Does the use of stained glass in churches hold the same relevance it did in the middle ages?  Does it change or enhance the worship atmosphere of the church?

                In the Middle Ages stained glass was used to teach the congregation Bible stories, incorporate narratives, depict Saints, or episodes from the life of Christ. 

                In the twenty-first century we are relatively well read and truly don’t require pictures to understand religion.  But do we think of stained glass pictures as an essential part of our church building?  Are they the catalyst that actually makes a building a place of worship?

                Many churches have used stained glass to achieve both a spiritual atmosphere and retain privacy.  Some people feel a stronger sanctuary in their church when the light streams in through beautiful coloured glass and the rest of the world--traffic, tall buildings and all-are away from view, even for a short time.

                Others will say that the church is in their hearts and minds and not in the building trappings at all. 

                Churches today face economic hardships which may influence whether its architecture is stark and modern, has many stained glass windows or just enough pane windows to provide light.  An option for easing the cost of stained glass is the use of donated panels in memory of loved ones.  This gesture helps to ease the financial burden and assists to further bond the congregation.

                 It not only provides tranquil, beautiful windows, but also serves as a reminder of cherished loved ones who have gone before us.

                There are also more options for the creation and production of these beautiful works of art.  In some cases, new or displaced churches rely on rented halls or small office units.  Stained glass windows can be made not only to custom fit windows, but are removable at the same time.  When the congregation moves to a permanent building, the windows go with them making them feel right at home again.

                It is truly an individual preference if churches have stained glass windows.  It would be fair to say that most people associate stained glass with churches.  A great deal of artwork and photography depict stunning images of the buildings with either the light streaming in or out of the stained glass windows. 

                Some worshipers feel that when they are seated inside, the rich colors enrich the quiet, contemplative nature of the church, bringing the spiritual atmosphere alive.  Stained glass windows go hand in hand with hymn books, organs and the pulpit to make the difference between an office building and a church.

                Although it is true that stained glass doesn’t hold the same teaching relevance it was meant for 100 years ago, it strongly maintains a recognized value and sentimentality in modern society.

                It’s still just as important that the light shines in!

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15 Sep 2011    F.L.I.G.H.T. PLAN Off Course? Everyone has things they want to achieve. Whether you are a stained glass artist, a hobbyist, a butcher, a baker or a candlestick maker, you have dreams and goals and milestones you want to reach. At one time, or maybe many times, you have planned the take off and the course but maybe never quite reached your destination. Brian Tracy says, "In life, you will be off course most of the time. No matter how carefully you plan and organize in advance, your life will be a series of two steps forward and one step back. From the time you start on your j-o-u-r-n-e-y of life toward your destination, you will have to make continual course corrections. You will have to start, stop, go left or right, move under or over obstacles, and often retrace your steps. These are the essential experiences you require to become the kind of person you need to be to achieve any kind of lasting success." This past year, I have seen several stained glass artists grapple with their decisions and have a hard time finding their footing. And I certainly do not say this to judge anyone. In this tough economy you must feed your family and pay your bills. Honestly, I've struggled myself in the past to make the art of stained glass a profitable business. People say, "Well you could never expect to get paid for your time." Well guess what? I do expect to get paid for my time. I've been given the talents that I have to be able to make a living from them. The principle of not eating if you don't work also implies that if you do work diligently, you will also be provided for. The point here is that life is hard and there are obstacles, you will be off course most of the time, but if you have launched a plan and have a destination in sight you will reach it if you don't give up. Let me encourage you that whatever your hands find to do, do it well. Life is a j-o-u-r-n-e-y, why not plan now to succeed? Is your f.l.i.g.h.t. plan off course? Don't worry, make a correction and move forward. Make a decision today to achieve more. "Success is not an accident." Napoleon Hill said, "Do not wait. The time will never be just right. Start where you stand: work with whatever tools you have at your command, and the better tools will be found as you go along."   20 Aug 2011    Cutting Glass Like A Pro Cutting stained glass can be tricky until you learn how and have practiced a considerable amount.  Never fear though, it will come much easier with practice.  Here are some techniques that will make difficult cuts in stained glass seem like cutting butter. You always want to break the glass immediately after scoring. Narrow Strips:   A straight strip that is scored less than an inch away from the edge of the stained glass, will be difficult to pull apart with your hands.  Use running pliers and align the centre of the pliers with the score line and squeeze.   This causes the score to run and break the glass apart.  You can also use breaking  pliers from either end of the glass and break perpendicular to the score line.  With practice this works well with very narrow strips. Straight Lines:   When cutting straight lines on larger pieces, you can line up the score line along a table edge.  Hold one side firmly on the table while using your other hand to pull down and away, snapping the pieces of the stained glass apart.   Or place a wooden yard stick under the score line and push down firmly on either side of the ruler with the palms of your hands. Small Squares:   If you have several squares of stained glass to cut, use a straight edge to measure the width, run your score line, and then break the strip away using running pliers, breaking pliers, or your hands.   After you have your stained glass strip, measure and score across the strip the same amount as the width of the strip. Curves:   If you are scoring clear stained glass, you can lay your glass on top of your pattern, smooth side up.  Score all the way around the piece, just inside the black line of your pattern.  For a gentle curve you can use your running pliers from either end of the score or from both ends giving a little squeeze at each end. Circles:   To cut a circle, score all the way around the circle, just inside the black line and then score several lines from the circle to the outside edge of the glass.  Start breaking away small sections of the stained glass. Concave Curves:   Again, you will start by scoring just inside the black line of the pattern on the smooth side of the stained glass.  Place your breaking pliers halfway on the curve almost up to the score line and pull down with your wrist.  If the concave curves are deep, they are more difficult to break out.    From the inside line, gradually add several more similar cuts until you are on the outer edge of the highest ends of the curve. Use the ball end of a pencil cutter to gently tap runs into the scores; then break away one piece at a time from the outside, in.  Sometimes it helps to rock each end of the score back and forth before pulling apart the curved stained glass pieces.    V-cuts:   V-cuts are never a good idea even if you happen to have a special band saw for cutting stained glass.  A v-cut like you would have in a heart shape should be redesigned so it has a softer curve instead of a point.  The natural tendency is for the stained glass to just go ahead and break straight across and you never want to set your design up for this kind of disaster.    My students have heard me say about any of the stained glass skills that “practice makes perfect”.  This is absolutely true about cutting glass.  Since “anything worth doing, is worth doing well”, I leave you with a couple more practice quotes:     * “Practice is the best master.”  Latin Proverb     * “Practice only makes for improvement.”  Les Brown     * “You can't hire someone to practice for you.”  H. Jackson Brown Jr     * “You play the way you practice.”  Pop Warner   2 Jul 2011    How Much Will A Custom Stained Glass Window Cost? When you go to a stained glass artisan, don't expect to walk in and tell him/her you want a window put in your front door and then ask, "How much will it cost?"  The stained glass artisan cannot give you a quote off the top of his/her head.  There is a process to arriving at a price for a stained glass window.   When you know that you want a custom stained glass window, you should arrive at the stained glass studio with some facts and ideas before you ask a stained glass artisan for a price quote.  The first thing you need to know is the exact measurement of the opening.  The base price of a custom built stained glass piece begins with pricing based on square footage, and then per piece.  Therefore, the more intricate the piece is, the more costly.   Each stained glass artisan has his/her own pricing scale.  An example of just the basis of the quote would be a set rate per square foot plus an additional cost per piece in the pattern for a stained glass window constructed with lead came.  A lower charge of the per square foot  rate plus the  per piece rate might be given for a stained glass window constructed with copper foil.  But that's just the beginning.    If you don't know what design to settle on and you request full-size cartoons (patterns) to look at on your opening, the stained glass artisan might charge per cartoon to cover his/her extra time - especially if you decide not to have the stained glass window made.   The type of glass used in a stained glass window has bearing on the cost.  For instance, red glass is more expensive than some other colors because gold is a metal used in making red glass.  The brand Kokomo glass is generally more expensive than Spectrum glass.  Some of the "art" glass is more expensive than other glass.    Bevelled glass and bevel clusters (especially if they have to be custom made) are often far more expensive than stained glass.  For an individual stained glass artisan to custom make bevel clusters, it requires a lengthy process.  This would increase the quoted price for your custom stained glass window.   If you decide to have gems, glass globs or faceted jewels or rondels added to the design, these will increase the price of your custom stained glass window.  Some gems are more expensive than others, and these add to the intricacy of the work to be done.    Other considerations in the overall cost of your stained glass window are installation and how it will be framed and whether or not the artisan will be responsible for framing and installation.  The stained glass artisan may refer you to a framer or a carpenter if the artisan does not do the installation. Other costs include things like whether or not a storm window is included or if the stained glass piece will be sandwiched and weather-sealed between two pieces of glass.   It will help the stained glass artisan to know what type of glass to choose if you know whether or not you need glass that will provide total privacy.   Is there anything that you would like to bring into the stained glass design like nature or flowers?  Do you want colors or just clear textures?  Do you like Prairie style or Art Nouvea?   When you have a design and the glass chosen and the finished size, your stained glass artisan will be able to give you a price on your beautiful custom stained glass window.   27 May 2011    Beautify Your Garden With Stained Glass Art Stained glass has many applications. The beauty of your garden can be enhanced by capturing the beauty of the sun's natural light through stained glass art. Stained glass ornaments in your garden will capture the sun's natural light and the stained glass will sparkle as the light dances off its surface.   A stained glass stepping stone or garden stone path provides a wonderful mixture of color and design leading to the entry to your flower garden. Stained glass mosaic garden stone designs are fun to do and can be placed throughout your garden. You can make them yourself with regular concrete mix or special colored stone concrete. You can make your own molds or purchase molds from your retailers or wholesalers.   With Tiffany Garden Borders patterns you can build a 4-foot concrete and stained glass circular garden border around your flowerbed, tree, birdbath, backyard pond, sundial or herb garden. If you aren't experienced at scoring, breaking and grinding stained glass, just break random scraps of stained glass and arrange them in a design, or in no particular design, in your concrete form.   You can buy easy-to-make stepping stone kits in craft stores or online. Stained glass shops and suppliers have hundreds of patterns and instructional books on stained glass garden stones and other stained glass garden ornaments.   Whimsical frogs, fish and turtle stained glass designs on concrete rain spout deflectors are more attractive than the ordinary plastic ones you see under everyone's gutter drains.   Picture beautiful stained glass and beveled or prism glass wind chimes flashing brilliant colors. The sound of the stained glass shapes bouncing off each other is pleasing when they are moved by a gentle breeze.   Iron garden stakes frame colorful stained glass designs which are interchangeable. You can change the design to fit any season or special occasion. The stained glass garden stakes can be placed by your front door or in the garden. Guests will enjoy the warm, welcoming feeling they get when they see the warm colorful stained glass garden stakes and stepping stones.   Another gardeners' favorite is stained glass wire stake designs for flowerpots and smaller garden beds. 3D creatures such as stained glass hummingbirds, butterflies, ladybugs, and dragonflies are favorite colorful additions to any patio flowerpot.   A popular stained glass garden project is a resting bench. This is a larger and heavier stained glass project but is worth the effort. The beautiful designs in the many available patterns for stained glass benches fit so well in a beautiful, colorful garden, or under a shade tree. Many have been used in cemeteries and church yards as a lovely, restful place to pause and reflect.   There are iron frames for patio tables to be done in stained glass mosaics. They can be purchased though stained glass suppliers, shops and online. There are many stained glass patterns and books available for the patio tables; or, as always, you can use your imagination and come up with your own stained glass mosaic table design.   What about a cozy looking stained glass fireplace screen in front of your patio fireplace, or stained glass patio lanterns or porch light fixtures?   You can make any stained glass garden decoration yourself or have a stained glass artisan design and make it for you. You can decorate garden walls or patio floors with stained glass mosaic designs. When it comes to decorating your garden, deck, or patio with stained glass, you are limited only by your own imagination.   20 May 2011    Glass Art for Young Artists Stained glass is a beautiful art form that combines the use of various colors, shapes, textures and transparencies with light to illuminate, decorate and inspire the mind, spirit and eye of the beholder.  Children have always been, and will always be, fascinated with shapes and colors which make the art form of stained glass perfect for them.   Unlike a coloring book page which is coloured once and then maybe taped to the refrigerator for a few days before finding its way to the garbage can, a stained glass creation can bring enjoyment and help boost a child's self-esteem for many years to come.  There is nothing better than a beautiful constant reminder of the child's great "achievement".   In its early days, long before Christ was born; stained glass was made by mixing different metals with sand and soda and heating them at high temperatures so that the colors were actually a part of the glass.  This type was thicker and the colors were rich and dark.  Throughout the decades styles and tastes changed and new ways of using stained glass were needed.  As people wanted to get more detail in their stained glass windows and also allow more light in, they began to use the technique of painting on the glass, rather than mixing the colors into while making it.  This is one easy way to introduce a child to the art of stained glass.  Kids can learn to paint on glass with Reusch paints, the same ones used for many years in traditional glass painting.  Today you can purchase lead free paints.  Once the glass is painted, it is fired permanently in a kiln.   Another easy and fun project for children is drawing designs on glass using ground glass, known as frit.  Kids can be really creative with the many colour choices available in frit and the various grades of coarseness.  Using a pattern below clear glass, they arrange the frit and adhere it with fusible glue.  After adding another layer of clear glass on top, the whole design is melted together in the kiln to complete the project.   Children love to learn and using a fused glass or stained glass project provides the opportunity to teach them on a variety of topics such as art appreciation, the history of decorative glass, architecture, colours and design.   Any project that allows a child to be creative, interact with others and develop their self-esteem is worthy of taking into consideration and glass crafting certainly meets those requirements.  So why not encourage your budding young artist to pursue the wonderful techniques of making glass art?  You might even want to join them.  But be careful, glass work can be addictive.   15 Apr 2011    Trickett Glass Wins International Award in Las Vegas By Mickey Reid   Carol Trickett, former London stained glass artist and owner of Trickett Glass in Thorndale, has won a prestigious award at the Glass Craft and Bead Expo in Las Vegas, Nevada. The international competition was held from March 31-April 3, 2011. Carol's stained glass piece, "Memories" won 2nd place in the Professional Stained Glass category. "Memories" is a stunning creation depicting a black and white photograph of clasping hands amidst a beautiful background of falling leaves. The panel was made in honour of all those travelling the Alzheimer's journey and their caregivers. Trickett Glass was launched in Thorndale on May 2005 when Carol’s long time job at Bell Canada suddenly dissolved. She decided to open her own stained glass business based on her success over many years in London when her art was just a “hobby.” Her business has since grown to include Heritage pieces and restoration and creation of church windows. As an artist, Carol has continually evolved, learning new techniques and enthusiastically sharing her knowledge with others through classes offered at her studio. It was this desire to expand her expertise that lead to the creation of “Memories.” This award winning stained glass piece was a project Carol created for an advanced traditional painting class. This class was offered through the London Stained Glass Guild, and taught by instructor Lynette Richards. Carol wanted to experience Glass Expo for many years, and having decided to attend, entered Memories in the Gallery Of Excellence contest. “I didn’t think I would win,” she smiled, “So this award is a wonderful surprise!” With her strong belief in continuous education, Carol took advantage of the opportunity to learn new techniques while at the Glass Expo. She took a series of classes offered by Peter McGrain in traditional stained glass painting and learned more about his own Vitri-Fusaille technique. “Vitri-Fusaille” is a term created by Peter to describe the technique of stained glass with has been fused and painted. The artist creates a sketch of the design, fuses various color fields of glass together to make the background and then paints and fires the "lead lines" and the design using a series of tracings, shadings, paint application and removal techniques. The result is a beautifully visual combination of paint and art. The kind that wins International awards for aspiring stained glass artists like Carol Trickett.   1 Mar 2011    Wedding Panel   28 Feb 2011    William Morris   22 Feb 2011    Edward Burne-Jones   8 Feb 2011    Frank Lloyd Wright   6 Feb 2011    Louis Comfort Tiffany   8 Oct 2010    2010 Country Creations Artisan Tour   1 Oct 2010    Fusing; An Introduction   30 Aug 2010    Dove Panel   12 Aug 2010    Colourful Stained Glass Valance   19 Jul 2010    Flower Medley   29 Jun 2010    Custom Stained Glass Windows   31 May 2010    Bevel Transom Windows   19 Mar 2010    Testimonial from the McLean Family   12 Dec 2009    From Hobby to Business   15 Nov 2009    20 Questions Your Buyers Are Asking   2 Nov 2009    Promoting Business At Shows   4 Aug 2009    Pool Table Lamp Repair   17 Apr 2009    I Want More   29 Mar 2009    Helpful Tips   28 Feb 2009    Wall Plaques for Kids   20 Feb 2009    American Robin   16 Feb 2009    American Robin Pattern

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