Studio profile

We are David Williams and Stephen Byrne of Williams & Byrne, which is a stained glass design and painting studio based in the United Kingdom.

We specialize in bespoke stained glass design in any style and intricate kiln-fired stained glass painting, likewise in any style.

Together we photographed and wrote Glass Painting Techniques & Secrets from an English Stained Glass Studio – a technique-packed downloadable e-book which shows you how to paint all your tracing and shading (using water and oil), front and back of the glass, in a single firing.

We believe in sharing what we know with anyone who’s willing to try and try again until they achieve that special level which is uniquely theirs.

Here’s how we came to this point in our lives and our work. And we will be thrilled to hear how you came to where you are now.

David Williams

David Williams

Straight from art college, David took an 8-year apprenticeship with Patrick Reyntiens – he had decided early on in his life that stained glass painting was what he was going to do with his life.

He followed this long apprenticeship with 15 years as Chief Designer and Studio Manager at John Hardman’s, the stained glass studio founded by Hardman and Pugin in 1838.

Whilst it’s all very well doing what other people ask you to do, there comes a point in each of our lives when we simply must do things for ourselves and because we freely choose to do them for no other reason that this allows us the best use of all our talents.

For this reason, in 2004, David left his influential position at Hardman’s and joined forces with Stephen to create a studio of their own.

Stephen Byrne

Stephen Byrne

Stephen, for his part, did things less directly than David.

But the same rule applies: there came a time – after getting a doctorate and working in the City of London for 12 years - when he could do nothing else but leave what he was doing and look for an apprenticeship in stained glass.

He found one at John Hardman’s, which was of course where he met David.

An apprenticeship at the tender age of 40 may seem lowly, but it really doesn’t matter starting again if at last you’re going in the direction that you want.

This is one reason why teaching and exploring ideas with other glass painters (novice and professional) are fundamental to the daily rhythm at Williams & Byrne.

As it says at the top, we are glad to meet you.

The design and glass painting studios

After 4 years at Hardman’s, and a lot of planning – it’s not enough to make things beautifully: each one of us must actually find and like the people who will want to buy what we do best – we created Williams & Byrne. 

The road to the Williams and Byrne stained glass studio

We began in March 2004 with 1000 square feet over two floors – large enough to design and paint, and also to welcome and work with students.

Then, in August 2008, with a huge amount of design and painting on the go at any one time, we opened a second studio close by.

The extra space means that Williams & Byrne now runs post-graduate design and glass painting courses where people can work together with us or work alone as best suits their individual requirements.

When we can help you with anything to do with design and stained glass painting, please write to us right here.

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