Meet the Artist

An Up Close Conversation with David Contreras

Over the past several weeks, we’ve shared stories about families, remembrance, and the meaning behind memorial art. Along the way, many of you have told us you’d love to get to know the artist behind the torch a little better.

So today, I thought we’d pull up a couple of chairs in the studio and simply have a conversation.

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The Beginning

Nichol: David, let’s start at the beginning. Before glass was your career, what were you doing?

David: (Laughs.) Most people are surprised when I tell them this, but before glass I was the manager of the Women’s Shoes department at the flagship Nordstrom store in downtown Seattle.

I loved working with people, but I never imagined that one random day would completely change the direction of my life.

Nichol: So… how did glassblowing even enter the picture?

David: Through a friend of coworker at Nordstrom.

They introduced me to a now longtime friend, Eric Anderson. One day I happened to see a video of Eric blowing glass.

I remember standing there watching and thinking…

“I have to try that.”

It wasn’t something I had planned. I just knew.

Eric invited me to Seattle Glassblowing Studio where he worked and encouraged me to come check it out.

When I finally experienced it for myself…

That was it.

I knew instantly that this was what I wanted to spend my life doing.

Nichol: That’s a pretty big decision. Most people don’t just wake up and decide to become a glass artist.

David: (Laughs.) No… and honestly, it was a little crazy.

I went home, paid two years of rent on my downtown Seattle apartment, reduced my living expenses as much as possible, and completely committed myself to learning.

For the next year I worked for anyone who would let me.

Most of the time… for free.

I’d start around seven in the morning and many nights I wouldn’t leave until midnight.

I wasn’t chasing a paycheck.

I was chasing knowledge.

I wanted to learn everything I possibly could.

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Learning the Craft

Nichol: That’s something people don’t often see. They see the finished artwork but not the years that went into learning the craft.

David: Exactly.

Eventually those long days turned into opportunities assisting instructors, working on projects, becoming a teacher’s assistant, and then teaching classes myself.

One substitute class turned into another.

Before I knew it I was teaching Beginner I, Beginner II, Intermediate classes, private lessons, and helping with corporate events.

I did that for nearly seven years.

Nichol: And those weren’t exactly small groups.

David: No, we were fortunate to introduce thousands of people to glassblowing.

Groups from Microsoft, Amazon, Boeing, Nordstrom, McDonald’s, military organizations, celebrities… people from all walks of life.

Watching someone make their very first piece was always rewarding.

Nichol: One thing people probably don’t realize is your first experience wasn’t actually with borosilicate glass.

David: That’s right.

I started in traditional soft glass in the hot shop.

It wasn’t until I opened my own business and started creating work for my store at Pike Place Market that I really immersed myself in borosilicate lampworking.

That became my primary medium and still is today.

Both styles taught me different things and I’m grateful I learned both.

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A New Chapter

Nichol: Then came Pike Place Market.

David: That was an incredible chapter.

I spent seventeen years creating glass for my storefront at Seattle’s Pike Place Market, which if you didn’t know is America’s longest continuously operating public market.

People from all over the world walked through those doors.

Then COVID happened.

Like so many small businesses, everything changed almost overnight.

When the market closed, I had to completely rethink my business.

That season led me to focus entirely on cremation memorial glass.

Looking back now…

I honestly feel like that’s where I was always meant to be.

Glass has taken on an entirely different meaning for me.

Knowing that I’m helping someone continue their relationship with the person they love…

That just hits differently.

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More Than Art

Nichol: That’s an incredible journey. But today, your work is very different from where it all began. I don’t think people realize the emotion involved in what you do now. What’s going through your mind when you first receive a family’s cremated remains?

David: The first thing I feel is sympathy.

Then understanding.

Then responsibility.

Families are trusting me with someone they love.

That’s never something I take lightly.

I’ve always been pretty intuitive.

Sometimes I genuinely feel the presence… or the essence… of the person or even the pet I’m memorializing.

It’s difficult to explain.

There’s definitely a heaviness because you understand why they’ve come to you.

But there’s also gratitude.

Gratitude that they chose me to be part of their family’s story.

Nichol: Do you ever get nervous?

David: Not nervous.

Respectful, always.

Challenged sometimes.

Every family deserves my very best.

That’s a responsibility I welcome.

Nichol: Do you remember your very first memorial piece?

David: Absolutely.

It wasn’t for a client.

It was for you.

After your father passed away, I made a Heaven Opal marble and a matching pendant.

Until then, I had been making artwork.

That was the first time I realized I could help someone heal.

Memorial glass wasn’t simply artwork anymore.

It became part of someone’s healing journey.

Nichol: What’s something people assume about your job that’s completely wrong?

David: (Laughs.)

That I’m going to burn the building down.

People hear “glassblowing” and immediately picture danger.

The reality is, like any skilled trade, when you follow proper safety protocols it is very safe.

The torch deserves respect.

Not fear.

Nichol: What’s your favorite part of creating a memorial?

David: Seeing the finished piece.

That’s the moment everything comes together.

The family’s vision.

Their story.

The craftsmanship.

There’s something really special about holding that completed piece knowing what it represents.

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Getting to Know David

Nichol: Tell everyone something they probably don’t know about you.

David: Well…

Fun fact, I’m actually a direct descendant of General William Tecumseh Sherman.

My late grandfather was Breakman Bill, a beloved children’s television host throughout the Pacific Northwest and a two-time Emmy Award winner. He spent years making generations of children smile, so I guess creativity and storytelling run in the family. He was someone I greatly admired

One thing I’m especially excited about is that later this year I’ll be one of the featured artists in Contemporary Marbles: Art and Artisans of the 21st Century.

The book is being written by Mark P. Block, one of the foremost authorities on American studio art glass and contemporary marbles. He’s a respected author, historian, collector, and serves as Vice Chair of the Marble Collectors Society of America.

To be recognized by someone who’s spent decades documenting the history and evolution of contemporary marbles, and to be included alongside so many incredibly talented artists, is truly humbling. It’s an honor I never take for granted, and something I’m incredibly grateful for.

Nichol: So when you’re not making glass… what are you doing?

David: Looking for rocks.

(Laughs.)

Seriously.

I love rockhounding, mineral collecting, lapidary work, and just being outdoors.

There’s something about finding beauty in nature that’s always fascinated me.

I’m also a sucker for rare baseball cards.

But honestly…

My favorite way to spend time is simply being with my family.

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Studio Extras

Nichol: Before we wrap up, I have a few more questions…

Favorite place you’ve ever rockhounded?

David: Honestly… probably in my dreams. (Laughs.) I’ve had dreams where I find incredible specimens, and every now and then I’ll be out in nature and suddenly remember one of those dreams. Sometimes it actually leads me to a hidden little honey hole. If I had to pick a real place, though, it would be the rivers of Washington State. You never know what the water has uncovered.

Nichol: If you could spend one day with any artist, living or gone, who would it be?

David: Christian Riese Lassen. I’ve always admired the way he captures light, color, and the beauty of nature.

Nichol: What’s always playing in the studio: music, podcasts, or silence?

David: All of the above. It really depends on the day. Sometimes it’s music. Sometimes it’s a podcast. And sometimes the best soundtrack is just the sound of the torch.

Nichol: What’s one tool in the studio you couldn’t live without?

David: My diamond shears. They’re one of those tools that become an extension of your hands after enough years behind the torch.

Nichol: What’s one piece you’ve made that you’ll never forget?

David: The work I’m not allowed to talk about. (Laughs.)

Honestly, I’ve created so many pieces over the years that it’s hard to choose just one. I may not remember every piece while I’m making it, but the moment I see it again, I know it’s mine. Every piece carries a little bit of the journey that created it.

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One Last Question

Nichol: I’ll leave you with one last question.

After more than two decades behind the torch, what keeps you inspired? And if someone reading this remembers only one thing about you, what would you hope it is?

David: The families.

Knowing I’m helping someone preserve a memory, continue a relationship, and honor someone they love… that’s an incredible privilege.

Glass has taken on a completely different meaning for me than I ever imagined it would.

It isn’t just about creating something beautiful anymore.

It’s about helping someone continue their relationship with the person they love.

When I receive a family’s cremated remains, I don’t see ashes.

I see someone’s mom.

Someone’s dad.

A husband.

A wife.

A son or daughter.

A best friend.

A beloved pet.

I treat every memorial with the same care, respect, and attention that I would want for my own family, because I know how much trust is being placed in my hands.

That trust is something I never take lightly.

If people remember one thing about me, I hope it’s that.

Not just that I make glass…

But that I genuinely care about every story behind it.

That’s something I’ll never take for granted.