My name is Len Simkin, founder of The Glass Crafter and it all began with a little glass coffee pot…..
During the early 1970’s, I was encouraged by my wife Judy to find a hobby as an alternative to reading a newspaper after dinner, turning on the television set and drifting off to sleep in a comfy recliner. Judy helped to organize a hobby fair for a local organization where people engaged in various craft activities came together to show off and demonstrate their interests.
Among these crafters were two teenagers and their dad. They were cutting up pieces of colored glass, wrapping them with lead and then soldering them together to form very attractive and decorative sun catchers. Showing an interest in what they were doing, they encouraged me to sit down and join them, which I did. After half an hour or so I produced a coffee pot made of glass, lead, and solder which adorns my studio workshop today along with the first multiple piece panel made over 35 years ago. As they say, the rest is history!
A visit to a local craft shop which specialized in stained glass resulted in me signing up for a series of lessons which covered the basics of working with glass. This was followed by another series of classes in lamp construction as well as some of the more advanced techniques involved with glass work.
For the next three or four years I worked on making sun catchers, small panels and even some lamp shades and light fixtures. As the house filled up with the fruits of my labors I decided to do some advertising. In short order I received a number of calls and then orders to make window panels, lamp shades and hanging pieces. In a relatively short time what had started off as an activity to use time constructively developed into a hobby and a part time business. Not only did I enjoy designing the various pieces but I also got to meet and work with many interesting people along the way. Advertising by direct mail and telephone directories generated more business. Over the years I honed my glass skills to include the abilities needed to restore very old stained glass pieces as well as to repair pieces that had broken.
The Glass Crafter is pleased and very proud to have provided this old world art form with many contemporary enhancements to many residences and many commercial and religious settings. After more than 30 years The Glass Crafter continues to enjoy the confidence shown by residential clients, interior designers, architects, building contractors, business owners and many other satisfied customers.
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