We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jasmine Steinacker. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jasmine below.
Jasmine, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you recount a story of an unexpected problem you’ve faced along the way?
An unforeseen circumstance was getting extremely injured from my craft. It led to my inability to work, and a life changing path. Prior to my accident, I had been self-employed blowing glass, working non-stop, living paycheck to paycheck and taking any and all commissions I could. I was extremely burnt out, and unfocused. One day in the glass studio, I was blowing glass and part of the thousand degree “honey” had touched my shirt, quickly engulfing me in flames. I stop, dropped, and rolled. Still on fire, in a few seconds, I stood up, seriously thought to myself… “is this real”; and the next thing I know I had torn off my fiery shirt, and stood there in complete disbelief. I landed myself in the hospital with third degree burns, leading to multiple skin graft surgeries, hospital isolation, and me out of work for six plus months. Things I didn’t anticipate included, how I was going to continue my business with my new fear of blowing glass, and my body change forever. There was never a part of me that thought glassblowing was safe, and I never truly felt complacent in it, but I knew it was what I wanted to pursue. I now had to get over the mental hurdle. I had studio rent to pay for, home, and day to day living all without a job. I applied to multiple grants, one being CERF+ Craft Grant, and received it for financial help. After that, reaching out to glass community, and slow exposure therapy enabled me to get back up on the proverbial horse, and not give up on my glass dream.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
My name is Jasmine Steinacker, and I am a glass artist originally from New Jersey, now living in Asheville, North Carolina. I grew up always drawing, painting, knitting, keeping my hands busy. I knew I was never going to work a traditional office job. Eventually I picked up Photography, and that is what I ended up going to Virginia Commonwealth University to pursue. Along the way I was “bit by the glass bug” and never looked back. I create product lines including glass utilitarian-ware; Vases, cups, centerpiece bowls, pipes, and pendants. I also like to experiment with carving glass, for sculptures, also known as cold working. I mainly work for other glass artists at this time, this includes assisting their glass blowing, and cold working. Coldworking is a long tedious task, that can be crucial to glass, with many not having the time or patience, I find it to be cathartic and fun. At this time, I am extremely grateful to be blowing glass again after such a devastating accident, and love to expose glass to the outside world. I hope to continue to create products that bring happiness and light into people’s homes.
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
As a young creative, I wish I was taught more about running a business, and guided into adulthood. Art school lacked in teaching about how to do your taxes, creating an LLC, and social media marketing. Not to mention how important it is to figure out a health insurance plan when you’re not in a traditional work field. What no one tell you, is how you have to be your biggest advocate, your best support, and there are many steps in building a business from the ground up, none being intuitive.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
Because I was already interested in Photography, Instagram became a really fun platform for me. I already had the process of taking “good pictures” under my belt from college, and from there I just had fun. I always recommend to people, to just be themselves. Share what makes you happy, people can feel authenticity from screen to screen… as ironic as that sounds it is true. That being said, not everyone is versed in this, so as an alternative hiring someone to help with your social media, taking a photography course at any local institute, or if you’re on a budget, offering trades with people, a homemade loaf of sourdough bread really can get you some free social media help.
Contact Info:
- Website: jasminesteinackerart.com
- Instagram: Steinackerart
Image Credits
@Julia_vazquez_photo