JANESVILLE, Wis. — A Janesville man has been making beautiful stained-glass creations for 45 years.
Richard Snyder has turned his passion into a successful business over the years. He is hoping to keep the art of stained glass alive by teaching others before it’s his time to take a much-needed break.
In this line of work, it’s all about precision and the little details.
“It’s like a big crossword puzzle, you know,” Snyder said. “I just love doing it.”
Stained glass is more than just art to Snyder. It’s a livelihood. He spends countless hours making and repairing stained glass windows for churches, businesses and homes.
He started off as a carpenter in the 1970s. After he mastered woodworking, he started experimenting with glass. He soon realized there was a huge need for people who can repair stained glass. That led him to create his business, 1 Glass Impressions.
“With so many churches out there, probably in the last five years I’ve done 20 churches,” Snyder said.
Throughout his career, he’s also worked to teach the art to others.
“I’ve taught hundreds of classes here in Wisconsin and even in Honduras,” Snyder said.
Snyder is now in his 70s and ready to retire, but he said he worries this passion he’s turned into a profession will fall to the wayside. Right now, he’s trying to recruit young people in the Janesville area to take up the art and continue the work he’s been doing all these years.
“It’s a great business,” he said. “I’ve loved doing it all these years. I would hate to quit it, but there are other things in life I would like to do as well.”