Azure Stained Glass Studio, Restoring Cleveland’s Colorful Past

At the corner of Waterloo Road and E.156th Street lies Azure Stained Glass Studio. You’ve probably driven by them without even knowing it. There is a great story behind their business, as with most of the creative businesses here in the Waterloo Arts District. I first noticed Azure while living in Tremont in 2004. They popped up on Professor Avenue after being chosen for an incubator program, which gave them rent for an entire year for just one dollar. After 4 years in Tremont, it became apparent that they needed a larger space. With a little help from Northeast Shores Development Corporation, they were able to procure the space they are in now. They have been nestled here on Waterloo Road for the past 6 years, with no signs of slowing down.  

Azure Stained Glass Studio is the brainchild of Mary Zodnick and Ben Parsons. Both have been working with stained glass since the 1980’s.  They honed their craft while working for two different established studios in Cleveland, giving them both experience working on large-scale projects. Mary and Ben later formed their own home studios and, eventually in 2004, formed a collaborative business partnership as Azure Studio.

Azure is an immense space, filled with bright colorful glass, whose colors spill forth from the natural window light. It is a fitting building for the work they do; almost as if they chose one another. Some studio spaces feel like an extension of the people inside who are doing the work. This is one of those spaces. I had the chance to speak with Mary and Ben, and ask them a few question about Azure, and the work they do there.

Can you briefly describe the process of stained glass restoration (the different steps in the process)?

Stained glass can often be repaired with its original lead matrix intact, however, after 80-100 years or so, the lead is often so oxidized that it loses structural strength and needs to be replaced. In this case, we remove the panel; make a rubbing that will serve as a pattern to rebuild it; disassemble the panel in a water tank; (this isolates toxic dust) and re-glaze/solder with restoration-grade lead alloy. We then apply tinted putty into the gaps between lead and glass, which serves to waterproof the panel, as well as patina the lead. Once reinforced with horizontal steel, the panel is can be re-installed and is ready to last another lifetime.

What is the most rewarding aspect of what you do?

While a lot of our work is dirty, heavy, sharp, and/or noisy, there are many things about it that are rewarding and enjoyable. One is spending time in some beautiful worship spaces in the Cleveland area. Cleveland has many historic churches with amazing windows and architectural details. We have had privileged views of the city from church towers, rooftops, and scaffolding. The work that we do in the shop is satisfying as well, in that we can take a badly damaged historic window and return it to its original brilliance through restoration.

What do you see in the future for the Waterloo Arts District?

Since moving to Waterloo from Tremont in 2008, we have been impressed by the changes and improvements to the neighborhood. We see a bright future here that we would like to be a part of for years to come.

Azure Stained Glass Studio is located at 15602 Waterloo Road. They are open to the public during the annual Waterloo Arts Fest. 

This article was made possible by the generous support of Neighborhood Connections, a community-building program of the Cleveland Foundation.

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Volume 6, Issue 8, Posted 8:13 PM, 09.03.2014