After spending many years in another business, Tim and Diane Thomas ventured out to follow a love that flourished from a hobby: stained glass art.
When you think of stained glass, images of intricate and skillfully crafted cathedral windows may come to mind. However, the Thomas’ are making stained glass art accessible to everyone, by offering a variety of unique classes that start out with the basics.
With just over a year passing since their studio opened, business has been gleaming with creative participants. Newcomers to stained glass have learned that it is not a quick process. “A panel takes a couple of weeks to finish,” stated Diane Thomas. The process is time consuming, but the end product is something everyone is surely proud of.
Students begin by picking a template. There are many, many to choose from. Then they choose the glass which comes in multiple colors and textures. The hardest part of this is trying to make up your mind. Once you get that in order it’s time to cut your glass to the template, grind it, apply copper foiling and then on to soldering. The last couple steps are accompanied by an eager temptation to see your final creation gleam in the sunlight.
The Thomas’ take the time to really work with the class participants, explaining every step at a pace that everyone can be comfortable with. “We are here to help and to teach,” Tim Thomas said. Mind’s Eye also provides custom stained glass art services for your home or office.
The Thomas family is actively involved with Relay for Life of Spring Hill, in which they will be raffling a beautiful sunflower stained glass art guitar. Tim Thomas designed the guitar and it was lovingly crafted by Tim, Diane and Meghan Thomas. It took about a week to construct. The guitar will be raffled at the April 29th relay at Nature Coast Technical High School. The raffle tickets are a donation of $5.00 for one or 3 for $10. If you’d like to check it out, the guitar will be on display at Up 4 Breakfast located at Spring Hill Drive and Barclay until the relay event on April 29th. The proceeds go towards the cost of the survivors’ reception, prior to the relay event. Cancer survivors and their caregivers attend this reception free of charge. For additional information on becoming involved in Relay For Life you can contact lizzie.mead@cancer.org
For more information about stained glass art classes of custom services feel free to contact Tim and Diane Thomas at Mind’s Eye Glass Art Studio: 5133 Commercial Way, Spring Hill, FL (352) 666- 8888 or MindsEyeGlassStudio@gmail.com
Building great relationships within the community is important for the Thomas’. “We like to make relationships; we like to get to know our customers that come in and out,” Diane Thomas said.
