YCES in Quarantine Episode #137: Judson Studios’ 123 Years of Innovation in Stained Glass

You Can't Eat the Sunshine

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Welcome everyone, and thank you for listening to our podcast, You Can’t Eat The Sunshine, for the week of May 25th, 2020.

We are on day 69 of Mayor Eric Garcetti’s Safer At Home Directive.

Our guest this week is Dave Judson, the 4th Generation owner-operator of Judson Studios, crafting stained glass in the Garvanza section of Highland Park since 1897.

With most of the studio’s hands-on work paused by the coronavirus, we’ll talk with Dave about the recent release of his book Judson: Innovation in Stained Glass, the history of the family business, how the landmark studio building has evolved, our shared adventures in the field seeking lost Judson glass installations in landmark buildings, and the new South Pasadena workshop where artisans bring their medieval craft into the 21st century with computerized kilns for crafting massive fused glass panels for commissions around the world.

We’ll also talk about: the wild Los Angeles City Planning Commission hearing when the fate of our threatened landmark Los Angeles Times buildings took an astonishing turn, corrupt councilman Jose Huizar twists in the wind, the ghastly new proposal to demolish Taix French Restaurant for the world’s worst mixed use project and why we think it’s not for real, how to score primo organic California olive oil without breaking quarantine and stray musings on LACMA redevelopment. So stay tuned!

Links to learn more about our guests, the episode’s topics, and us:

Judson Studios’ website is here , with recent work on view. This is the website of Judson’s in-house glass fusing master Narcissus Quagliata. You can order Dave Judson’s new book Judson: Innovation in Stained Glass on Bookshop (supporting independent booksellers) or from Amazon. Here’s a 3-D tour of the King Edward Hotel interiors, while we eagerly await the installation of the restored stained glass awning.

Times Mirror Square landmarking is just one of the campaigns under the Pereira in Peril umbrella, which includes the Save LACMA nonprofit. Learn more about the recent off-the-rails Planning Commission hearing in our newsletter and blog post. See Richard, and our little white cat Numa, talking about land use and public corruption on Spectrum 1. Here are photos of the threatened buildings created for the Historic American Building Survey (HABS).

Taix Square redevelopment is also discussed in our newsletter, and on R.I.P. Los Angeles. Sign the Friends of Taix petition here.

Bella Vista Farms in the foothills of the Diablo Mountain range is our source for organic extra virgin orchard blended California olive oil in bulk.

What is Richard Reading? In a Dark Wood Wandering: A Novel of the Middle Ages by Hella S. Haasse, available on Bookshop (supporting independent booksellers) or from Amazon.

Esotouric is our historic Los Angeles tour company, presently not operating due to the pandemic. We have a newsletter, a YouTube channel, a selection of books and maps celebrating Los Angeles history, and can be followed on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.