Franklin Art Glass Studios, Inc.

Franklin Art Glass Studios, Inc. was founded in 1924. For the past 95 years Franklin Art Glass Studios has been committed to furthering and preserving the art of stained and leaded glass. With a team of talented artists and craftsmen and decades of experience, we provide our clients with only the highest levels of artistry and craftsmanship.

Franklin Art Glass Studios is an all-inclusive studio with expertise in a variety of disciplines, from newly fabricated custom residential pieces to liturgical restorations to multipurpose commercial work. Every piece is produced in-house at our 65,000 square foot facility and handled with the utmost care by our skilled and dedicated artisans.

We’ve designed and fabricated original stained glass work for a variety of clients. Among these are more than 45,000 iconic lampshades for Wendy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers, custom table lamps for the Thompson Library at The Ohio State University, and the ceiling in the library reading room at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. A recent notable project was the original stained glass windows created for the renovation of the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception at the University of Dayton. The scope of work included 10 tall nave windows that were fabricated using the grisaille method, a painting style devised in the 12th century that involved hand painting in monochrome gray to create a repeating motif.

In addition to original work, our studio also provides conservation and restoration services. A particularly special project currently in our studio is the restoration of St. John’s Burry’s Church in Rochester, Pennsylvania. What makes this project unique is that in 1927, Franklin Art Glass fabricated all the original stained glass for the church. Now, 95 years later, it’s being completely restored by us as well. Other restorative projects we’ve undertaken include the complete repair and restoration of the Ohio Masonic Home in Springfield, Ohio and The Presbyterian Church of Coshocton, Ohio, which included the full restoration of the 32-foot diameter dome that rose over 75-feet in the air.

Additional services provided by Franklin Art Glass include protective glazing and storm glass, custom metal and wood framing, sand blasting and etching, and tempered glass.

Through the decades we have been committed to the preservation and appreciation of the art of stained glass, and we plan to keep going for the next 95 years and beyond.

Notable Projects:

• Ashland University, Ashland, Ohio Fist Baptist Church, Milton, West Virginia
• University of Wisconsin – Library Reading Room, Madison, Wisconsin
• Bishop Brossart High School, Alexandria, Kentucky
• Sts. Kiril & Metodij Macedonian Church, Cedar Grove, New Jersey Wendy’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers – Lampshades, Nationwide
• University of Dayton – Immaculate Conception Chapel, Dayton, Ohio Carmel Lutheran Church, Carmel, Indiana Paradiso Restaurants, Fargo, North Dakota
• St. John’s Burry’s Church, Rochester, Pennsylvania
• St. George Serbian Greek Orthodox Church, Hermitage, Pennsylvania
• Wilberforce University, Wilberforce, Ohio
• Bluewell United Methodist, Bluefield, West Virginia

Current Projects:

• St. Paul Church, Westerville, Ohio
• St. John’s Burry’s Church, Rochester, Pennsylvania
• Covenant Presbyterian Church, Vandalia, Ohio
• Ohio Masonic Home, Springfield, Ohio
• First Baptist Church of Pomeroy, Pomeroy, Ohio
• St. Paul United Methodist Church, New Paris, Ohio
• Broad Run Baptist Church, Jane Lew, West Virginia 
• Mount Carmel Health Systems – Mount Carmel Capel, Grove City, Ohio
• Woodward Opera House, Mount Vernon, Ohio
• Germut Bier Garten, Columbus, Ohio

Other Affiliations, Designations, Special Certifications

• Two past Presidents of the SGAA – James Helf & Gary Helf
• Fellow of the SGAA – James Helf
• Over 100-year member of the SGAA
• Lead-Safe Certified Firm
• Better Business Bureau Accredited Firm
• Member of the Building Industry Association
• Member of the Columbus Chamber of Commerce
• German Village Business Community Member
• Art Glass Association – Retailer of the year 2016

EXPERTISE

Restoration and repair, window assessment, storm glass and exterior glazing, custom metal and wood framing, new design and fabrication of residential, commercial, and liturgical windows, sandblasting and etching, tempered glass, dale de verre new work and repair, U.V. bonding and stabilization, traditional hand painting techniques for restoration and new creations.

REGIONS SERVED

Nationwide service.