Our Story
Red Mountain Art Studio is the result of a lifelong friendship and a shared dedication to craft. Sam Pesendian and Ben Thomas met in junior high and grew up creating together, spending their free time painting, experimenting with photography, and exploring different art forms. Much of their creative influence came from live music and time spent at venues like Red Rocks, where art, sound, and community naturally intersected.
Both Sam and Ben come from construction families and worked in the trades while growing up, developing a strong respect for craftsmanship and hands-on problem solving. Ben became an exceptional woodworker, while Sam specialized in high-end tile work. That foundation in the trades continues to shape their approach to art today.
In 2010, Ben discovered glassblowing at a studio in Longmont, Colorado. He quickly built a small home studio in his garage and became fully immersed in the material. About a year later, Sam joined him, and what began as casual sessions soon outgrew the garage. The two moved into a shared industrial warehouse space, creating a communal glass studio focused on experimentation and production.
In 2016, Sam and Ben founded Colorado Color Company, a material production company serving the glass community. In 2019, they relocated to Wellington, Colorado, building a larger, custom facility with the goal of expanding into glassblowing education. Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 forced those plans to pause.
Today, that original vision is becoming reality. Red Mountain Art Studio represents the next chapter, an evolving art center rooted in craftsmanship, education, and community. Glassblowing classes are now underway, with more programs and creative opportunities planned for the future.
Meet the Instructors
Samuel James Cullen Pesendian
Sammy, born in Santa Barbara, California in 1985, was shaped by the skateboarding and graffiti culture of Southern California before relocating to Colorado, where the mountain landscape became a lasting influence on his work. His practice draws from snowboarding, fly fishing, and skateboarding, emphasizing movement, rhythm, and connection to place. A photography student since junior high, Pesendian continues to explore both historic and contemporary photographic techniques, informing his approach to glass and painting. He began working with glass in 2011 alongside Ben Thomas, and in 2016 they co-founded Colorado Color Company. His work has been featured in magazines and galleries, and he currently lives in Wellington, Colorado with his wife and daughter, continuing to pursue a life rooted in art and the outdoors.
Benjamin DeVore Thomas
Ben is a borosilicate flameworker based in Fort Collins, Colorado. Born in 1984 in Boulder and raised in the foothills town of Lyons, his upbringing was deeply rooted in the outdoors, shaping a lifelong connection to natural forms and processes.
A lifelong artist, Ben discovered lampworking glass in 2010 and has since focused his practice on borosilicate. His work is influenced by nature and botany, sacred geometry, Japanese aesthetics, and the craftsmanship of Greene & Greene architecture, emphasizing flow, balance, and intentional design.
Coming from a family lineage of stained glass artists, Ben brings a strong respect for material and tradition to his work. Beyond glass, he also creates with metal and wood and spends time gardening, all of which inform his hands-on, process-driven approach to making.
Mission Statement
Red Mountain Art Center (RMAC) is built on the belief that art is learned through making and strengthened through community. Rooted in craftsmanship and material knowledge, RMAC exists to create a space where creativity, skill, and curiosity intersect. Based in Wellington, Colorado and founded by working artists Sam Pesendian and Ben Thomas, RMAC begins with glassblowing education. Offering beginner to advanced classes, while growing toward a broader, multidisciplinary art center that supports lifelong learning, collaboration, and creative exploration. Inspired by the surrounding landscape and an outdoor-driven lifestyle, RMAC is committed to preserving hands-on skills, sharing knowledge across generations, and building a creative community grounded in process, respect for materials, and the pursuit of meaningful work.
Contact us
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