Meet the Artist

Michael ‘SunGazer’ Colton is a Florida born, contemporary American artist. Working in glass as a Borosilicate Lampworker since July 2022. Born and raised in St. Pete, FL. Both his parents where local teachers so Michael was raised with a unique perspective. The start of his fascination with glass happened while going on trips to Epcot where he would stand in the Mexico pavilion, where they have a glass blowing shop with live demonstrations. He remembers being fascinated by the flame and not wanting to leave. His mother, to finally catch his attention and get him away, said “maybe you one day you can learn how to do it” which caught his attention enough to keep moving but at the time he never thought it would or could become a reality.

 Later on after many other dreams have come and gone he hit a point of wanting more fulfillment from work. A show on Netflix came out called “Blown Away” and his long dormant fascination with glass reignited. Through attending Morean Arts to initially learn Flameworking he became an apprentice to a private studio for the next one and a half years furthering his hands on experimental education with Adam ‘Pacini Glass’. After the private studio came into troubling times and shut down he pivoted to establish his own in home private glass studio. Wanting to delve deeper into manipulating this medium he attended the Pittsburgh Glass Center (Recognized as a premier center for glass art education and creation, attracting international artists and having a strong reputation in the field). At PGC he studied under the teachings of  Nikolai Morse ‘Taffy The Grey’ and Trevor Hay ‘Strawberry Glass’. Under their combined instruction he learned old school soft glass techniques that were brought over to borosilicate flameworking further pioneering new school techniques that are paving the path for the American Studio Glass Movement. In early August of 2025 he attended a 2 day private and exclusive coldworking, lamination, and faceting class with Cody Rosenberg ‘Mr.Facet’ to expand his knowledge and techniques of working glass. This wonderful experience furthered the ways in which he works this multifaceted medium expanding it to be able to layer old school, new school, hot and cold working techniques into beautiful flowing art with interesting color pallets and endless possibilities… making waves.