WATERTOWN, SOUTH DAKOTA

"Art that just happens to hang in a window." Northern Lights is an independent family art glass studio and educational center located in the Northern Plains of South Dakota since 1995. Al and Cheryl relocated their studio from Southern California. They were drawn to the lifestyle in the northern plains and fell in love with the prairies and the quality of life, where everyone is a friend or a neighbor. The area continues to provide the inspiration from nature and the long winters encourage activities close to home so their classes are very popular. Al has concentrated on Art Glass because it offers an opportunity to work with artistic elements of line, texture, color and light to create and design. Glassworks has a life of its own when the sun participates in the creation of differing light intensity and the hour of the day. Relocating their business to Watertown, South Dakota has allowed Al more time to create and teach. Teaching is Cheryl's reward; extending her passion and support to others as they gain confidence to create something unique.

"He who works with his hands is a laborer.
He who works with his hands and his head is a craftsman. 
He who works with his hands, his head, and his heart is an artist."
St Francis of Assisi

​

​Northern Lights Stained Glass is owned and operated by Al & Cheryl Wentzell. It was started in 2004 after dissolving a partnership with Prairie Fire Flies Stained Glass Studios, of Watertown, who decided they did not want retail space in town. So we opened the retail store and classrooms in historical uptown at, 117 E. Kemp Avenue, Watertown, South Dakota. The retail Store and the studio, was opened with a big enough space to handle classes for multiple people and still continue to work on large restorations and studio pieces. We allow students to pick the projects they want to work on and help them design their own patterns, at the same time it allows more flexibility for me as an artist, which I have been working in glass since 1973, to design and work individually with corporations, home owners, churches, and private individuals to make the glass they want. 

Adding the Art Glass of fused, slumped or whatever you would like to do it, has been great. Students have made anything from frogs, plates, nameplates, and jewelry. We teach them to do their own repair to windows if they want. Glass is a very labor intensive item, so if they want to do the work, we'll take them through the steps and help them along, or of course we will do the restoration if they want.

Our business has mostly been word of mouth. It comes from churches talking and recommending to each other, businesses doing the same, or individual's telling their friends and neighbors about what they have done in a class or what we have done for them. Come on in and see what it is all about. We do one day classes, 6 week classes, or open studio time if you need.

 

We have pieces of Stained Glass Artwork already for sale on display in our Gallery. We can also make that special piece for you, or repair stained glass panels, art, lamps and other works.