MONCTON – Rick Schella has spent the last 40 years crafting stunning stained glass windows for churches, homes and businesses across Canada and the United States. He’s made a name for himself worldwide, but also spent years trying to manage his own thoughts.
“That’s why I have only read two books in my life because I can’t get past the first paragraph,” he said.
Schella was born with attention deficit disorder. His condition went undiagnosed for 60 years and for decades he says he struggled to make sense of why he just couldn’t manage his thoughts.
“I ended up graduating from high school with an average of 55.1. So I made it by .1,” he recalls.
But he never knew there was an artist hidden within him.
“I always thought I was stupid because I could never get any marks over 40 or 50 in my study subjects.”
He says spent years doing jobs that just didn’t fit until he picked up his first piece of stained glass and his future became crystal clear.
“Because I am creating something completely from my heart and soul, there’s no problems concentrating at all.”
Despite his struggle with ADD, Schella has grown a successful business out of an art form that he’s managed to make new again.
“We have done hundreds literally of church windows over the last 40 years.”
But knowing it’s a dying market, Shella decided to diversify his business to craft custom windows for homes and businesses throughout Canada and the U.S.
The man who can’t sit down to read a book, has a mind for business.
“This is our bread and butter this is where my four employees work and do these for me.”
Schella says the key to his success has been tapping into his strengths and doing what he loves.
“Or you find a niche that no one else has been able to fill.”
His most recent works are stunning fused glass pool motifs that he hopes to sell for more than $30,000 a piece in the Caribbean.
“That’s what ADD has. It’s a brain that never shuts down and that’s been a gift because I am able to do all these things and get the job done still with this handicap,” he said.
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