by Ailsa Marshall
After three decades based on Chandos Road, Opus Glass Design has moved its studio to a home workspace in BS7, where glass artists Celia and Jake continue their long-running practice in Bishopston.
The pair, who run the business together, have been part of Bristol’s artistic community for decades, producing stained and decorative glass for homes and public buildings across the city and beyond.
Their work blends traditional glass-making techniques with a contemporary approach, ranging from bespoke domestic commissions to large-scale installations in hospitals, schools, and libraries. They also carry out restoration and repair of historic stained glass.
Jake says the business began from a shared ambition. “We met as friends and we always knew we wanted our own business,” he explains. “We wanted to specialise in contemporary art, and we sort of dreamt up this plan.”
Their long association with Chandos Road began when they found a studio space there and quickly felt at home. “We found the place on Chandos Road and thought it’d be perfect,” Jake recalls. “When we saw it, we fell in love with it – and then we were there for 30 years.”
Over time, much of their work developed through local connections and word of mouth. Celia reflects that this became the foundation of their reputation: “People got to know us over the years, then it was mainly word of mouth.”
Commissions have included work for St Werburgh’s Park Nursery, Southmead Hospital, Hengrove, and libraries in Filton and Bradley Stoke, as well as larger hospital projects in Manchester. “We weren’t too proud to do anything – we’d take on anything,” she adds.
For Celia, the appeal of stained glass lies in its relationship with light and colour. “People have a very basic response to colour and light and I think together it’s the most amazing thing,” she says. “It can tell stories, it can draw people in, it can inspire them.”
She notes that its changing nature is central to its effect: “It changes through the day, it’s never the same. It looks different in different light, it’s something that’s constantly changing.”
Celia also reflects on the personal aspect of the craft: “You can put your soul into people’s houses.”
From their BS7 base, Celia and Jake continue their established practice in stained and decorative glass, working on commissions for both domestic and public settings, with a continued focus on Bristol and its surrounding communities.