My Stained Glass Journey-- it's only just begun

I have always loved stained glass.

I grew up in a church that had beautiful stained glass windows (St. Mark's Episcopal, Dalton, GA).

I traveled to Spain in 1984 and saw LOTS of stained glass windows on a tour of cathedrals there.

Churches that I have served have had cool stained glass in them. Interestingly, there were two churches in my first appointment that had similar stained glass. I am thinking it was a popular scene.

I started buying some stained glass pieces and have a colorful butterfly (made by a friend), a Celtic knot, a Celtic cross with the liturgical seasons around it (Riley commissioned it for me from our friends in Lake Junaluska), a bamboo piece for Bamboo Encounter, a lighthouse, some smaller pieces. We were gifted a cool Celtic cross this Christmas that is now hanging in our sunroom.

I don't know how or where this love for stained glass began. However, as I reflect on it, I remember the windows that lined the building on both sides of St. Mark's Episcopal. Maybe that's where my adoration for the beauty of the light came, the creativity, the craft. 

The first piece I made was a honeycomb in a class. We had a choice of two projects. I chose the honeycomb one because "bee" is what my name means in Hebrew. In that class we learned how to cut, grind, foil, solder. We left that evening with our creation. 

I didn't think about it too much after that. I hung my creation in the window with a suction cup (like you are NOT supposed to do, but I check it often and "pop it").

I don't know what came over me to make me want to make stained glass ornaments for the family for Christmas, but it did. So, I contacted the person that had offered the class I took and the adventure began.

I needed simple patterns to start my new adventure. I chose a Santa hat to start my new craft. I changed the pattern after making a few of them. Then I added a stocking pattern to the batch. I really liked it. It was a simple 2 piece design. I did a couple of trees for a few people at the end. I didn't cut these pieces, but I did grind and foil some of them. 

I found that the time doing stained glass was therapeutic for me, calming. I also came to realize that it was becoming a spiritual practice for me because it drew me closer to God, the Divine. How, exactly, I don't know. I only know that it did and does. Maybe it's the Creator connecting with the creativity in me, the creation. Again, I can't fully explain it. All I know is that there is a holy connection when I am working on the glass pieces. 

As I continued my ornament making, I found myself thinking ahead to "what's next". One thing that I wanted to do was to start making pieces that I could use as a fundraiser for PFLAG Chattanooga. Before I sold anything, however, my teacher wanted me to make a larger piece. So, my next project is Cliff. I have a 38 piece pattern that I will be working on. I will also likely start some smaller pride pieces.

Here are some photos of my stained glass journey-- from cutting the pieces, to foiling, to soldering. 

I played around with where to place the "2024" and used fish swivel hooks for placement and for the hooks for hanging. I bought "S" hangers to hang them. 

the first ornament I made-- my first Santa hat

my only attempt to put "fancy" dots

my only patina project

the 2nd Santa hat pattern

I am grateful to my teacher who has answered my questions, helped me fix my mistakes, taught me that glass is forgiving... that there is no major "mess up". You can fix almost anything. That has helped me grow in grace--- who knew that stained glass would teach me about grace?!?!

I am a beginner. In truth, I hope to keep a beginner's mind. That way I will continue to learn, to be open, to try new things. 

I will share my progress and projects as I continue.

Deb