Mike da Ponte is a glass/mixed media artist and educator from Chicago, Illinois. He received his bachelor’s degree in glass and sculpture from Illinois State University and he has a master’s Degree in Secondary Education from Grand Canyon University. Mike has been able to utilize his career in education to practice and explore many different methods of glass making. By offering a wide spectrum of glass knowledge to his students, he is able to create an inclusive learning environment that blends any kind of creative learning with the multiple avenues glass has to offer. This style of teaching has heavily influenced his own practices by incorporating many different methods and materials into his sculptural forms. Identity exploration is what drives the narrative storytelling portrayed throughout his work. Mike currently teaches glass and ceramics at Palo Alto High School in Palo Alto, California .