting opportunity for artists to share their work, connect with the creative community, and establish an online presence—all on a free, virtual platform! The OAR encourages artists working in all art forms, throughout Ohio and beyond,  to create a profile, which allows them to better promote themselves and their work. Being listed in the OAR provides artists with new opportunities to share their work with clients, galleries, patrons, and audiences. A listing in the OAR does not confer an endorsement, approval, or verification by the Ohio Arts Council.
For more information, contact Kathy Signorino, artist programs director, at kathy.signorino@oac.ohio.gov or 614-728-6140.

2024 Ohio Artist Registry Juried Exhibition

Mike Stevens

Co-Owner Gathered Glassblowing Studio
Home 23 N. Huron
Toledo Ohio 43604 United States Work Phone: 4192625501 Website: Gathered Glassblowing Studio

Bio

Mike was first introduced to hot glass as a high school student taking classes at the Broad Ripple Arts Center, in Indianapolis, IN. He holds a BFA cum laude in Three Dimensional Studies from Bowling Green State University. In 2012 he opened Gathered Glassblowing Studio, in downtown Toledo in with partners Adam Goldberg and Eli Lipman. As a production hot shop Gathered continues the legacy of the “Glass City” as the birthplace of the American Studio Glass Movement. Over the last decade the business has evolved to include large scale public art installation, custom interior fixtures, and community oriented educational opportunities and events. Gathered’s commercial designs are carried by a number of renowned art institutions including the Cincinnati Art Museum, the Corning Museum of Glass and the Museum of Art and Design in NYC. With over 15 site specific installations, the studio promotes glass as a dynamic, evolving media, to a growing national audience. While the works made at Gathered are displayed all over the country, the team emphasizes sustainability through local partnerships and investment in the community and ecology of northwest Ohio.

Artist Statement

I find inspiration in well-crafted functional objects, which invite daily interaction. I’m interested in the intimacy and familiarity we build with vessels, utensils, and fixtures through use. This is reflected in my dedication to mastering traditional craft techniques, which through centuries of refinement have merged the human need for aesthetic pleasure with utilitarian practicality. The items we keep close to ourselves, and the way we curate our domestic spaces, are a reflection of both our needs and our desires. My decorative works are fused with a sense of play. I make improvisational and experimental color choices. The vibrant combinations are heightened through careful attention to the finish of each object.