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, Illinois, and later Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for 10 years while she subcontracted work as a glass painter. During her time in Chicago, the artist also worked for a handful of studios, including Curran Glass Studio, Regina Art Glass, Glass Art and Decorative Studio, Two Fish Art Glass, and others. In 2008, Janda returned to Conrad Schmitt Studios before relocating to Winona, Minnesota, to manage Willet Studios’ art department in 2014.
In addition to decades of experience, Janda offers Willet Studios a dedicated spirit to the craft, in which she is constantly striving to learn new techniques through the participation in a multitude of workshops and classes. She has a deep appreciation for the great traditions of stained glass and explains: “I have one foot firmly planted in the rich past, with the other stepping forward into the future of contemporary innovations.”
A close look at Janda’s work process and unique methodology was featured in an Artist Profile for NPR. The video interview follow’s Janda’s process in creating a commissioned stained glass piece of art and features some of her favorite personal pieces.
https://www.pbs.org/video/broad-and-high-artist-profile-melissa-janda-stained-glass