Michael Mortara was born in Honolulu and earned a degree in architecture at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa where he minored in fine art, studying glass under Rick Mills. Michael has been blowing glass full time since 1986. Prior to that, he was teaching and technical assistant in the well-known glass blowing program at Punahou School. In late 1999, he designed and built a glass studio in Volcano where he can produce cast and blown glass. He works with his wife Misato, also a glass artist, along with other glass artists living on the Big Island. Currently he has been creating with wood as well, producing beautiful epoxy furniture.
