COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — In the heart of Colorado Springs, a cherished stained glass shop is experiencing a heartfelt revival, thanks to a local artist and a community unwilling to let its legacy fade.
Edward Peña, a glass artist and friend of the late shop owner, has taken over what many remember as Full Spectrum Art Glass, a staple near Fillmore since 2003.
Now reborn as The Glass Collective, the shop is one of only two stained glass studios in the city, and the only one of its kind in town.
Ted Pickels, the previous owner who lovingly ran the store for just over a year, passed away unexpectedly in April of this year. His sudden loss left both the future of the business and the hearts of those who knew him in limbo.
“I was just in shock,” Peña shared. “He was younger. It was unexpected. At first, I was just reeling from the news… then it turned into: What’s going on with the store? Is there a way I can step in?”
Determined not to let the studio go dark, Peña made the decision to purchase the shop’s inventory and keep the doors open.
Just two weeks later, on May 1, The Glass Collective reopened. But Peña wasn’t alone in his effort.
Cathy Tomovich, a local stained glass instructor and owner of Shattered Glass Restored, has been teaching art in the space for the past year. When she heard Peña was taking over, she jumped in to help—volunteering time, organizing supplies, and welcoming students back into the workshop.
“There’s no other store like this in Colorado Springs,” Tomovich said. “If this closed, people would have to drive to Security-Widefield or Denver just to buy glass. Not everyone has the means to do that.”
Tomovich says the reopening has not only restored a vital artistic resource, but it’s revived a sense of belonging.
One student, Maylina Ramirez, first walked through the shop’s doors six months ago after keeping stained glass on her bucket list for over 16 years. Now she’s back, this time with family, celebrating her sister’s birthday with a hands-on workshop.
“We’re trying to do more positive and artistic hobbies,” she said. “I’ve learned so much, especially about patience. When you create art, you can’t be too hard on yourself. It’s about looking at something that’s maybe a little rough and turning it into something beautiful. And that’s a lot like life.”
Others, like Marla Leggette, who travels 45 minutes from Castle Rock to attend workshops, find the space not just creative, but healing.
“You get out of your head,” she said. “This is so different from everything else I do. I get me time a chance to just be creative and let my brain be free.”
In honor of his late friend, Peña hopes to remodel the studio’s workshop area and name it The Education Department or simply, TED.
It’s a fitting tribute for a space that continues to spark creativity, connection, and healing, one glass shard at a time.
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