There's a beautiful way for you to enjoy the spring sunshine from inside: stained glass windows. We'll talk to a local artist about her creations at Rising Moon Studio and how you can learn to craft your own.

The glass is so beautiful. It's really hard to make something ugly out of stain glass because it is so beautiful.

You can do so many things. You can do your large windows, little suncatchers, boxes, kaleidoscopes, three dimensional things. There's a lot of variety and many styles.

My personal style tends to be very free-flowing, but you can do very traditional, Victorian, mission style. There's a wide range of creativity with it.

I've always been interested in art. I was not an art student but I've always done different projects and stained glass was something that appealed to me and it stuck and I kept going.

25 years ago I took a hobby class, very similar to the ones I teach now. I started gradually selling some things. I had my own little studio in River Falls, then seven years ago we moved back to Eau Claire and that's when this shop opened.

The initial thing is to sketch. I start with a line drawing because stain glass is very linear and the lines are very prominent in a design. Then I'll add in color, pick the glass, trace the pieces onto the glass and then hand cut each piece. I like to cut all the glass first. When I start to construct the window, I use a water-based grinder to refine the shape so the glass fits exactly. Then I use lead-channel pieces and fit it between all the glass. When I have it entirely together, it's held together with little nails. Then, all the joints will be soldered on both sides. Then I apply a putty to fill in all loose spaces. Then it's cleaned and it's ready to go.

I like designing a lot. I like cutting the glass. My least favorite is cementing, but it's part of the process.

It's a good creative outlet. There's a basic skill set and then you can be as creative as you want or not. There are hundreds of pattern books. So, if you don't feel like designing you can get a pattern book, but still have the option to make it your own.

It's something people can do a wide range of things in. You can make things for your home. Those are abstract, colorful birdfeeders meant to hang out in the trees. I have some free-standing pieces, like the little trees. I also make kaleidoscopes, little boxes, just a lot of things I take to art shows in the summer.

I enjoy people's reaction to it. A lot of the stuff I make goes in people's homes. They either buy it as an art piece at a show or I can work with them as a calibration for the custom pieces. That's probably one of the nicest things because that way I can make them something that they're truly part of and becomes part of their home. It's my artwork, but It's also a part of them. It's something they can enjoy and share in.

For more information on working with Jean to design your own stained glass creation, or to sign up to take a class with her you can call (715)858-5998.