Stephen Schlanser's path to becoming a world renowned glass artist is an unusual one. Born in Arizona, he has spent all but two years of his life in Southern California. Originally he had little interest in the arts and first worked on cars, boats and motorcycles to make a living. He took a job working with stained glass, but was attracted to the mechanics of the art rather than the visuals. Trained by an artist from Cologne, Germany, Schlanser worked as his apprentice for 3 years before creating his studio, Heritage Glass Art. He began producing stained glass for residences and businesses located in the Pasadena area where he now lives.

After 7 years of working with just one employee at Heritage Glass Art, he bought an electric kiln and began experimenting with new, less limiting, glass working techniques. After months of testing and experimenting he produced a line of art glass which is produced by taking flat glass and reshaping it into bowls and vases with a technique known as slumped glass. The work quickly caught the attention of galleries and retailers nationwide as well as internationally.

Schlanser has supplied the world with beautiful art glass that has been used by the likes of two Presidential Administrations for gifts. President Bush selected the Equus Bowl from Heritage Glass Art for the Queen of England at the G8 Summit in 2006. His sought after work includes corporate commissions from Lincoln Mercury, Crystal Cruises and Coca Cola, as well as a celebrity following: Stevie Wonder, Oprah Winfrey, Forest Whitaker, Rudolf Giuliani, Snoop Dog, Floyd Mayweather and Tom Cruise.