Back with some designs

We've been away working on some church murals at another church, but had a break to moodle some more designs for the clerestory windows. Here are variations and ideas:

All are in the $2,000/each range x eight windows, except for the most simple bottom window which is less.

Cost is determined by various factors, including the number of pieces of glass in the window, the particular glass chosen, whether glass-painting is involved, and the materials market in general.

Because glass and metal are selling at all-time highs right now, quotes we send out to clients are only good for three months. The stained glass industry is very labor and energy-intensive, not only because they require huge inputs of energy to manufacture, but also because they are not common commodities, often being imported from overseas. Many art glasses, for example, are manufactured in Europe. High oil costs immediately drive the cost of shipping up, and thus the cost of glass. This is above and beyond the intensive energy useage required to run the glass furnaces and manufacture the glass to begin with. The lead came cost is also being driven by scarcity of metals, so this is another factor to consider.

Below are designs for windows in the choir portion of the church, four total which will each have a different symbol for the four evangelists. This one is for St. Luke. Here are two possibilities, and at bottom left the beginnings of a third:

These larger windows will cost from $3,000 - $4,000.

We don't usually create quite this many options for one church, but in this case, the artist was dissatisfied with several early renderings for the particular location. We will probably send two options for clerestory windows and the two you see for the choir area. The rest will be used in the portfolio or utilized at another time.

There are two we think are just right for this church and for the windows that have already been created and installed. Which ones do you think they are?

What next?

Scenes from the Life of Jesus

These windows currently are priced from $6,500-$7,500 depending on number of pieces of glass and amount of painting.

Mark 16: 5-6

Scenes from the Life of Jesus

John 19: 38-42

Scenes from the Life of Jesus

Mark 14: 32-41

Scenes from the Life of Jesus

Luke 15: 4-6

Scenes from the Life of Jesus

Scenes from the Life of Jesus

Matt 3: 13-17

Scenes from the Life of Jesus

Luke 2: 7

Scenes from the Life of Jesus

Luke 2: 46-49

Scenes from the Life of Jesus

John 6: 8-10

Scenes from the Life of Jesus

Mark 10: 14-16

Installation

Packing and delivering the stained glass

The stained glass windows are packed tightly together with sheets of protective paper in between layers:

They travel upright on a glass rack:

And are unloaded and carried into the church individually and upright:

Choices

The robe was first a lovely swirling blue.

But upon further consideration, the artist noticed that the window directly across from this one had a lot more red, creating a color imbalance in the overall effect of the church when viewed from afar.

So the glass was replaced with a red robe for better balance.

Step-by-step: Soldering the windows

Soldering the stained glass window is the final step before cementing and cleaning.

This process continues on both sides of the assembled glass. In the kiln, more painted glass for the remaining two windows is being fired, with each kiln-load taking 6-8 hours to fire and cool. Alternating between windows and processes keeps the glassworker busy at all times.

Step-by-step: Building another window

Now it comes time to "lead-up" the stained glass window. Each of the hundreds of pieces of glass will be joined with lead cames. This is a meticulous fitting process as the window must match the pattern itself each step of the way.

First, each piece of glass is measured by rolling the edge on the lead, marking the end, and then cutting the came.

Then the lead came, being quite soft, is bent and formed around the glass piece. After marking with the lead knife, the lead is trimmed to fit with lead side-cutters.

Now the piece is carefully placed into its proper place on the pattern.

Then it is carefully fitted into the lead channel using the curved blade of a custom-made stopping knife.
If necessary, the glass is gently tapped into place with the lead end of the knife.

The piece is then temporarily held in place with horseshoe nails, and the procedure is repeated piece-by-piece until the entire window is completely assembled and ready to solder.

Modifications to color

When the perfect piece of glass can't be found as in this case, the color is modified with a subtle bit of glass painting. Here, folds and shadows in the robe have been heightened for added depth and drama.

Then one final check with all the cut and painted pieces of glass on the light table. This is the last chance to make adjustments before the building of the window begins.

Painting with glass

Though many of the glass pieces are painted, the choice of this American-developed opalescent art glass also lends a painterly effect. You can see in these robes, the swirls of color in the glass, chosen just so they give the impression of drapery and shadow.

Quite a bit of glass is cut and rejected before the exact right piece is chosen.

The sky colors, too. are chosen carefully for just the right mood and impact.

It's a very time-consuming process, but worth the end result.

Glass painting continues

Even as the building begins, some of the glass pieces require additional detailing with paint. Here you see background painting of the crowds around Jesus on light blue glass, which will now be placed in the kiln for firing. Then back to building windows while the kiln does its job.