Meet Kenzie Wager | Stained Glass Artist

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

Hi Kenzie, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
The stained glass industry is growing everyday as it starts becoming more popular with the newer generations. Stained glass dates all the way back to the 7th century. The first thing people usually think about when they hear the word stained glass is church windows. I think the stained glass movement today just shows how the modern times are developing century old traditions and putting a contemporary spin on them. It is not a dying art form in anyway, if anything it is being re-invented.

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.
In 2019 I moved to Oakwood, OH from Minnesota which is where I had lived my whole life. I grew up visiting my Grandma in Ohio which is what brought me here along with searching for something more. I found that something more in 2020 after being inspired by my Grandma’s neighbor who had made and gifted all of his neighbors stained glass to hang in their windows. I took a leap and invested in the supplies and have not put them down or stopped thinking about stained glass since the day I started. I am completely self taught through trial and error, reading and YouTube. Stained glass is a skill you have to master before offering it to the community and once I was confident, I spread my wings! My business Wild Bloom Glass is where artistry and nature converge in the form of stained glass plant stakes, sun catchers and panels. I have a passion for the tiffany style of stained glass which is using copper foil and solder to structure the glass together. My artistry comes alive experimenting with various colors and textures, seeking the perfect combination. I hope to someday make my passion accessible to my community by creating a space to teach classes and sell materials. Stained glass makes me feel alive and I want to bring that feeling to as many people as possible. For now I am focused on sharing as much behind the scenes content as I can on my Instagram to share the knowledge, art and beauty of stained glass.
My biggest piece of advice would be to not overthink. Just do it. Post that picture, go to that event, talk to that person. Put yourself out there with no limitations! It will create opportunities that will fuel all the hard work you put in.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
Ohio has beauty all around! In its nature, people and the personality of all the small businesses. Lily’s Dayton has the best brunch and cutest vibe. That is definitely a go-to if you want good food and enchantment! Massaman Thai Cuisine is my happy place. My favorites to get is the fried rice, pad thai and general toas chicken. The quality of the food is what sets it apart. For the best wings I go to Nick’s in Xenia. They have won the Fraze Pavilion wing fest for a handful of years. You have the check them out! Clearly I love the food that Dayton offers so it’s a good thing I also like the nature. My favorite hiking trail is at Bill Yeck in Centerville. Take the yellow trail and it will bring you to cross a river with huge rocks as your path around 7 different times. It feels like you are in the mountains. One thing that makes me feel like a little kid again is geocaching. It is a great free and fun activity! Download the geocaching app on your phone and you will see the hundreds of geocaching planted all around you! There’s some great ones at Hills and Dales. If you are a Dayton local we also have waterfalls that are a close drive away! One that always stands out to me is Charleston Falls Preserve in Tipp City. After seeing the falls I love to visit the town of Tipp City for some food and shopping. It is quaint but gives off vintage and eclectic feels.
If you want to feel like you’re stepping in a scene of a movie Lebanon is a town to visit. The cute shops, old-time feel and cobblestone streets are definitely something to see. Lebanon also has an old train station they use for historic train rides that will bring you to see Lebanon’s countryside. Lastly, I love Yellow Springs. It has a bit of everything with a hippie feel. Make sure to visit all the small businesses when you’re there like Rooted Essentials located above the Winds Cafe. Ohio and Dayton is full of life and magic you just have to look for it!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to send love to all the people who encourage me and see the beauty in the items I make. It is the best being surrounded by other entrepreneurs who share the passion of creating and having dreams that go beyond the sky. Shout out to @mollywiremanphoto, @prettypicnicco, @rootedessentialsohio and @gemcitybakehouse for being great small business friends. I want to give a personal shoutout to my partner for constantly being an unpaid employee in all my adventures and my biggest supporter.

Website: https://www.bio.site/wildbloomglass

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/wildbloomglass/

Image Credits
@mollywiremanphoto