Skip to content
Hannah Nicholson & Alana van Altena
Nicholson van Altena Glass
"Deeply influenced by our surroundings in Northern California, we focus on developing work with a natural flow. By layering colors and building textures, we seek to create forms that awaken the sense of awe and beauty one encounters when immersed in the natural world."
Hannah Nicholson and Alana van Altena are second-generation glass artists located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Growing from close childhood friends to professional partners, the two women have developed unique collaborations that reflect their mutual love for the natural forms and sweeping landscape of the Californian wilderness.
In their work, they focus on combining techniques such as hot sculpting, glassblowing, and cold working. The resulting pieces display a balance of organic movement and attention to detail.
Hannah and Alana graduated from University of California, Santa Cruz with degrees in art and anthropology, respectively. Both completed five-year internships under Rick and Janet Nicholson of Nicholson Blown Glass. In 2013, Alana attended an immersion class at The Crucible, an industrial arts school in Oakland, and in the fall of 2017, Hannah and Alana participated in workshops with renowned artist Karen Willenbrink-Johnsen.
Hannah Nicholson and Alana van Altena are second-generation glass artists located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. Growing from close childhood friends to professional partners, the two women have developed unique collaborations that reflect their mutual love for the natural forms and sweeping landscape of the Californian wilderness.
In their work, they focus on combining techniques such as hot sculpting, glassblowing, and cold working. The resulting pieces display a balance of organic movement and attention to detail.
Hannah and Alana graduated from University of California, Santa Cruz with degrees in art and anthropology, respectively. Both completed five-year internships under Rick and Janet Nicholson of Nicholson Blown Glass. In 2013, Alana attended an immersion class at The Crucible, an industrial arts school in Oakland, and in the fall of 2017, Hannah and Alana participated in workshops with renowned artist Karen Willenbrink-Johnsen.
