Artisan Stained Glass

Artisan Stained Glass

Written by Candace Birkelbach Friday, 26 September 2008

When Artisan Stained glass opened in January 2005, the owners hoped that other artistic businesses would move into its shopping complex on Anderson Mill Road. In May 2007, they were ecstatic when Helios Kiln Fused Glass opened next door.

Throwing pieces of glass on the floor of a home garage was Mo Dagher and Linda Oliveira’s idea of a stress reliever after work. Both neighbors needed a break from their full-time jobs — Dagher’s in nursing and Oliveira’s in high-tech management. After learning how to pick up the pieces and turn them into beautiful artwork, they decided to open Artisan Stained Glass in Northwest Austin.

Oliveira had been a quilter for 30 years and always liked having some type of art form to serve as her muse. She took some do-it-yourself stained glass classes, then thought about working at a studio to refine her techniques. Eventually, she realized she did not like the cramped classrooms at the studio and found them not conducive to learning. In January 2005, Oliveira and Dagher finally took the plunge and opened their own retail shop.

“We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into,” Oliveira said.

The partners thought they would just have a retail shop to sell items they made in the store’s studio, but Oliveira discovered a love for teaching after only a few months.

“I learned that I really like teaching and like to teach students things that I had to learn the hard way. Not many places do that,” she said. “My philosophy is you either encourage [students] and build up a love of the art, or you just do it for money.”

Since Oliveira and Dagher kept full-time jobs outside the shop, they do not have to take any money out of the business. This enables them to carry higher quality but more expensive glass that other stores do not carry. The store sells only high-end American-, Polish- and Italian-made glass, which makes a big difference in stained glass projects, Oliveria said.

“We wanted this to be a community and gathering place where people feel safe to try new techniques with glass,” Oliveira said. “We encourage students to try new techniques and test their limits. We have way too much fun here to worry about a whole lot.”

The owners do not want students to be afraid of stained glass but rather embrace it as an honorable hobby that has been practiced for hundreds of years.

“We want to give people a place to express their artistic ability, find a way to forget about the rest of their problems and just have a good time,” Dagher said. “It’s been tough [to maintain the business], but the friendships and therapy keep us going.”

While the store survived the first crucial year in which many young businesses fail, they are still looking for an active investor to expand their business and increase staff. Oliveira said she was thrilled when Helios Kiln Glass Fusing opened up shop next door to Artisan. Teaching hybrid classes together allows the stores to cater to a wider range of learners. Few shops can hold up to Artisan and Helios’ combination of the two techniques because of the amount of costly studio time required to support them.

While it may sound like a cliché to call the studio her “happy place,” Oliveria said she is thrilled and honored that people keep coming back. Maybe that is why the shop coined stained glass projects as being “therapy with sharp edges.”

“We’re doing something no one else does in a way where people not only learn but meet other people while gaining confidence. It feels like we’re doing the right thing,” Oliveira said.

Classes are $125 plus the cost of tools and materials.

Fused glass creations are heated in a 1500-degree kiln oven to reshape and fuse the separate pieces together while stained glass projects remain at room temperature.

The shop owners hope that more businesses will move into the complex, creating an artistic village for Northwest Austin.

artisan classes:

• Stained glass
• Beginning, intermediate and advanced lead
• Copper foil repairs
• Mosaics
  • Garden plaque
  • Wrought iron mirror
  • Round garden stake
  • Garden mosaics

Read our profile of Helios Kiln Fused Glass.

Artisan Stained Glass, 10700 Anderson Mill Road, Ste. 110, 336-9442, www.artisanglass.us, Mon.-Fri. 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

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