How I Found My Passion for Stained Glass and Built My Business: A Personal Story
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- Apr 9
- 10 min read
Welcome to North Lakes Stained Glass! I’m thrilled to share my journey with you, whether you’re a new follower or simply curious about my stained glass art. This adventure has been full of lessons, challenges, and the pure joy of creativity. So grab a cozy spot, and let’s dive into the colourful world of stained glass!
The Spark That Ignited My Passion
My love for stained glass first ignited years ago at the tender age of 10 years old, when I stumbled upon a local workshop running a Saturday club for girls in crafts that were 'traditionally' reserved for the boys at school. I begged my parents to let me go and thankfully, they said yes! I remember walking into that old, inconspicuous looking building and finding myself surrounded by 'heavy' woodworking machinery and sawdust, and the excitement beginning to rise.
And then I met Moira.... Moira was the stained glass tutor, and was in a corner of the room attaching glass leaves to a wooden lamp frame one of her students had cut the week before. And then I looked into the studio just behind her. The vibrant panels caught my eye immediately, and when sunlight shone through them, it created a magical play of color across the room. It felt like each piece was telling a story, weaving a connection to nature that I was eager to explore.
From that moment on, I was hooked. I started attending group lessons run by Moira every week during school term time, more during the school holidays! We started with designs given to us, to help hone our basic skills but also so we got to experiment with glass pieces, cutting and assembling vibrant colours to create our designs. The designs were such fun - I remember making a spiders web with a 3D spider, a pyramid clock with birds around it and eventually 'that' tree lamp I had seen on my first day! I even used a table saw to cut it myself (under supervision!) - the first time I'd done any 'proper' woodwork.
From there, we moved onto personal projects, and I realised my heart was clearly drawn to an eclectic mix of styles, ranging from traditional Victorian and art deco style hangings, to contemporary designs featuring birds and sea-life. Right from the start, I especially loved creating pieces that challenged convention using mixed media, 3D forms and display outside of a window or even indoors and our teacher embraced our passion and let me run with it! I remember spending countless hours on a Saturday morning with my long-suffering father in the local stained glass suppliers (Creative Glass Guild!!) trying to work out how far I could stretch my pocket money and furtling through their scrap glass bins to find beautiful off cuts for my next masterpiece!
The Journey to(wards) Mastery
Becoming skilled in stained glass took time. It was filled with practice, patience, and quite a few mishaps. My first project was a simple sun-catcher, but it certainly wasn’t perfect. In fact, I recently 'reacquired' a number of my earlier pieces from my Mum after she moved house, and despite many being damages and suffering the effects of 30 years of neglect, I decided not to repair them or 'tidy' them up. My first attempts taught me valuable lessons in glass cutting and soldering, and each piece holds special memories.
I continued to attend the workshops for a number of years, until about the age of 14 and then set up a little workspace at home in our converted attic to continue to pursue my passion for the craft to fit in around other interests like tennis and gearing up for more serious school commitments. Soon after, I got my first big commission from a neighbour to create a large transom window to go above their impressive Victorian front door. It was going to be like nothing I had ever created before, but I was up for the challenge, and looking back, quite naïve as to how long it may take, or how hard it might be!
Thankfully, with Moira's initial guidance, I just 'cracked' on with it (yes, an ironic but probably fitting term for how the project went!).
It took months and was a steep learning curve, doing a few hours here and there every week, and getting distracted by many of the things a busy, sporty but also very academically focused teenage girl could be! Don't get me wrong, I loved creating that window, and when I visit Bristol to this day, if I'm passing through the area, I'll swing by and peer down the drive to get a quick look at it, still there in all it's geometric / art deco glory! But that project broke me.... I still loved the magic and mystique of glass and if the opportunity arose on holidays or days out with my family to visit locations with glass windows, I would take them, but I decided at that point to step away from 'my hobby'. 'Life' had taken over, and everyone knew art and crafts could never be an actual job or career anyway, didn't they?
If only I'd made more time to return to the Girl's workshops or progressed to the adult lessons, maybe I would have refined my skills further and fueled my inspiration again? But then again, would I find myself here now, if I hadn't had the life experiences I had after and the comparisons to make? Interestingly, according to a survey by Craft Industry Alliance, 61% of artisans believe that attending workshops is critical to their growth, and when I was attending, every piece I created felt rewarding, and I knew I wanted to share that joy with others so maybe 13 year old was wiser that I realised!
The Birth of North Lakes Stained Glass
In 2009, me and my husband made the decision to leave out busy city life and relatively intense NHS jobs in Sheffield, and move to the Lake District. We had always loved the area, and held many happy memories as individuals and also as a couple. It seemed like a dream move and the perfect place for our then 8 year old son to grow and explore. It all happened so quickly, I don't think any of us really acknowledged what a huge life changing event it really was!
We both had new NHS jobs in a large rural area, so long commutes but our son settled in wonderfully and just flew. And then a few months later, the pandemic hit..... To cut a VERY long story short, over the next few years, a mix of serious acute illness and accidents combined with pre-existing long-term health conditions meant I was in and out of work due to illness, had prolonged hospital stays and (for 3 months of the pandemic) shielded and unable to go further than my back door step. It has been turbulent & unsettling time for both me and my family, and my ability to maintain my 'normal' activities was stretched and priorities started to change. Without sounding melodramatic - I felt like a ticking timebomb for the next life drama!
But I'm always one to try to find a silver lining and just roll with the punches, and this was no exception. With my husband desperately trying to keep me occupied and motivated at home, I was led back to stained glass, but this time with the added inspiration of the wonderful digital and natural worlds combined!
With access to endless YouTube and social media videos, online resources and internet shopping, I could have everything I needed to get going delivered to my new 'dining table' work station whilst I was unable to walk or stand, and I quickly realised I could remember so much of what I had previously learnt. I was like a duck to water, and dual-tasked my 'rehab' time so that physical activity meant getting outside into my gorgeous surroundings around Cumbria, wild swimming with friends or just spending time in local woodlands observing nature.
As my skills developed (and my collection of glass items began to grow beyond the capacity of our home!), a dream began to form—could I turn my passion into a business? Would people even like my work? Was I good enough? The idea was thrilling yet daunting. And I needed to start to recoup some of the money I had been so enthusiastically spending on 'pretty things' when, due to my ongoing health issues, things were starting to get financially tight for the household.
I also wanted to create a space where people could appreciate the beauty of stained glass, have the amazing opportunities I had been lucky enough to have and I yearned to engage with the wider creative community.
And so, North Lakes Stained Glass was born! Starting from those humble beginnings on the dining table, I then relocated into my garage which i initially shared with my husbands bike, general junk and gardening tools! I filled it with tools I had collected over the years and bit by bit, created 'my creative haven'. Promoting my work at local art fairs and markets brought an unexpectedly positive response, and via social media, once people knew what I was doing, requests for bespoke memory pieces and special gifts began to land in my inbox. Within the first 6 months, I sold over 50 pieces, attended a fabulous Christmas market and even been approached by a local gallery keen to exhibit my work, which affirmed that I was on the right path!
Connecting with Nature
One of the reasons I adore stained glass is its reflection of nature's beauty. Living near lakes and woodlands influences my designs. I create pieces that embody the vibrant colours of the outdoors—like deep blues reminiscent of lake water and fiery reds and oranges echoing autumn leaves. My favourites though are still the simply stunning and sometimes surreal purple tones that bless the Cumbrian fells, and the way the same landscape can completely transform, not just season to season, but also day to day! Through my art, I bring a touch of nature’s magic indoors and capture fleeting moments and cherished memories to be cherished for decades to come.
Overcoming Challenges
Like any journey, mine has not been without challenges. Self-doubt often lingered; I regularly question my abilities and my business decisions. Balancing operations with my artistic vision feels overwhelming at times. Yet each challenge strengthened my resolve.
The support from my community was vital. Fellow artisans and customers encouraged me during difficult moments. Building a network helped me navigate the complexities of running a small, part-time business. According to a report from the Artisan Guild, 78% of craft business owners credit their peers with providing essential support and I would completely agree! Being an 'artist' can be quite isolating at times, which has its benefits and drawbacks, and being a member of networks like the Eden Valley Artist Network and Cumbria Arts and Culture Network has been vital in growing confidence in my craft, but also in strengthening my vision to make stained glass more accessible to everyone and push the boundaries of expectation and architectural settings! Applying to appear on season 3 of the BBC TV show 'Make It At Market' was way outside my comfort zone, but being part of the process and working with the incredible Flabbergast Productions, my mentor and just as importantly, all the other makers on the show has been one of the best decisions I ever made.
The Joy of Creation
A truly rewarding and unexpected part of running North Lakes Stained Glass has been teaching others this beautiful craft. Whether you are a beginner or have some experience, I host workshops in my studio here in Keswick to explore stained glass techniques together. These workshops are about more than creating art; they're about sharing experiences and nurturing a love for this craft, and creating something with your own hands and imagination!
Witnessing students light up when they complete their first piece is a magical experience. It rekindles my own passion and reminds me of why I began this journey. Getting messages from past students showing me work they've gone on to make at home, or notes from people that have watched my episode on the BBC (Season 3, Episode 6 on the iPlayer!) will literally make my week! The community formed in these workshops is vibrant and supportive, as every participant brings their unique perspective to the art and we celebrate that together.
Looking Ahead
As I look to the future, my aspirations for North Lakes Stained Glass keep expanding. I envision broadening my workshops to reach even more individuals curious about stained glass. It’s important to me that people appreciate our craft's history and artistry, but are also excited to experiment with the medium and be able to create pieces that are meaningful and personal to themselves.
I also plan to explore innovative designs and techniques so that I can continue to push the boundaries of my stained glass art. I've already attended masterclasses in traditional glass painting, advanced leading methods and explored other aspects of hot glass working to expand my 'tool box' of skills to play with. My dream is to create larger installations in public spaces and the outdoors, making stained glass accessible to even more viewers, and build my portfolio of bespoke commissions along side my core collections available online. Achieving this goal motivates me daily to refine my craft and share its beauty with the world.
Thanks for Being Part of My Journey
Thank you so much for joining me in this exploration of my passion for stained glass and the creation of North Lakes Stained Glass. I hope my story inspires you as you pursue your own interests, whether in art or business. Following your passion can lead to incredible opportunities, you just need to take that first step!
If you’re interested in stained glass—whether exploring my work or being part of a workshop— I invite you to stay connected. Either drop me a message, go to the 'book a class' section of my website or simply sign up to my mailing list to be the first to hear about offers, early access to product drops and new class dates, or when the website has new content like announcements, new blogs like this or events I think you might be interested in.
Let’s celebrate art, nature, and community together! Until next time, keep creating and dreaming — your next inspiration might be just around the corner.
I love the cobweb and spider! Will it be making a return for Halloween?