The picture below is of the Roman Pool at Hearst Castle. The tiles were inspired by mosaics in the 5th-century Mausoleum of Galla Placidia in Ravenna, Italy, and some echo the marine monster motifs found in ancient Roman baths. Every surface—from ceiling to floor—is covered with 1” glass tiles, called smalti. These smalti shimmer in deep blues and fiery oranges, while others are clear with fused gold inside. The effect is breathtaking—like swimming inside a jewel box.
In an article I read about Oceanside Glass, they mentioned that one of their first big breaks was replicating the vintage tile for this very pool. What an extraordinary opportunity! The article even compared this to Eric Lovell at Uroboros being tapped to recreate Tiffany glass for restorations.
Stories like this always catch my attention. In 2017, I visited the Roman Baths in Bath, England, and was fascinated by the history and beauty of ancient bathhouses. And in my mid-20s, I remember being riveted by the Patty Hearst story—so of course the Hearst name still sticks with me.
But most of all, I connected to the idea of a “big break.” It made me think of our early years in the glass business, when we got the contract to make air control panels for a state-funded program. It wasn’t glamorous like Tiffany or Hearst Castle tiles—but for us, it was huge.
The panels had very specific requirements. When I asked my husband how he planned to make them, he said, “No idea. I’ve never seen anything like this. But it’s a great idea.” So he quizzed every salesperson he could until he found the right metal and gasket. We named the finished product the OPE208—after the metal part number and our business, Oakes & Parkhurst Glass.
Competitors tried to copy us but could never figure out where we were sourcing them—little did they know we were making them ourselves! We produced thousands, sometimes days, nights, even weekends. One Thanksgiving, our family pitched in so we wouldn’t miss a deadline while our employees enjoyed their holiday.
That was our “big break.” Not glamorous, but steady, meaningful work that helped us grow. And looking back, I see the same thread that runs through all these stories—from Tiffany glass to Hearst Castle smalti, to our own OPE208s: glass has a way of creating opportunities that change everything.
