Meet Lisa Renée Falk | Artist, teacher, studio owner

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lisa Renée Falk and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lisa Renée, have you ever found yourself in a spot where you had to decide whether to give up or keep going? How did you make the choice?
I remember the day I found my storefront/studio space April 2019. It was everything I had imagined: an art gallery space to display my wearable dresses, ample space for a worktable, room for my kilns, private bathroom, and a loft. Best of all, it was already wired with 220 electricity. Manifestation at its best. However, the little voice popped into my head, you know the one that throws doubt on excitement. I drove away knowing that it was the space for me, but I was unsure I could make it work.

I have a good friend who started her own business, and I called her right away. Her advice to me was, “If you don’t try, you will never know if you could have done it, and you know that you can.” It was the best advice. I am glad that I went out on a limb and started glasshead studio.

I had recently relocated from the Bay Area to this small town of Atascadero a few months before, not really knowing anyone. What I found out when I started my business is that this small town community takes care of their own. I immediately felt supported and welcomed. I joined the Chamber of Commerce and advertised in the local magazines to post my events and gain exposure.

Then everything changed on March 13, 2020. Lockdown, no in-person classes. How am I going to pay rent? As I meditated, I heard the words, “The Universe wants to see you trying.” Ok,…so now what? I remembered that I had this idea to make To-Go Mosaic Kits with everything you need to make your own mosaic at home. Eureka! That is how I kept my customers engaged and had some income flowing. I posted the kits on social media, and they were shared. The community came together and bought the kits. I was able to pay the rent. The local news station KSBY did a segment on my studio, part of the “We’re Open” series of their broadcast. I also applied for the government and state programs offering assistance to small businesses. All of this effort is what kept me afloat during the pandemic. I truly appreciated the support of my friends, family, and community.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our
community?
Glass has captured my fascination since childhood. I remember the way the sunlight
shone through the crystals on our chandelier, and cast rainbows that danced on our
dining room walls. Those prisms of light were magical to me.
I attended San Jose State University and learned how to blow glass, as well as
exploring other class offerings in the Art Department. While I was enrolled in the
glass classes, I was also learning how to weave and dye fabric in the Textile
Department. It was during this time that I came up with the fused glass fabric
technique that I use in my wearable art pieces.
I have had the opportunity to participate in a few of the Glass Fashion Shows at the
Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, New York. The experience of creating a
wearable piece of art and modeling it during the annual Glass Art Society
Conferences has fueled my imagination. I enjoy incorporating various mediums and
different textures to create my wearable pins, dresses, tops, skirts, and purses. Fiber
glass screen, bird netting, fruit and veggie net bags, yarn, natural dyed wool,
feathers, wire, beads, fused and cast glass are the elements of my designs.

After graduating from San Jose State University, my fellow classmate and I decided to establish a glass fusing studio in downtown San Jose. We hosted classes and teambuilding events for the various tech companies in our area. I wanted to create that similar type of studio in my new location with glasshead studio offering classes.

When I am not teaching classes, I find myself experimenting with new ideas. My
journal and sketchbook are the fertile soil for the seeds of my ideas to grow. That same childhood fascination compels me to explore glass and all of its possibilities.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?

When friends come to visit, I take them to see Morro Bay. It is a quaint fishing town with just the right amount of shops and restaurants. The beaches are full of sand dollars and interesting rocks. I take my dog to the Dog Beach near Cayucos — always a happy day.

Another perk to living on the Central Coast is the variety of wineries. It is really hard to find a bad glass of wine here. Atascadero has several wine bars that offer a wonderful selection of wines, as well as many local breweries. There are several new restaurants that are elevating the dining experience here in town.

San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles are just a 20 minute drive in either direction. The Farmers Market in SLO on Thursday evenings offers a wide variety of local fruit, veggies and flowers. There are food and craft vendors, and musicians to add a special ambiance to the experience. Visit SLOMOA for a taste of well-curated artwork.

Paso Robles has a wide variety of wineries and restaurants. I still need to explore all of them.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?

All my family, friends, students, and clients who have come to my studio to take a class, purchase some artwork, referred me to their friends, and attended my events. It is because of their support that glasshead studio.

Website: www.glassheadstudio.com

Instagram: @glasshead_studio

Facebook: glasshead studio

Image Credits
Patrick Patton Photography