Stained glass has a storied tradition of providing illumination, education, and inspiration.

This  presentation by Donald Samick , previous owner of the J&R Lamb Studios (once located in in the old Wyckoff post office on West Main Street), gives a historical overview of the development of American stained glass from its origins in the Middle Ages, to its development in the late 19th century and to modern designs in religious and commercial buildings by a wide selection of artists during the 20th century.

The talk will reveal that while most stained glass originated in the churches and cathedrals of Europe, and is found in places of worship, not all stained glass applications are ecclesiastical in nature. Donald will show how stained glass design has gradually and steadily been assimilated into other settings such as government facilities, universities, museums, well-known hotels & restaurants, and residential dwellings.

Founded in 1857 by brothers Joseph (1833–1898) and Richard Lamb (1836–1909) in NYC, J&R Lamb Studios is the oldest continuously operating stained glass company in the United States owned by two different multigenerational families over the course of its 165 plus years: The Lamb and The Samick/Bleckman families. Donald Samick bought the company from the Lamb family in 1970 after working as an artist at their Tenafly, NJ studio for several years.

Donald has dedicated his entire career to stained glass, with more than 50 years of experience in the business as a craftsman, designer, and studio owner. His writings have been published in Faith and Form, Modern Liturgy, Stained Glass, and Your Church. He has lectured at The American Glass Guild, The Library of Congress, The New York Metropolitan Glass Club, The Stained Glass Association of America (SGAA), Adelphi University, Rutgers University, as well as numerous churches, synagogues, and civic organizations. He is a member of the American Glass Guild, Art Glass Forum–NY, and SGAA; he is a past member of the Appraisers Association of America. From 1996 until 2021, Donald and his talented artistic wife Donna Bleckman Samick, owned and operated the studio together.

In 2003, the studio was humbled and honored that the Library of Congress in Washington, DC acquired the company’s original design archives to preserve for future generations and this presentation was given at the Library of Congress in 2007.