Artisan Army
Restore Windows. Build Capacity. Renew Communities
The Artisan Army exists to unite, equip, and send artisans to serve and defend historic house communities through the discipline of Window Craft.
Historic homes are not failing because people don’t care. They are failing because there is not enough local capacity to do the work.
We exist to change that.
What We Do
The Artisan Army is not a school, a contractor network, or a one‑time event organizer.
We are a movement with a system — designed to rebuild the skills, leadership, and production capacity required to steward historic windows at scale.
We do this by:
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Planting Window Craft Outposts in historic house communities
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Training artisans in real, transferable trade skills
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Developing leaders who can carry the work forward
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Restoring windows as a means of restoring neighborhoods
This is not theoretical preservation. It is applied, repeatable work.
The Window Craft System
Window Craft is a complete, field‑tested approach to historic window restoration built on traditional trade skills and modern sequencing.
At its core are the Five Pillars of Window Craft — the natural stages required to restore a window properly, efficiently, and durably:
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Mechanics to Primed Frame (M2P)
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Stripped to Glazed Sash (S2G)
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Glazed to Finished Sash (G2F)
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Primed to Finished Frame (P2F)
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Assembled and Tuned Frame (A&T)
This system allows work to be taught, shared, scaled, and trusted.
Outposts: How Capacity Gets Planted
Outposts are the backbone of the Artisan Army.
A Window Craft Outpost is a physical and operational hub where tools, systems, training, and people come together to serve a historic house community.
Each outpost:
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Establishes real production capacity
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Trains people through real work
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Creates a gathering place for skill, leadership, and stewardship
Outposts are not franchises. They are planted intentionally and grow locally.
Active Deployment: Uvalde, Texas
Spring 2026 | March 16 – April 3
The first active Window Craft outpost deployment is underway in Uvalde, Texas.
This deployment includes:
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Outpost build‑out and system installation
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Intro to Sash Making training
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Total Window Makeover training
This work establishes the foundation for long‑term service in Uvalde and creates the platform for WindowFest and WindowLympics later in the year.
Ways to Join the Movement
There are many ways to take part in the Artisan Army.
Lead
For those with the capacity to guide people, steward systems, and take responsibility.
Serve
For artisans and tradespeople ready to do meaningful, skilled work.
Host
For historic house communities interested in planting an outpost locally.
Learn
For those entering Window Craft through structured training.
Support
For partners who believe in the mission and want to help it grow.
The path looks different for each person. The mission remains the same.
Training Within the Movement
Training exists to serve the mission — not the other way around.
Current training pathways include:
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Intro to Sash Making — learning to build the heart of the historic window
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Total Window Makeover — learning the full restoration system
Training happens within the context of real work, real systems, and real communities.
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Tools That Serve the Work
Certain tools make this work possible.
The Sash Factory is a purpose‑built router table system designed for historic sash production. It supports both training and local production capacity.
Tools matter — but they only matter when paired with skill, system, and purpose.
Why This Matters
Historic windows are not accessories. They are structural, cultural, and economic assets.
When windows fail:
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Houses follow
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Neighborhoods decline
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Skills disappear
When capacity is restored:
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Homes endure
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Trades revive
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Communities strengthen
This is the work of the Artisan Army.
Looking Ahead
Uvalde is one beginning.
As this model proves itself, other historic house communities will ask the same question:
What would it look like to build this here?
We are building the answer — one outpost at a time.
Take the Next Step