David was introduced into the world of glass while studying Marine Biology at the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne Florida. While between jobs he just happened to meet a man named Robert Mickelsen who was looking for an assistant. David was always musical although he had no formal art training, however he figured he’d give it a shot. He and Mickelsen hit it off from the start. For the next three and a half years David worked and studied under Mickelsen perfecting his skills and trying to expunge as much of the master Lampworker’s twenty-five years of experience as he could. David and Robert really worked well together both shared a passion for expression and a love for the sea. Since neither of them had a formal background in art they were free to approach the glass medium from any angle they wished never being afraid to experiment and try new things. David often accredits Robert for giving him the courage to fully attack the medium while still maintaining the highest level of quality and workmanship. Even though the two made a great team all good things come to an end and it was time for David to enter the art world on his own, so he left Mickelsen Studios and headed for St. Petersburg Florida where he founded The Barefoot Glassworks. Later he merged with Glass Funk to form Zen Glass Inc, the Tampa Bay area’s premier lampworking studio and gallery. David also actively teaches and instructs privately and at local facilities like Eckard College and the Art Center He is always eager to bring the medium to others just as it was given to him.
David’s work is filled with expressions of emotion, life, humor, and politics often drawing in elements from his studies of the ocean and the biological world. With a love of experimentation and expression David truly seeks to stretch the boundaries of the Lampworked borosilicate medium to the breaking point and beyond.
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