Amanda Lee

I grew up in an artistic family and knew I wanted to follow in the family tradition since I could hold a crayon. My Nana (bless her heart) let me color on anything and everything in her house, including her walls.

Little did my Nana know, she planted the seed that grew into my first professional venture as an artist - over 10 years painting murals in restaurants and homes across the Pittsburgh area. I was an entirely self-taught artist until the age of 28 when I decided to pursue a degree in art history at Slippery Rock University. It was there that a professor suggested I apply to study in Slovakia at the Bratislava Fine Arts Academy. It was exactly what my art needed.

In order to save money for traveling, I painted all my friends and family wine glasses for Christmas. They loved them, and wanted to buy more for their friends and family. After I left for Slovakia, my attention turned away from painting glassware for a while and back to painting on canvases. 

What I learned in my time there can never be expressed in words, only on the canvas. My work improved dramatically; my artistic style was forged in a place where the language barrier limited my means of self expression to my art.

When I got back to the states, I continued to pour myself into my art. I also picked up my glassware production where I'd left it. I quickly discovered that selling wine glasses fed my wine fund, and Amanda Lee Glassware was formed.

Five years and over 100,000 glasses later, here I am. The success of my glassware studio has given me the opportunity to put my artwork in the hands - and at the lips - of thousands of people in my home city and across the country and now world. Thank you all for your support, I can't wait to find out where my art leads me next.

Cheers,
Amanda