The Wells Vissar Studio began with a shared passion of scagliola between Amy Wells and Kathleen Vissar, who met as students at Moore College of Art in Philadelphia. In 1993, Kathleen Vissar and Amy Wells officially founded Wells Vissar Studio, determined to bring the centuries-old craft of scagliola to the American design industry. Their early work garnered attention from Norman Karlson, founder of Country Floors, who commissioned the duo to design a line of decorative moldings to complement his marble and limestone collections.

Over the next five years, Wells Vissar expanded its offerings to include dimensional scagliola tiles and various scagliola accessories. By 2000, their collections were being showcased in over 40 showrooms across the country. Although Amy Wells left the business that year, Kathleen continued to grow the studio, focusing on high-quality craftsmanship and innovative design.

In 2009, recognizing the growing demand for bespoke installations, Kathleen transitioned the production studio to an atelier model, with a focus on intricate scagliola, plaster, and GFRC cement installations tailored to individual clients. This strategic shift enabled Wells Vissar to take on more specialized projects, working directly with individual clients, architects and designers to bring their visions to life.

As of 2024, Wells Vissar has delivered over 3,000 projects, both large and small. The studio’s journey—from learning scagliola under the tutelage of masters at Sleiman Studios, to becoming an atelier of bespoke installations—has cemented its place as a leader in the decorative arts. Each project reflects Kathleen Vissar’s commitment to blending historical inspiration with modern creativity, ensuring that the ancient craft of scagliola continues to thrive in contemporary design.