Born in Fairbanks, Alaska in the 1970’s, Robert La Montagne spent the short bright summers and long dark winters of his childhood taking wilderness trips, gardening, building the family home with recycled materials, and living a creative life. At 19 he left Alaska to travel Asia, sparking a lifelong passion. Over the years La Montagne left behind many of the winters to travel the world on his bicycle, always returning to explore the mountains and rivers of his home on skis, by canoe, or dog team. After studying fine arts at the University of Alaska, La Montagne started a residential building business in Fairbanks. He began by teaching himself to build small log cabins. Over the last 20 years he has expanded this practice to designing and building larger, modern and efficient homes. La Montagne began working in hot glass a decade ago, drawn to its optics, patterns and physicality. He learned the process of murrine (glass mosaic) and cane work and began to create hollow sculpture forms. He soon brought together traditional Alaskan wood carving techniques with these glass sculptural forms. Current works combine this visual language with his life experience, transforming these sculptures into a personal reflection of life in northern latitudes. La Montagne has studied, participated in residences and assistance ships at The Penland School of Craft, Pilchuck glass School, Sonoran Glass Academy and Anderson Ranch Arts Center. His work is shown from Alaska to Colorado.
