Agatha Art Glass opens on Main Street
By Robert Cloud
A 14-year-old girl is learning how to run a small business.
Visitors to Agatha Art Glass, the store with the blue awning located at 204 N. Main St., can meet artist and budding entrepreneur Scarlet Agatha Verner.
In addition to creating her own stained glass pieces, she eagerly shares her love of the art.
“It’s like putting together a puzzle,” Scarlet said.
While speaking to the Waupaca County Post, Scarlet explained the steps of designing a pattern, selecting the glass, cutting and grinding glass to fit the pattern, applying copper foil and soldering the glass in place.
Agatha Art Glass offers classes that teach the basics of foil and solder stained glass art from 6-8 p.m. Thursdays and Sundays.
Classes are limited to four people, who each have their own work stations,
The cost is $35 and that includes everything needed to make the project. Students need bring their own safety glasses.
Glass art supplies
Photo courtesy of Agatha Art Glass
Scarlet’s mother, Melissa Vernet, said the store sells all the supplies needed to make stained glass pieces.
The store has a wide variety of glass that ranges in price from nearl $7 per square foot to almost $40 per square foot.
Pulling out a sheet of glass with swirls of deep blue, ruby red and lime green, Scarlet says the product is manufactured by Kokomo Opalescent Glass, an Indiana company that dates back to 1888.
The same manufacturer’s glass is used in Tiffany lamps.
“They use the same melting equipment and techniques as they did in the late 1800s,” Scarlet said.
Agatha Art Glass also carries Wissmach glass, which has been produced in West Virginia since 1904.
Wissmach glass is less expensive and includes a variety of textures as well as patterns.
The store also offers chains and wire, soldering irons and soldering wire, copper foil, glass cutters, grinders and other tools.
There are books of patterns, raning from basic designs for beginners to complex designs for experienced artists.
Passersby can see some suncatchers created by Scarlet and her father, Patrick Verner, in the store’s display windows.
The store’s summer hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
For more information, visit www.agathaartglass.com.