William Lees Judson was born in Manchester, England,
and came to Brooklyn, New York in 1852. He arrived in
Los Angeles in 1893 and settled
on the banks of the
Arroyo Seco, a growing artist's colony.
By 1900, he had become the dean of the University of Southern California
College of Fine Arts and Architecture and built
its original home which now houses the Judson Studios.
He founded the Guild of Arroyo Craftsmen, a group of artists,
architects and craftsmen devoted to the ideal that art,
design and craftsmanship should be and could be part
of everyone's daily life.
The Judson Studios creates and restores stained glass windows. It has always operated as a "studio" or, to use the French words, "atelier". This means that Judson is a cooperating group of artists, designers, and craftspeople working in concert toward the finest end product possible. Each individual adds his or her special talents while respecting the gifts of the co-workers.