Meet Beth DeVerre | Master Stained Glass Artist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Beth DeVerre and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Beth, how do you think about risk?
When I was younger I looked at risk taking to be walking across a rope bridge over a huge valley, hang gliding over a volcano, or jumping across a crocodile infested bayou. I didn’t really understand the risks I was taking when I started in my career.

I was able to apprentice under 3 different glass craftsmen right after I graduated from college in Utah. I very quickly saw that the best way to make money in the stained glass world was to work for myself rather than be the studio help. I also wanted to be the person that talked to the clients, learn what type of design and colors they wanted rather than be told what design to draw up and what colors to use.

I enjoy all of the aspects of the creation of a stained glass window; from concept by collaborating with my clients, the drawing of the cartoon (pattern), selecting the glass, cutting, assembling, finishing and presenting the work. I am an introvert for the most part, however meeting new people and helping them get the art they want energizes me. I am able to be alone in the studio creating after they order a window. It feels like the best of both worlds.

I had no desire to compete with the mentors I learned from in Utah so I waited for an opportunity to start my business. A dormant studio was for sale in Springdale, Arkansas when I moved to the area. I was able to secure the studio, renamed it, turned the open sign on and hit the streets. I had no idea if I could succeed, and was determined to do my best to see if it was possible. It was a huge risk to try to revive a dormant stained glass studio in the area.

My goal was to take what I had learned from watching my mentors and see if I could make it better. I discovered that I needed to educate my prospective clients and contractors. They assumed that stained glass was no longer readily available and therefore they did not include it in designs and ideas. I enjoyed sharing my love for glass with people that really had no experience with it. Taking the risk of asking for commissions paid off. My first year in business I grossed $50,000 and my second year I doubled that. I’ve been in business now for 15 years.

Another risk I took was when I was asked if I could create antique mirror, I had no idea how to do that when I was asked. I did a quick google search, determined I could figure it out and said yes! It was pretty brazen of me given that I was talking with a remodeler whose client was a Fortune 100 member! I got the project and then learned I had no idea what I was doing. After lots of trial and error, some tears and a good amount of blood and bandages I figured it out. The client, designer and remodeler loved it! I have been creating it for clients for the past 11 years. I’m now developing a new effect for mirror products based on my knowledge of my process.

Since that experience I have said yes to many projects that I didn’t quite know how to perfect at the moment, but I was determined to learn and have provided excellent results. I’ve learned to create patterns in almost every art style. Most 2 dimensional artists use one or two aesthetics, its been necessary for me to learn all of them. Abstract to Traditional and everything in between.

I’ve learned that by asking for what seems impossible I am able to create new and innovative ways to use glass. Interestingly the risks I took with certain people in my life did not play out the way I would have liked. I’ve experienced betrayal and fraud because of the risks I took with untrustworthy people. I believe now that it is inevitable that not everything works out the way I want, and that those failures taught me as much or more as learning from my successes.
Working with glass is humbling, just when I think I know what to do to achieve the desired result, the glass decides to change the rules, factors such as humidity, temperature, environment, chemical composition, and manufacturing all matter and create different outcomes. I will always be learning new things about the science and organic nature of my art. Working with glass is risky by its nature, its sharp, I am not afraid of being cut or hurt. I am very aware that my humanity can be at risk when I am 30′ in the air on a lift or holding onto a ceiling joist to get the window seated correctly. It is exciting to plant my feet firmly back on the ground after a successful installation and a happy client. I guess I may be an adrenaline junky after all, I ride a motorcycle too and love every second of it!
I heard a phrase 28 years ago that I took to heart as soon as I heard it. “When living on the cutting edge, expect to bleed.” -David Lynn, Orem, UT. It was the inspiration for my original business name, Cutting Edge Glass, as well as my mantra. If I wanted to innovate and create I would most likely get hurt. It didn’t scare me then and it doesn’t scare me now. In fact I embrace taking risks it’s the best way for me to find joy and fulfillment.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I like to think of myself as a well rounded artist. Being commissioned based means I need to accomodate many different tastes. I have learned to create stained glass windows in almost every art style. My versatility sets me apart. When I meet a new client I become very present with them. I listen to their words, and their emotions underneath. I take both inputs to determine a concept design for them. I feel like my art is about my clients, it is never about myself. I have built windows for myself, what you might call my style, they are more of a therapy session than something I would put on display or sell. My therapy sessions are messy, ugly, healing and chaotic, I am not sure anyone would want to hang something like that in their window. Because I am able to convey emotions in glass, which is usually considered cold and sharp, my work is set apart from other stained glass artists.
I love being challenged by my clients and projects, I usually freak out a bit too. I know when I am challenged I grow and I get to learn new techniques which makes me a better artist. I’m currently creating a clear glass texture in my kiln for a client’s entryway because what she wants isn’t available commercially. I am also creating variations of painted mirror that are specific to my client’s design colors. I love that when approached with a project I am willing to try and figure out how to create it.
My success was easy in some regards, I am the only stained glass studio around in an entire region, that singularity has benefits, but because I was the only studio around, very few knew about me. I make sales calls regularly to cabinet shops, remodelers, contractors, interior designers, have a booth at the local Home Shows, network and try to maintain social media channels. The more people see me the more work I have.
I have had people sabotage my business and I have really struggled financially. I am still dealing with the consequences of that. I am working to overcome the damage by pure determination to not let them destroy me, asking for a lot of help, generous donations, and faith that I’ve come this far I can make it.
I would love the world to know that my work is a reflection of my client. I am able to visualize the windows and decorative glass that they want before they may even know. I absorb the energy they want in the piece and create it for them in a piece of art glass. I also am one of a very few studios that can ship my work internationally, domestically and have a specialized van to deliver and install my work.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Northwest Arkansas is the best little big place ever! Some of my favorite things here are the outdoors. I would take you on a hike at Hobbs State park to see wildflowers, beautiful creek beds and nature. I would drive you all over the well maintained roads to show you amazing scenery and hidden vistas of gorgeous mountain-ish valleys. Even better if you rode a motorcycle we’d go ride them! There are green trees everywhere. I would love to share with you some of the oddities of the area on the outskirts of town, I live in Arkansas after all and it has it’s eccentric side. There has been a huge growth in the area over the past 10 years, lots of new businesses, fun breweries and restaurants. We have 4 main towns that make up Northwest Arkansas and each town has a different feel, I, for sure, would take you to each town center and we could stroll through the boutiques and restaurants. Some of my favorite restaurants are Taste Thai, a hole in the wall with amazing Thai food located in Springdale. Havana is an incredible Cuban restaurant located in downtown Rogers. I am partial to Rogers, I always have been, it feels like home. Rogers is a mix of honoring the heritage of how it started, railroad and apple farming, as well as embracing growth and new innovations. Iron Horse Coffee is a local coffee shop that has been serving amazing food as well as hot beverages for years. I am partial to Andy’s Frozen Custard so that is a definite stop for me. There are venues to catch broadway shows, community theatre and lots of local and non local live music. My introverted side isn’t too much into doing lots of crowd activities, but if my best friend wanted to go I’d go. One of my favorite gems is the Dickon Street Bookstore in downtown Fayetteville. This store is the Diagon Alley of stores, it goes on and on forever. Used books everywhere and anywhere they can put a book. It is a masterpiece of sorts. Every time I go I find another section I’ve never noticed before.
In the end though I’d still try to take you outdoors to see all the beautiful scenery, waterfalls, enjoy the lake vistas and all the curvy roads of the Ozark Mountains.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I have been supported by a vast group of people and organizations throughout the past 15 years, I would like to thank my parents, Roger and Sue Otis, for the loan to buy the dormant studio that gave me my brick and mortar location. Without that loan I would not have been motivated to market myself to the construction and design community. I had the honor of being mentored by Willie Taylor of Taylor Cabinets who shared my birthday and was 40 years my senior. Willie guided me in how to price my work, the basics of commission agreements and always encouraged his clients to put my work in their cabinet doors. Tim Janacek of Janacek Remodeling, mentored me in navigating the construction business, introduced my work to his clients and helped me see the worth of my work. He also encouraged me to find out how to create something if I didn’t know how to create it. Marsha Lane Foster has been an integral member of my tribe, she and I have been accountability partners for years. Courtney Harms, founder of the non-profit Be Restored, has been a part of my mastermind group. I have been very blessed to have amazing assistants over the years, Lori Collins, Sherry Kelley, Patti Baker and Gwen Craig have enriched my work and life. I would also like to mention that reading success books has played a key role in my life. You are a badass, Jen Sincero, The Compound Effect, Darren Hardy, The 10X rule, Grant Cardone, The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell, and Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill have been the most significant for me.

Website: beth@bethdglass.com

Instagram: BethDeVerreGlass

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CuttingEdgeGlassCreations?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Image Credits
My headshot is by Marsha Lane Foster and the photo of 4 window panels is by Keith Branch Photography. All the other photos are taken by me.