CLEARWATER, Fla. — Art comes in all forms, shapes, sizes and colors, but one particular medium — stained glass — uses techniques from across the art world.

Precision and attention to detail are just a small part of what goes into crafting stained glass, according to longtime artist and studio owner Kathleen Bromely.

What You Need To Know

  • Kathleen Bromely teaches stained glass art at Katglass Studios in Clearwater

  • She also creates and restores individual pieces of the art work

  • Bromely learned the craft from her grandmother and father

  • More Florida on a Tankful experiences

“This technique I'm using right here fills any space that might still be in between the glass," said Bromely during one of the classes she teaches in her Clearwater studio. 

Bromely, who also creates art on commission, has worked with stained glass for more than 40 years, producing thousands of stained glass pieces. 

“Both my grandmother and my father were involved in stained glass and the arts,” Bromely said. “It was a passion for them.” 

What started as a way for her to pass the time as a child in her father's hobby shops in Washington D.C. quickly turned into much more.  As her talent and skills developed, so did her love for stained glass art. Eventually, she and her father opened dozens of glass shops all over the East Coast, creating something of an empire.

"We had dozens of shops during the height of glass and stained art work," Bromely said. 

While the empire has shrunk a bit since their heyday through the 1980s and 90s, she's still a leader in the world of stained glass art.

At her Katglass Studios in Clearwater, she offers classes that range from beginner to advanced. Aside from the array of classes she teaches, she finds time to create original works and to restore pieces that date back decades. A current piece being restored in her shop is from the 1920s, and some pieces she's worked on are in the Smithsonian. 

It's her hope, even with this small shop in Clearwater, that she can continue to make a difference in the world of stained glass by keeping pieces alive and introducing a new generation to her craft. 

"There is something truly special about working with your hands and seeing these pieces come together in something transformative," Bromely said.

Katglass Studios is closed on Sundays. Hours vary, so check the shop’s website for that information and more on the classes and workshops offered.