Artists often say they make art as a means to escape. In stained glass artist Allie Fritsch's case, it was literally an escape. Late in high school she didn't want to take another science or a math class so she elected to take a stained glass art class. She fell in love with the medium. After high school Allie went to college and had to take an extended break from stained glass to focus on her education.

Then the pandemic hit and, like the rest of us, she had more time than ever. Allie started working with stained glass again. She rediscovered her passion for it and her imagination started running wild. Allie now runs a small business called coolAFglass. She makes small pieces, big pieces, simple pieces, complex pieces, personal pieces, and commissioned pieces. She can be found at a lot of the art markets and craft fairs around town. "When people think of stained glass they think of church windows. I want them to imagine something else entirely," Allie says. A lot of her work is inspired by Milwaukee. Her pride for her hometown is on full display along with her beautiful, sparkling art.