We had the good fortune of connecting with Antonia & Nate Cotterman and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Antonia & Nate, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
I think anyone that dedicates time & energy to learning a skillset, like mastering a material, inevitably can share that gift with their community. We live in an age of being able to instantly interact with our community & world via social media. This opportunity gives us a platform to share & connect with individuals from all over connected through a love & appreciation for art. Sharing our craft enhances the audience by showing that dedication and talent can grow into a sustainable lifestyle.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Nate Cotterman Glass is known for his modern interpretation of traditional glass blowing techniques. What really sets us a part from others is our range of product offering- lighting, barware and accessories and the experience of working with us. Where most artists are the designer, maker, CFO etc, Nate and I work together with him being able to focus on the making, and I focus on the communications- marketing and sales. We understand that timely and clear communication is a significant aspect to creating successful sales. I also help with designing work- I have no desire to blow glass 🙂 But I do like coming up with new products & lighting. We both especially love the Blossom Lighting System that we do in collaboration with a colleague Uri Davillier. I especially love the XL Dimple series- which takes a simple form, in an exaggerated size, with a subtle ombre fade- these pieces are especially challenging to make. Nate and I met each other in college at the Cleveland Institute of Art, we started our art careers and grew them in Los Angeles, then moved to North Carolina from 2018-2021, and have established our own studio in Northeast Ohio. Our relationship has been 15 years in the making, 8 years married, we have watched each other grow into adulthood, so no it wasn’t easy- but worth it 🙂

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I loved living in LA- we particularly loved eating and being in nature. I worked for years at Heath Ceramics in Los Angeles, and was exposed to many wonderful restaurants, including but not limited to Little Beast, Isabel, Son of a Gun, Marvin, Terroni, Pace and just about any taco truck! Poom Thai is a local Santa Monica spot that Nate and I loved. We used to live by the beach, and loved spending the weekends there, hiking in Santa Monica, Nate was an avid mountain biker in LA, and I love yoga- Yogisanonymous, One Down Dog, and Yogaraj, were some of my favorite spots. You would be remised if you didn’t do some thrifting in LA,Buffalo Exchange and some of my favorite gift stores to shop at were Heath Ceramics (duh), OK, Poketo, anywhere on Abbott Kinney, The Juicy Leaf and more!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Each other. Nate & I are where we are today because of how well we compliment each other. It has not been easy building a personal & professional life together, but we both genuinely believe in each other & recognize that each of us have strengths that help lift each other.

Website: www.natecotterman.com

Instagram: @natecotterman @olra_creative

Image Credits
Antonia Campanella, Nate Cotterman, Lucy Plato Clark & Myles Pettengill

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