Artist brings her stained glass creations to Bloomin' Festival for first time

Benjamin Bullard, The Cullman Times, Ala.
Updated ·3 min read

Apr. 18—There's something colorfully whimsical about artist Stephanie Sanders' stained glass; delicate yet precisely crafted creations that illuminate nature, special occasions and even a little of her Alabama heritage in a way that lets the light beautifully shine through.

From her studio in Corner, Ala., Sanders — who sells her work under the shop name Oh My Sweetie (ohmysweetie.com) — animates a menagerie of stained glass figures with life and personality, whether it's the playfulness of a googly-eyed frog or the frozen-in-time flight of a dragonfly.

Thanks to her ongoing collaboration with Herschend Family Entertainment (the company behind Dollywood and Callaway Resort & Gardens), there's hardly a moment's downtime as she keeps on her toes to fill orders that put her art in front of thousands of browsers at both attractions' gift shops. But when time does afford her creative spirit some freedom to roam, Stephanie says there's no other feeling quite like it.

"Whatever my heart seeks, that's what I make," she explains. "I try to keep things in inventory that everyone likes — butterflies, cardinals, dragonflies. But the rest of the time, whatever my heart desires for the day is what I'm going to make. I do make [larger] panels, but smaller pieces are really my niche: I like making pieces that everyone can afford. If someone has only $20 or $30 to spend, they can still get a piece of stained glass that's unique, that's well-made, and that isn't mass produced."

Though this year marks Sanders's first as an art vendor at the Bloomin Festival, she's a regular presence at regional arts festivals elsewhere — especially those that, like the St. Bernard event, put a high priority on craftsmanship and originality. With support from her husband and two adult daughters, she's able to focus on the art itself while the rest of the family helps out with logistics, whether it's loading up for the next road outing or committing Sanders's artistic ideas to digital memory through graphic design.

"I do go to about 10 to 15 festivals a year," says Sanders. "I have been to the Bloomin' Festival as a guest in the past, but last year was going to be my first as a vendor — and then I decided to go see Morgan Wallen in Mississippi instead! It has a good reputation. I know that they focus on real artists, real people and their craftsmanship, and those are the kind of festivals that I like. When I go to other events and talk to vendors there, I try to find like-minded people and see what events they go to — and several have mentioned the Bloomin' Festival."

In addition to her festival circuit (not to mention her shop displays at Dollywood and Callaway Resort & Gardens), Sanders also consults at her studio with clients who have special requests. Browse her full line of current offerings online at ohmysweetie.com — and then be on the lookout for Sanders and her Oh My Sweetie stained glass creations on the grounds of St. Bernard Abbey in Cullman, when the 40th annual Bloomin' Festival brings arts and crafts to life on Saturday, April 20 and Sunday, April 21.

Benjamin Bullard can be reached by phone at 256-734-2131 ext. 234.