My career in stained glass began in 1991, when, as a 5 year collegiate Art Major, I began my apprenticeship with James P. Schlitz, owner and founder of Schlitz Studios and Schlitz Furnaces. I studied, in depth, not only the processes and techniques for creating leaded glass shades and windows, but the history of these designs and the artists who created them. Most of my study focused on the works of Tiffany Studios. As the work of Louis C. Tiffany was the most prized and well known in its day, it is therefore the most commonly reproduced in today's market. Under Jim's tutelage, I made hundreds of reproduction shades, and also a few windows and mosaics. I even had the rare opportunity to occasionally assist him in his glass foundry, manufacturing sheets of glass that equalled or exceeded in brilliance the original Tiffany glass he was trying to emulate. All of these products were marketed world wide, and the reputation of both companies became the standard of excellence. Upon Jim's untimely death in 1993, I elected to stay with the studio and continue his fine tradition of creating Tiffany reproduction lamps and windows, and even had the opportunity to create a few original design pieces in the Tiffany style. I remained with the studio until early 1998, and was the head of production and design during those final years.
After leaving Schlitz Studios, I went on to work for other studios of national prominence. In these studios, my education continued; I learned in great depth the techniques of restoration and conservation. As most of the work centered on the restoration of ecclesiastical windows, I had the opportunity to study the art of vitreous painting. Many of these old windows were executed by the well known studios of the day, and others by anonymous artists; their ability, well known or not, to render the human form rivaled the work of the Renaissance Masters. It was my privilege to examine their brushstrokes closely. (Honestly, it was hard to keep my nose off the surface of the glass!)