CALIFORNIAGLASSSTUDIO “The artist and the glass come together as free spirits. The artist respects, manipulates and controls the glass to the point that the glass wants to be controlled. This circling dance produces a flowing, elegant piece of fine art glass.” Michael K. Hansen was born in 1947 in California. He holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering and Metallurgy. After traveling throughout the United States and South America, Michael decided to settle in his native state. There he found himself taking a glassblowing class at a local community college taught by a friend, Nina Paladino Caron, with whom he would form a lifelong partnership in a hot-glass studio. Nina was born in California in 1949. She received a B.A. degree from the California State University in 1972. While working on her Master of Arts degree, Nina started a glass program at a nearby community college. In 1977 she opened her own glassblowing studio where Michael joined her to establish California Glass Studio, Inc. Michael and Nina celebrated the 30th year of their studio in 2007. All the glass created is limited in its production due to the size of the operation of the studio. The collector of California Glass has a choice of small glass objects to large glass works that are signed and numbered. The art glass of California Glass Studio is represented nationally and internationally in galleries as well as private and corporate collections.