Drink in style with hand-painted glassware created in Oakmont

A Penn Hills native is pouring her ardour for artwork into her Oakmont enterprise, one glass at a time.

Amanda Lee, 42, of Oakmont has been decided to carve out a profession in artwork since she may maintain a crayon.

However not everybody shared her enthusiasm.

“My dad was a single dad and didn’t suppose artwork was a profession. I used to be self-taught,” Lee stated. “Everybody in my life instructed me it’s arduous to dream massive.”

Lee opened Amanda Lee Glassware in 2013.

The 9,000-square-foot retailer and studio is at 931 Third St., throughout the road from Oakmont Bakery and tucked behind the Speedway fuel station.

 

When she was 27, she enrolled at Slippery Rock College to check artwork historical past.

“I needed to be an artwork historical past professor. I didn’t really feel challenged sufficient,” she stated.

Lee’s professor inspired her to pursue her ardour for artwork and pushed her to check overseas.

She was accepted on the Academy of Tremendous Arts and Design in Bratislava, Slovakia.

Lee, who’s half-Slovak on her mom’s facet, was keen to begin her European journey and commenced promoting her hand-painted wine glasses to earn cash for faculty.

“I used to be very excited, and, to economize for the journey, I began portray glasses for family and friends as a result of I like giving fabulous presents. That’s how it began,” Lee stated.

Working as a bartender, Lee hocked her glassware to patrons, and it developed into a house enterprise.

“The glasses pay the payments, however my collage artwork is my ardour,” Lee stated.

Lee’s authentic collage art work produced from recycled journal items are discovered all through the shop.

From Marilyn Monroe to the Pittsburgh skyline, her assortment features a collage of the distinguished Oakmont Nation Membership.

“That one took me two years to finish,” stated Lee, who was provided $25,000 for the golf-themed piece.

She stated her design inspiration comes from artwork historical past and her thoughts.

“I simply provide you with concepts — Cezanne, the Impressionists — there’s numerous affect there. If I may simply do that all day, I’d adore it, however I’ve numerous delight in my glassware,” Lee stated.

 

Lee’s enterprise slogan — “Hand painted with love and possibly a little bit wine” — holds true.

Design collections painted onto pilsner, wine, stemless and highball glasses embody Pittsburgh-themed units dubbed Yinzer, Metal Stemless, Black and Gold, The Hat Trick, Christmas Pickle and Pittsburgh Snowman.

Different themes embody Pitt/Penn State, Birds and Bugs, Canine, Flowers, Golf, On the Seashore, Midnight, Teal and Rose Gold collections.

Buyers 21 and older are invited to get pleasure from a glass of wine from the complimentary wine bar and peruse the a whole bunch of custom-painted glasses on show.

Guests are also welcome to pop into the open studio and meet the artists whereas they’re portray.

“It’s like an expertise right here — not simply buying,” Lee stated.

Buyer Lyn DiSanti of Clinton Township sipped some wine just lately whereas looking for a present alternate.

“I like the individuality of it. I used to be searching for one thing Pittsburgh, and that is precisely what I needed,” stated DiSanti, who has bought a number of glasses. “That is my go-to place for a {custom} present.”

Lee has spent the previous 4 years tweaking her paint method to search out the correct mix that will show sturdy and long-lasting.

“Our design was nice, however we would have liked sturdiness,” Lee stated of her greatest enterprise problem.

Hand washing is really useful, however the entire glassware, even those with glitter, can go within the dishwasher.

“That’s what makes us stand aside,” Lee stated of the paints that final. “They’ve very, very sturdy.”

Finest-selling glasses embody the Metal Metropolis assortment, adopted by Merry and Brilliant, a holiday-themed mild design and frosted snowflakes.

Customized orders are accepted for 12 or extra glasses and normally take every week.

All shipped orders are packaged with a signature wine cork with a tiny “fortunate” ladybug hooked up, a element impressed by Lee’s late grandmother, Carol Conrad, with whom Lee would discover ladybugs when she was little.

“My nana was an artist and my greatest supporter,” Lee stated. “She handed a number of years in the past earlier than I began portray glassware.

“The ladybugs preserve her shut, and we love sharing the luck we have now.”

Lee employs a number of younger, feminine artists as painters.

Riverview Excessive College senior Nora Weitzel is the youngest workers painter.

“It’s nothing like I’ve ever skilled earlier than,” stated Weitzel, who wears denims and boots splattered with paint from previous shifts.

Weitzel plans to main in artwork after commencement.

 

Penn Hills Excessive College alum Kaitlyn Thorn started portray at Amanda Lee seven years in the past.

“I like creating art work. I like portray and packaging essentially the most,” Thorn stated. “It’s one design at a time right here.”

Amanda Lee Glassware ships to all 50 states and dozens of nations.

“That is my dream studio. And it’s all mine,” Lee stated proudly.