Studio Arts & Glass, Inc, North Canton

Studio Arts & Glass owners Wendy and Robert Joliet were on a mission. The husband-and-wife team was determined to rescue two leaded stained-glass windows from a church-demolition site near downtown Akron. As Wendy told Colette M. Jenkins of the Post and Courier, “The wrecking ball was ready to hum and go right through the windows." But not before the Joliets salvaged the dirt-lined windows, along with several lighting fixtures. Robert—a professional artist who specializes in stained-glass restoration—cleaned and repaired the windows over several months, and the lighting fixtures are now restored and destined for a new life at a restaurant in New York City.

While the couple's shop specializes in artfully restoring timeworn stained-glass pieces, including the badly damaged Ohio State House skylight, they also teach others how to make glass artwork in a variety of classes. They lead students in creating stained-glass panels, mosaic pieces, and glass beads. To complement their own works, students can pick up a lawn art, glass ornaments, and a glittering array of jewelry to appease the family dog's jewel fever.