Sarina Rae Mollenkott grew up in Ringwood, New Jersey. She was always fascinated with the outdoors and artistic expression. She grew up exploring many art mediums, including drawing, painting, ceramics, dance and photography. Like many young people, she didn’t know what she wanted to do as she got older, but knew she loved being outside, so she began pursuing a wildlife biology program at Keystone College in 2016. There in a small, rugged hot shop, she was introduced to furnace glass blowing and quickly became obsessed with glass making. She explored stained glass making, furnace glassblowing, casting glass, and flame-working glass. She completed her Bachelor's of Arts in 2021 with a minor in biology, holding to her roots of loving the natural world.

After college, she relocated to Corning, New York to further pursue her artistic career working for The Studio at the Corning Museum of Glass as a ‘Make Your Own Glass’ Studio Associate where she creates furnace blown, flame-worked, fused glass, engraved glass or sandblasted glass projects with museum visitors from all over the world.

Currently, she works full-time for The Studio, while also freelance assisting local Studio artists and producing her own flame worked jewelry and sculptural work that she sells locally, online, and exhibits in gallery shows. Sarina also enjoys teaching private and group glass working classes at the torch and furnace.

Sarina's artistic passion lies in creating intricate flame-worked life forms, with a particular focus on the human figure. She’s recently been exploring surrealistic relationships between the figure and organic objects to poetically illustrate experiences and emotions.

Aside from glass working, Sarina is an avid explorer. She enjoys hiking, bird watching, and gardening. She is fascinated with the natural world, different landscapes and species, which constantly inform and inspire her art practice.