Meet April Wagner

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful April Wagner. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with April below.

April, we’ve been so fortunate to work with so many incredible folks and one common thread we have seen is that those who have built amazing lives for themselves are also often the folks who are most generous. Where do you think your generosity comes from?
As I get older I have come to recognize that each decade of my life has been about achieving goals either personally or professionally. Those goals have evolved in their meaning and importance as I have evolved and grown. Where I am now has a large component about giving back. Being generous with my time, money, and spirit to make the world a better place and lift up the people around me. This used to not matter as much to me but when I look back at all the people who helped me get where I am I see that now it’s my turn. My voice has power and my job to use that voice in service to the greater good.

There are so many places in my life where I give back but I find the biggest impact closest to home with my employees. I have been in business for over 30 years and have worked with all types of people. It is very humbling to see them buy homes, start families, learn new skills, and grow through the opportunities I lead us and this business to. Their faith in me and my care for their careers hasn’t always been so clear-cut, I have had to learn how to lead them, when to push them and when to let them make mistakes, who will be a good fit and who won’t, that it isn’t all about me but that we are a team and together we succeed. Investing in my people, treating them with respect, compassion, and support, and giving them what they need to succeed makes me feel very good.

We work hard, we have a good time, and we make money, I often see the money part being mistaken as the most important part but it’s not. Each is equally important and keeping that balance of service, of giving and receiving, and being generous of spirit and thought is what makes the difference in a fulfilling, well-lived life, versus a life just lived.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
I am a glass artist who creates iconic large-scale sculptures for public and private spaces. I also own and run ‘epiphany studios’ a boutique glassblowing studio that specializes in contemporary gifts, awards, and lighting. I am a passionate supporter of the arts and animal welfare, an avid, albeit sometimes with a black thumb, gardener, married to the most amazing man in the world, and cat mom to two feral cat colonies and one domestic kitty.

I don’t believe in work-life balance, my work is my life and it all feeds the creative mishmash of my day-to-day existence. But my life is curated. I am very intentional about what I let into the mishmash, and I aggressively get rid of the things that don’t serve me. The haters or time waters and naysayers are not welcome. I focus on the power of my creativity to make amazing art and to run a successful business, words not often found in the same sentence.

I think of myself as an outlier. I went to art school and have spent my whole life supporting myself by making art. Not many people can say that. I am super proud of how much I have achieved and excited about how much more I want to do. It has not been easy and it’s a myth to think it ever gets easier. The trick is in continuing to find joy in the challenge.

My studio is located just north of Detroit and I employ 7 people. Last year I created my largest project to date, a
3-story 32’x 36′ sculpture for the Oregon Supreme Court Building. I also built a new building next to my current studio, a 2-story open floor plan space in which to create my large-scale sculptures. Our studio has partnered with Michigan Humane (MH) to create a line of pet-themed artworks that we donate a portion of the proceeds to MH.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
1) Hang out with people smarter than you. 2) There is always a way, the only thing stopping you is you.
3) Read the room. If no one is listening, try a different room.

Before we go, maybe you can tell us a bit about your parents and what you feel was the most impactful thing they did for you?
When I was in high school I was on a path to no good. I was out of place and unhappy as the weird, punk rock, arty kid at a public school in a working-class town that valued football as the end all be all. I was making a lot of bad choices, ones that would have landed me in jail or dead. My parents were desperate to find a place for me where I fit and could thrive. That place turned out to be Interlochen Arts Academy in northern Michigan. Nestled between two lakes in the middle of nowhere was this dreamy, lush campus full of artists, dancers, and musicians. It was a godsend, everything I needed and wanted, except for the fact that it was incredibly expensive even with the scholarship I received.

My parents couldn’t afford it but they didn’t see another option, so they took out a second mortgage on their house to send me to Interlochen. They sacrificed vacations, dinners out, and new clothes so I could have this experience. That kind of support and knowledge laser-focused me. I worked hard to find myself and to make them proud, having a double major and graduating with honors. When I think of their love, and when I see how so many whose parents would not have done the same thing have turned out, I know that this is the first pivotal moment in my life where generosity made me who I am today and I am eternally grateful.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Glenn Triest

Suggest a Story: BoldJourney is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
Highlighter Series
Are you walking a path—or wandering?

The answer to whether you are walking or wandering often changes from season to season

Highlighter Series
What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?

With so many high-achievers in our community it was super interesting to learn about the

Highlighter Series
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?

We asked some of the wisest people we know what they would tell their younger