Traditionally associated with houses of worship, stained glass has seen a resurgence in domestic and commercial spaces. Since its inception, stained glass has ebbed and flowed in popularity before making its way back into the secular world in the 1960s. These five small businesses are putting a contemporary flare on this ancient art form.
Soft Shapes
"We are all Soft Shapes," according to visual artist and designer Kelsie McNair. Although she's dabbled in many mediums such as music, floral design, and digital artwork, McNair has focused exclusively on stained glass since 2016. After closing her first venture, a vintage store in Norfolk, Virginia, McNair completed a six-month residency at the Chrysler Museum Glass Studio, which paved the way for her current business, Soft Shapes.
Working out of her home studio in Brooklyn, New York, McNair is a one-woman show, designing, making, photographing, and marketing her stained glass pieces. Her online shop consists of dishes, mirrors, coasters, wall hangings, and seasonal decorative items. McNair has drawn inspiration from the Bauhaus and Memphis design movements to develop her signature style and enjoys teaching others how to get started with flat glass. She's formally been a teacher since 2017 and offers private lessons.
Janel Foo Glassworks
Janel Foo, who hails from Huntington Beach, California, is a purveyor of her own stained glass creations and the tools artists need to practice the craft. She established Janel Foo Glassworks in 2015 and acquired Pasadena's Stained Glass Supplies in 2022. The shop has served the local community since 1977 and offers stained glass, fusing, and mosaic supplies. Additionally, the store provides wood framing, kiln firing, glass cutting, and workshops for those interested in trying their hand at stained glass.
Foo originally earned a degree in apparel design and merchandising, which she used to become a stylist in the entertainment industry. She left that job to enroll in the jewelry design program at Pasadena City College, which changed the trajectory of her professional life and led her to work on stained glass full time.
Foo is a self-proclaimed workaholic and credits that trait for her ability to make a living as an artist. Her style hinges mostly on color. "I spend a lot of time making sure the color is just right," Foo said. Her designs are minimalistic, consisting mostly of simple shapes and clean lines.
After White and Glenn lost their jobs during the pandemic, they turned to stained glass artwork as an expressive outlet and eventually turned their passion into an income stream.
Colorado Glass Works
Based in Boulder, Colorado, Colorado Glass Works was founded by Meggy Wilm in 2017. She began creating stained glass pieces out of her home studio and graduated to a commercial studio when she opened her storefront in 2022. Leaning heavily on nature as her guide, the subjects of Wilm's artwork consist mostly of the wilderness, animals, and plants. She also experiments with glass that is more temperamental yet eye-catching.
Colorado Glass Works carries sheet glass, stained glass supplies, and it hosts a variety of in-person classes designed for date nights, beginners, or holiday-themed classes. The studio can also be rented out for special events like bridal showers or birthdays, as well as corporate events. Anyone over the age of 16 who is looking for help with a project or a dedicated work bench can also rent space by the hour. Wilm offers an online course for those who are unable to attend in-person classes. As a teacher, Wilm enjoys helping her students find their inner creativity.
Flux + Flow Glass
Rachel White and Kilani Glenn, who have been friends for 25 years, went into business together in 2020 after flexing their creative muscles on a new hobby: stained glass. After White and Glenn lost their jobs during the pandemic, they turned to stained glass artwork as an expressive outlet and eventually turned their passion into an income stream. Flux + Flow Glass began by filling custom orders, but as White and Glenn became more confident, they created pieces for sale.
The themes of their work draw inspiration from midcentury and vintage designs and revolve primarily around specific color stories, geometry, and nature. The duo work individually from their hometowns of Sacramento and Nevada City, California, respectively, but their styles complement each other to form a cohesive brand. Their finished products include propagation stations, plant stakes, mini charms, suncatchers, incense diffusers, and window panels.
Linebaugh Studios
Rosie Linebaugh is the artist behind Linebaugh Studios. Linebaugh works out of her home in Utah to create one-of-a-kind pieces, with insects and flowers being her most prominent muses. Hercules moths, beetles, snakes, and plant varietals are just some of her subjects. Each of Linebaugh's pieces are lead free. She also offers her designs in more budget-friendly forms such as window clings, enamel pins, keychains, stickers, and T-shirts.
In addition to selling her artwork, Linebaugh sells patterns for those interested in learning the craft. These patterns are available individually or in a bundle and come from her recently published book, "The Complete Guide to Handmade Stained Glass." The book outlines everything Linebaugh knows about stained glass, details the Tiffany method, and contains full-sized templates as well.
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