Brett Manski graduated from Vicksburg High School in 2020, as the community and the country were still coming to grips with the coronavirus. Graduations everywhere were altered, or even cancelled. Brett remembers his family gathered at a specific time, with proper spacing between groups, and taking a lap around the school’s outdoor track and, “that was it.” The experience didn’t slow him down as he followed in the footsteps of his two older brothers by attending nearby Kalamazoo College. His initial studies track was math.
Also attending Kalamazoo College at the time was 2020 Portage Central graduate Ana Garcia. Ana says, “At that time I was dabbling in math, business and physics.” Both Ana and Brett talked about Kalamazoo College’s encouragement to incoming students of taking classes outside of their intended areas of studies in their first two years. Both followed that advice, both enrolled in an art class, and both found an undiscovered passion. That resulted in both subtracting the math and adding the pursuit of degrees in the arts.
Ana focused on photography. Brett focused on sculpture and glass blowing. Ana says, “I’m interested in architectural structures in liminal space.” Liminal space is a transitional space between where something is and where it’s going, not limited just to its physical being. Liminal spaces can also refer to empty or forgotten spaces that can appear eerie or surreal. Brett’s goal is “to become the next generation’s Chihuly.” Brett acknowledges “it requires a team to create a large work or sculpture out of glass, and my team, at the moment, is my mom on a very parttime basis.” So, at present Brett’s work is in handmade vases and ornaments as he continues to develop in the art.
Ana and Brett have paired up under the name Hot N Chili. Ana says, “The name refers to the working temperature of molten glass, around 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit, and the sense that the photos I capture have a cooler feel. For us, the name Hot N Chili is just a fun pairing of words that reminds us to be unique, have fun and to enjoy art.” Both say they linked up to support each other as they try to establish a foothold in a difficult profession. They work together to discuss business plans, social media and advertising awareness, and seek residencies and other opportunities. Both also realize that bills need to be paid in the interim. Brett currently teaches classes at Glass Art Kalamazoo which provides both income and a space in which to work. Ana worked in a local coffee shop as a barista while in college but is currently looking for her next job, hopefully a little closer to her photography skills and passion.
The pair recently participated in the Kalamazoo Art Hop by displaying their work in Factory Coffee. Both were surprised by sales that exceeded their expectations. Given their talents, their intellect, and their passion, their first success should not have been a surprise.
