Tucked away in the heart of Kirkwood is Emil Frei & Associates, a fifth-generation family-owned liturgical design studio that has quietly shaped some of the most sacred spaces in America. From cathedrals and basilicas to schools and hospitals, their breathtaking stained glass and mosaics can be found across the country, but their roots run deep in St. Louis.
“I’m the fifth generation in our family to carry on this legacy, which began with my great-great grandfather," said Aaron Frei, President of Emil Frei & Associates. “My father, Steve, is still in the studio, and three of my siblings and I work alongside him. It’s a family affair in every sense.”
Like many who grow up in a family business, Aaron’s path was not a straight one. “Anyone born into a family business will immediately look for the quickest way out. Every one of us kids did,” he laughed. “We all had to leave in order to return happily again.”
Aaron earned his master’s in theology from the University of Dallas and spent several years in a Cistercian monastery before returning home. His expertise in theology and iconography is deeply ingrained in his work.
“Sacred art is about revealing the divine, drawing viewers closer to God,” he said.
Growing up in the historic Soulard neighborhood of St. Louis, Aaron recalls being shaped by the beauty of the city’s architecture. “Only when I moved away did I start to feel the absence of that architectural richness. Returning to St. Louis, I clearly saw how much those brick buildings and timeless details had shaped my aesthetic values,” Aaron said.
Now, as an artisan, Aaron describes his role with precision. “An artisan has a heavy hand in the aesthetic impact of a work of art, but is not directly responsible for the design,” he explained. “Stained glass is an architectural art. It’s not like a painting you hang on the wall; it’s built into the skin of a building. It has a permanence that other arts don’t.”
That permanence comes with complexity. “Each stained glass panel involves dozens to hundreds of hours,” he said. “They’re layered, fired, and refined to perfection. And it’s not like painting on canvas; you can’t fire every layer at the same temperature or time. It’s a highly technical, delicate process.”
Though Emil Frei & Associates is headquartered in Kirkwood, their reach is national. “We’re currently creating for clients nationwide—from Denver to Muskogee to Houston—proving sacred stained glass is still thriving,” Aaron said. “From St. Peter’s to Concordia Lutheran, our studio has shaped much of Kirkwood’s sacred architectural identity.”
And while new commissions keep them busy, they’re also committed to preservation. “While not every piece is salvaged, we do everything we can to preserve significant works, especially those created by Frei artisans,” Aaron said. “Sometimes, the windows are so grand, you almost have to design the church around them. There’s a real cost to removing, storing, and restoring them.”
Each project begins with collaboration. “Everything is a dialogue,” he said. “Clients come to us because we have an imagination. We start with black-and-white concept sketches, then move to watercolor studies, and finally to precise drafting and fabrication.”
The result is work that feels timeless and intentional. Aaron believes that sacred art has always flourished when faith is strongest.
“The beauty of older churches wasn’t just artistic; it was devotional. Families who couldn’t afford sacred art at home gave much to their parish, because church was their second home,” he said. “If we want beauty to return, we have to go to its source: God. Faith and beauty go hand in hand.”
In every pane, faith finds form and light becomes legacy. It’s an art built to inspire for generations to come.
Visit https://www.emilfrei.com to learn more.
Sacred art is about revealing the divine, drawing viewers closer to God.
Faith and beauty go hand in hand.