Recognizing the freedom, beauty, and opportunity offered by the vastness of Western America, Ralph Mossman permanently migrated to the region of the Grand Tetons in 1978. Ralph has been a self-employed business-owner for over 23 years, working alongside Mary, his wife of 18 years. Ralph and Mary reside in downtown Driggs, Idaho in an historic granary built by Ezra Murdock about 65 years ago. The renovated granary now serves as their home and the site of their successful glass art and design business, Heron Glass.

Ralph, along with his three siblings, was raised in suburban New Jersey. The New York skyline formed the distant landscape, but the gentle hills, woods, and shorelines of New Jersey were his playground. His parents, Allen and Judy Mossman, impressed upon Ralph a strong work ethic, a great appreciation for the value of education, a love of the outdoors and an interest in technical challenges, as well as skills of the hand. Ralph was an active member of the Boy Scouts, and his fondest memories of childhood include creating a wooden desk with his father, and sailing and skiing with his entire family.

Following in his father's footsteps, Ralph studied engineering at an esteemed technical college, Worcester Polytechnic Institute. His natural aptitude for math and problem solving, along with his great respect for his father's profession, led him down this initial path, which greatly enhanced his capacity for creative thinking, problem solving and other technical possibilities.

But Ralph had a yearning to see the American West. He embarked on an exploration of his country and became attracted to the self-sufficient aspects of rural and mountain living. He also learned to appreciate the beauty of small towns; the emphasis placed on helping each other out during hard times, on lending a hand. Inspired by the culture of the West, he returned to school, this time to study the Humanities; Arts, Education and Philosophy at Hampshire College, where he received his BA. Simultaneously, Ralph developed his skills in the trade of glassmaking.

In the years since, Ralph and Mary have been recognized nationally and internationally as teachers and artists. They have received numerous awards for their accomplishments, including the Idaho Governor's Award in the Arts (awarded by Dirk Kempthorne) and the Idaho Commission on the Arts Fellowship award.

Ralph's longtime interest in community has led him to serve in many capacities. He has served on the boards of the Economic Development Council, the Chamber of Commerce, and the Wilderness Task Force. He is currently serving on the Driggs City Council. Ralph and Mary make many generous community contributions through their business, Heron Glass, which regularly welcomes a variety of adult and children's groups to their studios for educational purposes and donates to countless non-profit causes.