We recently connected with Sarah Thomas and have shared our conversation below.

Sarah, appreciate you joining us today. The first dollar you earn is always exciting – it’s like the start of a new chapter and so we’d love to hear about the first time you sold or generated revenue from your creative work?

Selling something I’ve made with my own hands is never going to lose excitement! I still do a little happy dance each time an item sells- no matter the size, every sale matters to me! My very first stained glass sale was within the first two weeks I had started on a well-known online marketplace platform. It was early in the morning and I was chatting with my sister while she was on her way to work, my phone made a notification sound that was unfamiliar to me. I looked at the screen and started celebrating-hollering “woot woot” “oh yeah!! I did it!” and making some other sound effects and dance moves. I was so excited I could barely get the words out! So ecstatic I told my sister, “I did it! I sold my first piece!!!!” I couldn’t believe that a person who lived STATES away, whom I had never met wanted to spend their money on something I had created. I was grinning from ear to ear! So grateful! I took a quick selfie, bedhead hair and all; it was a moment worth capturing. Some business owners like to save their first dollar and frame it, I wanted to save that smile, that joy, and gratitude I felt nurturing my soul. That to me is more frame-worthy than the money.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers

Hey there, I’m Sarah and I make beautiful stained glass art. Life is a rollercoaster, full of twists and turns and taking chances. Sometimes, taking chances can be a little risky at times, but I’d rather try and take a risk than sit on the sidelines. In 2021, I lost my mom to her long health battle while I was also completing my Master’s degree. After graduating, I spent countless hours searching for openings, submitting applications, writing cover letters, and completing interviews. I was just feeling like I was in a rat race and needed an outlet. After losing my mom, I really began to look at life differently. I realized that if you want to do something, do it, don’t wait for the right time or you’ll just keep making excuses. This is your time, your journey, do with it as YOU want. With that in mind, I finally took the initiative and signed myself up for the introduction to stained glass class. I was so excited for the first class to start, and once I made my first score on the glass, I was hooked. Suddenly the stresses of my life at that point began to dissipate. Scoring glass and creating beautiful art was letting me explore my creativity once again and that was making me happy. I completed the beginner stained glass course and before I knew it my husband, Nick, had seen my soul start to flourish with love for this new passion and surprised me with my own grinder so I could continue my newfound love at home! Little did he know he was setting the foundation for the biggest, riskiest jump I was about to take. I came to that place in my life where I decided to hop off one rollercoaster and got right onto the next one, even passing up the express lane. I took the risk of no longer pursuing the career path I had for the last decade, and I chose to take a path that filled my creative soul while also bringing joy to others. I took a risk to leave the “safe route” and jumped straight into the world of being an artist and a maker. I instantly had those that supported this decision, and I also had the ones that were skeptical of me “wasting” my degree. I spent months (and still continue) to further educate myself on the art of stained glass after that introduction class. I began selling on an online marketplace platform to test out the waters and by the summer of 2022, I started selling my work at local craft markets. I’ve continued to grow from there: selling at local boutiques and creating my own website. Starting my own business and selling my creative works has been the riskiest decision I’ve made to date. But that scary jump has been a beautiful journey ever since.

My stained glass work started with plant stakes and suncatchers, it quickly expanded with zinc framed panels, custom pieces, tealight candle holders, business card holders, and propagation stations, and the list continues to grow! I also like to incorporate things other than just glass into my work such as snake shed, charms, and crystals-giving it a little touch of nature and beauty.

Working with glass is much like being a sculptor and a painter smashed together. I get to build this beautiful creation by breaking down sheets of glass and grinding them down. After soldering the shapes together, there is a second creation waiting to be seen when the sun shines and the glass dances in the light. It’s like getting two separate pieces of art.

I have a playfulness about me and I think that is why I love what I do so much-it’s all play. I get to create unique designs and play with colors, textures, and shapes and bring them all together to create a beautiful piece that also brings joy to others!

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

Rapid Resizer. This is a time-efficient and easy way to get your stained glass pattern the particular size you want and need for your finished piece. All I need to do is upload my design, enter in the dimension, and print it out. Then, cut along the cutlines and tape it all together-no need for a large format printer!

Procreate. When I started my stained glass journey I was strictly using paper and pencil to create my designs. Old habits die hard but, man, is Procreate a time saver!- not to mention it’s a rarely inexpensive tool that quickly pays for itself. There are countless specialty brushes, you can easily play with color options, and you don’t need to be tech-savvy to benefit from it,

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

This is a twofold part, as rewards come in many forms. In one way the most rewarding aspect of being an artist is having freedom. The freedom to create and express myself through my creations, and the freedom of working for myself. But it doesn’t just end there, because just as equally rewarding is the satisfaction of bringing joy to others with my art.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.thegarageonleonard.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thegarageonleonard/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheGarageOnLeonard217/

Image Credits
Jordan Minder Photography, 1221 Photography