Minhae Shim Roth for The Oaklandside, September 24, 2021

Walking into the vaulted interior of Resurrection Church Oakland on the corner of Franklin and 17th Street, your eyes are immediately drawn to look upward. Roughly 25 feet off the ground, a glowing, 10-foot wide orb of jewel colors bulges towards you, almost as if you could reach up and touch its ethereal light.

The inverted stained glass dome is meant to be the embodiment of spirit. But just two years ago, the 118-year-old structure was in no condition to inspire. Botched by improper repairs, it was in critical condition: damaged, unsafe, and unstable.

Arizona Daily Sun, August 26, 2021

We are excited to take part in the preservation of another revered landmark! As the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, a Gothic-style chapel in Flagstaff, Arizona, approaches its first centennial, a team of experts has been assembled by local community leaders to bring it back to its former glory. Nzilani was enlisted to assess the condition of all stained glass windows and determine the next steps for restoration and repair. Follow the link to learn more about this beautiful shrine and the restoration efforts.

Houreidja Tall for Next City, August 12, 2021

A typical day at Nzilani Glass Conservation could involve anything from photographing windows to restoring glass. As the only BIPOC-owned stained glass studio in the country, according to the Stained Glass Association of America, they’re providing employment for a diverse group of artists in a traditionally heavily white industry.

“When I was pursuing [glass conservation] as an interest, as an art, and then as a career, I didn’t see myself reflected in it,” says Ariana Makau, the founder of Nzilani. That’s part of the reason why Makau is deliberate about making sure her team is diverse not only racially, but in terms of life experiences as well.

The Rockridge News, July 3, 2021

An Oakland newspaper features Nzilani’s work, as well as Ariana’s roots, inspiration, artistic and entrepreneurial vision, and continuous involvement in the community. The article describes Nzilani’s stained glass restoration projects at San Francisco’s Grace Cathedral, St. Albert’s Priory, and Resurrection Oakland Church.

Emily Beyda for Built, The Bluebeam Blog, June 28, 2021

One of the world’s most venerable decorative forms, stained glass has been experiencing something of a renaissance thanks to a growing community of popular Instagram artists. The Built Blog sat down with Makau to talk about the future of this historical medium and how restoration work can help bring the designs of the past to light.

News in Conservation, June–July 2021

Ariana Makau was a panelist at the Women in Preservation Symposium sponsored by the NSCDA and the Smithsonian Institution. This was a fantastic opportunity to “rub shoulders” with fellow professionals in the field, share insights and experiences, and highlight the importance of preserving our artistic and cultural heritage while ensuring the language of yesterday is spoken tomorrow.

Published six times a year by the International Institution for Conservation, News in Conservation provides a platform for members of the conservation community to share the latest research, interviews, and reviews. The latest issue’s front cover features three members of the Nzilani team.

Nzilani brings new life to antique stained glass windows in young couple's SF home

The Wall Street Journal, May 20, 2021

A growing number of San Francisco homeowners are choosing to restore historic properties—in particular the Victorians that are so synonymous with the city. When a young couple bought a 1900 Victorian in Haight Ashbury, they immediately moved in and began planning restorations and updates, starting with preserving an elaborate but disintegrating stained-glass window at the front of the house. The four-month process, overseen by local specialist Nzilani Glass Conservation, involved removing the panels and taking them apart, salvaging all of the original broken pieces and rebuilding the missing glass.

Protecting Stained Glass Workers from Lead Exposure.

The Stained Glass Quarterly (SGAA), Winter 2021

What does stained glass have to do with lead and lead exposure? A clue is in its more accurate name: “leaded art glass.” Pieces of glass held together with close to 100-percent pure lead strips have been used in window fabrication for close to 1,000 years. Industrial hygienist David R. Hicks met Ariana Makau at an event focused on the control of health and safety hazards in museums, historic sites, conservation treatment, and collection care. Makau and Hicks shared their conversation about how their goals for lead safety in the workplace overlap.

San Francisco Chronicle, April 28, 2021

The article examines Nzilani's partnership with Pacific Community Ventures, a nonprofit Community Development Financial Institution that focuses on aiding minority-owned and woman-owned companies in low-income areas. Since 2016, PCV has provided Nzilani with crucial business advice, allowing us to restructure our finances, invigorate our bidding system for projects, and streamline our hiring and procurement processes. Thanks to PCV’s help, and the two PPP loans we received, none of our staff were laid off during the pandemic and, despite the mandatory lockdowns early on, we are on schedule with existing projects and looking forward to starting new ones.

Sacred Places, Winter 2021

Stained glass windows are often the crowning glory of a sacred space. Serving the dual purpose of art and architecture, they augment and enhance a space like few other architectural assets. Yet, for all their beauty, their primary purpose is to protect people from the elements. When windows start to bend or leak due to broken joints or cracked glass, most people notice the damage and call a specialist for help. What many people often miss is another key element—lead.

Protecting Stained Glass Workers from Lead Exposure.

The Synergyst (AIHA), September 2020

Industrial hygienist David R. Hicks met Ariana Makau, the founder of a company that conserves historical glass works, in October 2019 at an event focused on the control of health and safety hazards in museums, historic sites, conservation treatment, and collection care. The Fourth Annual Safety and Cultural Heritage Summit was presented by the Potomac Local Section of AIHA; the Washington Conservation Guild; the Smithsonian Institution’s Office of Safety, Health and Environmental Management; and the Smithsonian National Collections Program in collaboration with the Lunder Conservation Center. At the event, Makau introduced Hicks to issues related to lead exposure in stained glass conservation, and the two began discussing how safety professionals, art conservators, and artists can work together while preserving stained glass as an art form.

By Angela Cacace, M.O.B. Editorials

Makau is every bit dynamic and nuanced as her chosen craft. She is passionate about leaving, in her words, “a legacy of creating a more diverse group of people who can preserve and create stained glass.” After perfecting her skills in glass conservation in museums around the world, Ariana knew there was a need to continue its legacy. She wanted to do so in a respectful, enjoyable, and safe way. “We make and preserve monumental artistic works…with our hands!” she remarks, “It’s thought-provoking and labor-intensive. Our work will physically survive for generations and contributes to the cityscape in which it’s located.”

The Stained Glass Quarterly (SGAA), Spring 2020

So, you’re serious about lead safety in your (single-bench/bustling business) stained glass studio. You’ve implemented the first “3-for-Free” steps in safety, you: (1) have shoes designated specifically for your work area, (2) wash your hands during and after working, and (3) don’t eat where you work. What else can you do that is relatively easy and cheap to increase being safe?

We collaborate with high-end metal and woodworkers, engineers, and general contractors to solve unique problems, often with creative solutions that pair “old-school” fabrication with modern techniques. Nzilani is also dedicated to making our profession more equitable by being accessible to underserved communities, challenging the notion of who is qualified to work in our profession.

Preservation magazine (NTHP), Summer 2019

The main publication of the National Trust for Historic Preservation examines the major roles women currently play in maintaining and restoring America's historic places. Ariana Makau, one of the preservation professionals highlighted in the magazine, shares stories about her early introduction to the field, some of the challenges she has overcome as a woman, and her passion for witnessing the transformation of a building through her own contributions.

Ariana Makau of Nzilani Glass Conservation makes lead safety attainable and practical for studio implementation

The Stained Glass Quarterly (SGAA), Spring 2019

Read about the complications of working with a hazardous art material and what owners and workers need to do to protect themselves. This is a more formal complement to a presentation Ariana Makau delivered at the Smithsonian Safety & Cultural Heritage Summit to Health & Safety Regulators and Art Conservators.