In the Spotlight
In pursuit of spatial justice, advocates work to preserve an Athens Black church
The stained glass windows that adorn the Mount Zion Baptist Church in Athens are covered in paper thin cracks.
They’re so fragile, one shattered earlier this year, when March rushed in like a lion.
Still, the intricate design and striking size of the windows offer a glimpse into another time — a time when the Black community in Athens was booming and when Ada Woodson Adams was just a child.
“In 1939, when I was born, segregation existed in Ohio and surrounding areas of Athens County. And so the Black church was the center of Black life,” Woodson Adams remembered.
The Nzilani Rose Window
A 7 foot diameter stained glass sampler in a vintage redwood frame, each petal showcases the talent and expertise of our team.
Lead Safety in Stained Glass
Most stained glass studios contain lead came, an essential and yet potentially hazardous material. Nzilani's founder, Ariana Makau, partnered with Cascade Metals to share a few easy lead safety steps for any size studio (from single artist DIY to a large studio).
Conserving a Tiffany Window: Interview with Ariana Makau by ARTnews
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art has acquired Mountain Landscape (Root Memorial Window), a monumental stained-glass masterpiece created by Tiffany Studios in 1917. Housed in Sunset Ridge Church in San Antonio, Texas, the window features Louis Comfort Tiffany’s signature use of vibrant, light-responsive colored glass, depicting a cascading waterfall surrounded by lush foliage.
As part of the museum’s commitment to preserving and showcasing important works of American art, the window is undergoing a meticulous conservation process led by Nzilani Glass Conservation. This specialized team will restore the 110 x 93-inch artwork to prepare it for long-term public display. The conservation work, which includes assessment, cleaning and stabilization, is a critical step in the window’s integration into Crystal Bridges’ expansion scheduled to debut in 2026. Through this initiative, Crystal Bridges and Sunset Ridge Church are ensuring the window’s continued preservation and accessibility for future generations.
Women in Preservation Symposium
Ariana Makau was a panelist at the Women in Preservation Symposium sponsored by the NSCDA and the Smithsonian Institution. This was a fantastic opportunity to “rub shoulders” with fellow professionals in the field, share insights and experiences, and highlight the importance of preserving our artistic and cultural heritage while ensuring the language of yesterday is spoken tomorrow.
Published six times a year by the International Institution for Conservation, News in Conservation provides a platform for members of the conservation community to share the latest research, interviews, and reviews. The latest issue’s front cover features three members of the Nzilani team.
HOPE Crew: Odd Fellows Window Restoration
A majority-women crew organized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation completed work on restoring the historic clerestory windows of the Odd Fellows building in downtown Astoria, OR.
Meet the stained glass conservator preserving history in Oakland
Walking into the vaulted interior of Resurrection Church Oakland on the corner of Franklin and 17th Street, your eyes are immediately drawn to look upward. Roughly 25 feet off the ground, a glowing, 10-foot wide orb of jewel colors bulges towards you, almost as if you could reach up and touch its ethereal light.
The inverted stained glass dome is meant to be the embodiment of spirit. But just two years ago, the 118-year-old structure was in no condition to inspire. Botched by improper repairs, it was in critical condition: damaged, unsafe, and unstable.
Echoes of history: Nzilani Stained Glass with Ariana Makau
On every show, host & preservation architect, Nakita Reed effortlessly weaves history, equity and genuine interest in her guests specialty in an insightful and approachable way.
Episode 52 features a conversation with the trailblazing Ariana Makau. She shares her journey into the field of stained glass conservation and the challenges she faces as a Black woman in a predominantly white industry.
2025 California Preservation Award
Though initially thought to be a relatively small repair of two, stained glass panels, discoveries in the initial survey phase revealed major disrepair of the entire west wall. Nzilani worked with other preservation specialists over two years to conserve the entire stained glass window.