It’s hard to imagine, now that Dan Daniels is the president and CEO of Delphi Glass, but in 1968, he was summarily dismissed from a Detroit area glass studio for having the audacity to ask for supplies and instructions to make a stained glass lamp. He was told in no uncertain terms that he needed to undergo at least a three-year apprenticeship before his request would even be considered.

Fortunately, he didn’t take no for an answer. Instead, he decided that there were probably others, like him, who wanted to experience the art and craft of working with glass but who weren’t interested in making the kind of commitment demanded by the Detroit studio owner. Today, the business that grew from his interest in stained glass reaches around the world and brings glass artistry and other such endeavors to an enthusiastic (and growing) audience.

Daniels explained the chronology: “Originally from Detroit, I studied psychology at Michigan State University; after I graduated, I traveled to Sydney, Australia in 1971 to work on my PhD and teach. While I was there, I took classes in stained glass. When my wife, Helene, and I returned to Michigan, I started teaching stained glass classes both at MSU and at Lansing Community College. The classes proved very popular, and I started selling supplies out of my garage.  It was only a matter of time before I ran out of space and decided, with my wife and my brother, Dennis, to start a commercial operation, which we named Delphi Glass. Our marketing slogan was Delphi Makes it Easy. The business grew steadily. In 1974, we published our first catalog with six pages offering 12 colors of glass. By 1975, we’d moved into a 5,000-square-foot building and added a wholesale sales program. Only a year later, we moved into a new facility with twice as much space. Between 1977 and 1982, we opened other Delphi stores in the Midwest and Florida. In the early ’80s, we experimented with franchises but soon realized that we needed to consolidate back to our core locations and business.

“From 1991 to today, we’ve experienced strong and steady growth. In 1994, here in Lansing, we designed and built a 30,000-square-foot distribution center and retail store with showrooms, classrooms and a call center. This past year, we added on to our facility to allow for even more selling, distribution and education space—a total of 50,000 square feet. Our catalog now is well over 300 pages and has more than 20,000 products for sale.”

These days, it’s not just stained glass that fills the showroom and catalogs of Delphi Glass. Delphi offers supplies and instruction for a myriad of glass and other crafts, from the very simplest for the beginner hobbyist all the way to the most complex for the experienced artist, including glass fusing, wire wrapping, metal embossing, etching, carving, jewelry making, copper foil, sandblasting, glass sculpture, glass casting, copper enameling, beading, glass blowing, mosaics, ceramics, and others—a seemingly endless list of creative endeavors.

In the Lansing facility, a full schedule of classes is offered. Utilizing four on-site, fully equipped classrooms, more than 100 different courses are offered for beginners, intermediate and advanced students. Some classes last just a few hours while others may meet for several days. Classes are taught by guest artists or in-house experts. The fall schedule included such offerings as Basics of Wire Wrapping; Braids, Chains and Coils; Kiln Formed Glass; Wire Wrapping Fused Gems; Glass Bead Making; and Fused Architectural Tiles taught by nationally recognized mosaic artist Tom Snyder. A closer look at their schedule book is an invitation to be inspired by the beauty and artistry of the materials, techniques and finished products.

According to Store Manager Lisa Parks, “We bring in about 14 guest artists a year, and those on our staff who teach for us are experts in some or all of the arts we offer. Even our employees who don’t teach are well able to work with our customers, answer questions and give instruction. Everything the class participants need is available here, and we offer plenty of post-class support; we are always available for consultation and assistance.”

It’s not just Lansing residents who benefit from the myriad of classes taught at the local facility. “We literally have people coming from all over the world to take our classes,” Parks said. “Every one of our 70 employees is committed to excellent service and dedicated to bringing the best possible experience to our customers.”

According to Daniels, about 75 percent of their business is now catalog and Internet sales. Catalogs, class schedules and other information flow to Delphi customers through the mail, and an extensive, interactive website changes frequently as new products and methods are introduced. “We add hundreds of new items to our inventory monthly,” Daniels said.

While Delphi operates on an international playing field, it doesn’t neglect the local community. Delphi offers programs to school groups, organizations like Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts and other local youth groups. Contributions to school glass arts programs are made annually.

Every year since 1991, Delphi has sponsored the Delphi Art Glass Festival in April, concurrently with National Art Glass Month. Submissions from Lansing and around the world are judged by a jury of independent glass artisans in a variety of categories, and prizes are awarded to those deemed the best, including most promising beginner in each category. Submissions are displayed throughout the month at the Lansing store.

Daniels added, “We have expanded the festival to our online community; this year will be our sixth annual Online Art Glass Festival.”

Also available online is an artists’ gallery accessible through the Delphi website.

In the store itself, supplies are arranged by category with examples of completed projects on display to inspire the would-be artisan. This work by staff, customers and guest artists illustrates the possibilities. With rich colors, unique designs, vibrant tones and inviting textures, these beautiful pieces are an invitation to explore one’s own creativity. As Franklin D. Roosevelt once said, “Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort.” Delphi Glass is the ideal place to experience that thrill!