Passionate About Glass Artist Build Business, Shares Knowledge
All Photos courtesy of Stern Glass Works
In an artsy Chicago suburb, Maia Stern is creating, teaching, and also building community.
“I love making things with my hands. I love being on my feet actively moving, thinking, problem solving.
“Even more, I love the joy I see cross people’s faces when they find the object that they love or can’t wait to gift to someone while perusing my booth at a craft fair. I love seeing the victory in people’s expressions when they first figure out how to do a certain technical skill. I love the pride I see on my students’ faces when they finish a piece they have been laboring over.
“I love watching my studio members and students start to become friends forming a community of their own. I love sharing the therapeutic, expressive means of creating,” Stern said.
She owns Stern Glass Works, a brick-and-mortar studio in Oak Park focusing on stained glass and kiln-formed glass. Stern opened her business just over a year ago.
Her business model includes a variety of income sources. That is because Stern recognized early in her career that working in the arts — especially something as niche as glass work — meant she could not rely on just one revenue stream.
“I realized from the five years of hustling craft fairs that I couldn’t sustain myself from the standpoint of finances and personal energy only doing craft fairs. I love being out there for the weekend, but my enjoyment of the activity couldn’t justify the uncertainty and difficulty,” she said. “However, the craft shows did help my business. They were ways for me to get my name out there, to sell work, and to promote my other business aspects.”
Stern started participating in craft shows in 2015 and continues to do shows around Chicago. The other parts of her business are classes, memberships, restorations/commissions, and material and finished art sales.
She said classes make up 30% of her business, studio memberships 20%, material sales another 20%, craft shows 15%, restorations/commissions 10%, and in-house finished art sales 5%.
“For now, this breakdown of the multiple revenue streams (classes, art fairs, studio memberships, restorations, and more) is working well,” Stern said. “It allows me to have confidence that if one or maybe even two of these streams is slow in any given month, the other streams will still be in action, ensuring that I have the ability to keep both my business and myself comfortable during a slower month.”
Love of Art Nurtured
Stern grew up in a small Massachusetts town where, from a young age, she was surrounded by creative people, art, and access to art classes. The house she grew up in was filled with sculpture, paintings, photography, bead work, embroidery, and more. As a family, they went to see theater, museum shows, dance, and musical performances.
“I was constantly encouraged to pursue creative expression, whether that be making something with my hands, singing, dancing, or theater,” she said.
Stern and her siblings attended art programs and summer camps. She always enjoyed the various creative pursuits, and at Buck’s Rock Performing and Creative Arts Camp, she found the one that made her feel like an artist.
It was glass. She was 12 years old and became obsessed with it.
During the next few summers, Stern spent all day at the glass studio, despite being able to have only one, one-hour lesson six days a week. She watched others work, assisted when allowed, and absorbed the information. Stern later took continuing education classes, began working in others’ shops, and returned to the camp as a counselor, teaching glass.
“Glass had gotten under my skin, wormed its way into my brain, and was there to stay,” she said. “I don’t know if many people are as lucky to find the thing they are truly passionate about at such a young age, but I did and I am so grateful.”
