James Mongrain was introduced to glass at Moorhead State University in Minnesota, and later studied glassblowing at Massachusetts College of Art and the Appalachian Center for Crafts. He has worked with Jim Dine, Kiki Smith, Jeff Koons, Robert Wilson, and Walter Lieberman. In 1997, Mongrain opened Mongrain Glass in Mukilteo, WA. He has been a nominee for the Louis Comfort Tiffany Award and exhibits nationwide.