Derek Hunt: Inspiring the Next Generation of Stained Glass Artists

Derek Hunt is an award-winning glass artist and educator, a Fellow of the British Society of Master Glass Painters, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and an accredited stained glass conservator. He designs and makes glass artworks for public spaces, private homes and churches using methods to include traditional stained glass as well as working with new techniques such as screen and digital printing to push the creative boundaries of the medium. 

In addition to creating and restoring stained glass works, Hunt hosts specialist Master Classes throughout the year at his studio in Leicestershire, teaching adults glass painting methods and techniques. Additionally, he runs a popular YouTube channel making inspirational videos and tutorials as well as podcasts with his favorite stained glass artists. His Instagram is part promotion and part inspiration for anyone interested in the medieval art and craft of stained glass.

Says Hunt: “My ambition is to ensure new stained glass not only survives but thrives in the 21st Century, and the very best way to do that is to inspire the next generation.”

Born in 1962, Hunt is a mentor for stained glass artists on the BBC series Make it at Market. He earned his B.A. (Hons) Degree in Art and Design from Edinburgh Art School, 1980 – ‘84. He established his studio, Limelight Studios Ltd., in 1985. The artist won a Guildford Design Award for his 9-panel memorial window at St. Martin’s Church, East Horsley, Guildford in 2025.

Other notable Hunt works include a new north aisle window for St. Mary’s Church , Melton Mowbray  in memory of John Plumb, a major church benefactor. The Tree of Life includes the coat of arms for Melton Borough Council and Melton Mowbray Town Estate. Other local references include a pork pie and Stilton cheese, and a dove with a brush dipped in red paint. This refers to an 1837 incident in which a drunk Marquis of Waterford and friends painted Melton Mowbray’s toll-bar and other buildings red.

For John Rylands University Library Manchester, Hunt created an 11-meter-tall glass sculpture entitled Totem, situated in the new extension to the Manchester University Library. Using a combination of digital printing and bonded handmade antique glass, the sculpture is back lit with an arrangement of LED lights. The design includes various visual references to the library’s archive collections of important first edition books.

Hunt has also undertaken stained glass conservation work on a number of notable buildings including Glasgow Cathedral, Coventry Cathedral, Kenilworth Castle Warwickshire, Oscott College Birmingham, Staveley Hall Derbyshire, Ayscoughfee Hall Lincolnshire, Manor Lodge Sheffield and Nevill Holt Hall Leicestershire.

Says Hunt: “I help artists build their skills, confidence and creative style in stained glass. If you want to learn all about creating beautiful stained glass you’ve come to the right place. I’ll help you navigate your creative journey, giving you the confidence to create. It’s safe to say I’ve got lots of experience on everything to do with designing, making and conserving stained glass. Every project is unique, with a focus on collaboration and community engagement being at the heart of my many commissions.”