Willet Stained Glass Studios

06/11/2026

Discover the artistry of the Willet Studios windows at West Point Military Academy!

In 1910, William and Anne Lee Willet won a major international competition to design the Great Sanctuary Window at West Point's Cadet Chapel, beating out Louis Comfort Tiffany.

The 34 feet wide by 50 feet tall Sanctuary Window was designed and executed by William Willet in 1910 and represents the “Genius and Spirit of West Point” as symbolized by the heroes of the Old and New Testaments. It was the first to be installed in The Cadet Chapel, and was commissioned with funds contributed by the graduates of the Military Academy throughout the world.

Following its completion, the project for the design and fabrication of the North window and the nave and clerestory windows were awarded to the Willet studio.

In 1915 class sponsorship of the windows was adopted. After 1920, each graduating class not only gifted a panel for their own graduation year, but one for the class of 100 years before, so that every graduating class from West Point’s beginning is memorialized from 1802-1976, when every window in the chapel was filled, totaling 178 windows.

The initial project grew into a 66-year partnership spanning three generations of the Willet family (William and Anne, Henry, and Crosby). Today, this stands as the longest continuous commission in the history of American stained glass.

06/04/2026

A little bit of art history from the archives.

Before the St. Gregory window was made for Grace Episcopal Church in 1924, Anne Willet referenced this early cartoon by William Willet, seen on the left. He originally created it for the Church of the Resurrection in Rye, NY.

After William passed away in 1921, his wife, Anne Lee Willet, took over directing the studio. She used her husband's original drawing as the blueprint to bring the Grace Episcopal window to life.

This was actually the very first Willet window made for Grace Episcopal, starting a relationship that has lasted for over 100 years and still continues today.

06/03/2026

What an honor it was to design and create eight new stained glass windows for Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Dallas, Texas.

Projects like this remind us why stained glass has remained a powerful form of sacred art for centuries, helping to transform sunlight into an expression of faith and beauty.

Thank you to Good Shepherd Episcopal Church for entrusting us with this special commission!

05/28/2026

Samuel Clemens, A.K.A. Mark Twain's deep connection to Elmira, NY started with love! 💖

In 1870, he married Elmira native Olivia Langdon. For the next 20 years, the Clemens family spent their summers at Quarry Farm, hosted by Olivia’s sister. It was here, in a private hillside study, that Twain wrote his most famous novels. 📚

Today, you can visit that historic study right on the Elmira College campus🏫 and visit the Cowles Chapel to see Samuel Clemens and his wife Olivia depicted in Willet Studios stained glass! ⛪

05/27/2026

Can you capture the power, movement, and determination that define sport and the spirit of Team USA?

Willet Stained Glass Studios is inviting artists from across the country to interpret the essence of American sport. Whether you're a painter, sculptor, digital artist, or glass artisan, this is your opportunity to push creative boundaries and explore what your medium can do.

Selected works will be recognized with the following awards:
🥇1st Prize: $7,000
🥈2nd Prize: $2,000
🥉3rd Prize: $1,000

Learn more or submit your work here:

Enter the Willet Art Prize 2026, celebrating artistic innovation inspired by sports. Submit your stained glass masterpiece and compete for prestigious honors.

05/22/2026

Exquisite stained glass design depicting the Te Deum and Christ the King by Kenny Crocker for the Church of the Redeemer, Sarasota, FL, 2002.

05/14/2026

Bringing mid-century masterpieces to life!

Take a look inside the stunning Alice S. Millar Chapel at Northwestern University, featuring 12 monumental leaded stained glass windows fabricated at Willet Studios in the early 60s.

These architectural marvels, representing Creation, Redemption and Victory, were designed and hand-painted by the brilliant Benoît Gilsoul during his tenure as a standout staff designer for our studio. Gilsoul’s signature modern style combined with Willet's traditional craftsmanship resulted in an awe-inspiring, floor-to-ceiling sanctuary transformation.

📸 The breathtaking windows standing in situ today.
📸 A special look at studio president Henry Willet examining Gilsoul’s original, intricate artwork!

05/07/2026

A Celestial Vision in Glass ✨

This striking design by Charlie Lawrence, created for a sandblasted window in Swarthmore Presbyterian in Swarthmore, PA, showcases the Willet tradition of narrative glass, where every line serves to educate and inspire.

The "woman clothed with the sun" (Revelation 12:1) is rendered with ethereal white lines against a dark background, capturing her divine majesty:

Clothed with the Sun: A symbol of God’s radiant grace.
The Moon Beneath Her Feet: Representing victory over mortality and darkness.
A Crown of Twelve Stars: Signifying the foundation of the faithful.

05/06/2026

We are so happy to have partnered with Trinona this year to make a couple of special awards! We have a process video we will be posting later this week - so be sure to check back!