Talking Out Your Glass Podcast

As lead painter and art department manager for Willet Studios in Winona, Minnesota, Melissa Janda will speak about Willet’s large-scale projects at the upcoming American Glass Guild Conference, being held in Mesa, Arizona, from May 22 – 24, 2025.  With 30 years of experience in the field of stained glass, Janda is adept at all aspects of stained glass production, specializing in glass painting, design and restoration work. From St. Agnes Catholic Church in Key Biscayne, Florida, to St. Jane de Chantal Catholic Church, Bethesda, Maryland, the results are stunning and speak for themselves. Before entering the world of stained glass, Janda received her BFA from the Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design, where she majored in drawing with a minor in illustration. Her professional experience with the craft first began in 1993 when she worked at Conrad Schmitt Studios, New Berlin, Wisconsin. Janda then went on to work at Jaeger Studios before leaving to manage her own studio, Melissa Janda Studios in Chicago, Illino