Reaching for Knowledge

Karen Hendrix (1940-2008) opened a  stained glass shop in her garage in 1982 and started working with Oklahoma churches. She joined Jim Triffo in 1990. Triffo had developed an award-winning stained glass hobby. They formed Hendrix and Associates. They later moved into a custom studio in The Paseo specializing in a variety of religious art forms.

Hendrix brought a national reputation to the firm. She was a leader in the development of national art glass conferences, and she was elected the first president of the International Conferences of Creative Glass.

The firm counted more than 60 churches in Oklahoma and Texas among its clients. Clients also include corporations and theaters, including the restored classic Poncan Theater in Ponca City.

"Karen is the designer and painter, while I do the execution," said Triffo, "but we both do a little of everything. We design, build and install stained glass windows. We also do etched glass, dalle de verre (one-inch glass in poured epoxy) designs, leaded crystal, antique glass, frescos and sculpture."

Hendrix designed the windows, and Triffo cut various colors of stained glass to fit the intricate patterns. The pieces of stained glass were mounted on a glass pane with beeswax for Hendrix to do the painting. Then Triffo used lead to put the pieces together.