I was at a craft event 4 years ago and I remember this man in his 70's who had stopped at my table and was simply staring at all of my glass art. I said hello and we talked about the 1970's when most households had a stained glass lamp, Tiffany style! We talked about the suncatchers and jewelry boxes that gained popularity as we ushered in the 1980's. He had a glass workshop in his basement and fiddled with the craft as a hobby. I told him my dad did the same, and he turned it into a business that fed our family and bought our first home on Cape Cod.
After a thoroughly interesting conversation, he smiled and said, "You certainly have a talent, but it seems stained glass is a dying art." My only reply before shaking his hand was "Well sir, I am giving it a little CPR," to which he nodded.
This morning I discovered 2 different articles on stained glass.... it is trending now in 2020!! I am so thrilled that this art is exploding onto the scene! It never truly left of course, but the news is that the words "stained glass" are now being typed into google searches more often. It is also searched on platforms such as Etsy, Ebay & FaceBook at an increasing rate. It really is a versatile and exceptional addition to any home decor. How blessed I am to be a part of the stained glass community!
I spent a few hours giving a presentation to over a dozen children at a local museum last year. They gathered around and I explained the process of making a piece of stained glass art step by step. They all watched me create a shark and when it was completed their faces lit up. Afterwards a boy about the age of 12 walked up to my table and said, "I am going to learn how to do that. That was so cool!" Another boy who was older, maybe 15, said "I already know how to weld, but I need a soldering iron now so I can make cool sharks."
A dying art? Not if we share it with the next generation...what a joy to know stained glass truly will SHINE ON! <3
Browse my website for glass art & supplies!! Visit your local stained glass artist or supplier! Happy 2020!