Paula Mandel
Paula Mandel, a native Philadelphian, pursued her interests in Fine Arts (Painting) and Psychology, obtaining a dual degree from Temple University. After seven years working as a hospital Play Therapist, Mandel opened a studio in Manayunk where she created psychological portraits in oils and mixed media, never envisioning a future as a sculptor.
At the age of 50 she returned to school, studying multiple glass techniques. She began creating sculptures merging glass with her life-long love of found objects.
Mandel’s sculptures have been juried into numerous exhibitions around the Delaware Valley as well as Best in America: Glass Artists and Artisans (vol 1), the National Liberty Museum’s Best of Philadelphia Glass Artists, and Rosemont College’s Women Working in Glass. She is a prize-winner in the International Flameworking Conference and was a featured artist for the International Glass Art Society.
In 2004, Mandel, and fellow artist Joan Myerson Shrager, co-founded The Stained Glass Project: Windows That Open Doors. This award-winning after-school program teaches students from Philadelphia High Schools, to make magnificent stained glass windows. Over 120 have been donated to communities around the world, including Louisiana, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, South Africa and Uganda inspiring hope and healing.