Parchment United Methodist Church windows, 2007
stained glass
memorial commission for the Parchment United Methodist Church in memory of Margery Maas
Stained glass is a labor intensive Art form. I started out with blank windows originally intended for the church from a previous design. I began by drawing the patterns directly on the glass, set up in my studio to reflect the dimensions of the installed windows. Normally I design on paper but I had these blank panels to start with this time.
I stripped off the old lead first. Lead prices have skyrocketed lately so to keep the project within a reasonable budget I salvaged what I could.
I cleaned the old putty from the blank window panels and used the glass (double Flemish in this case) for the majority of the design.
I drew the design on paper to scale.
Traced the design onto another piece of paper. These pieces will be scale models of each piece of glass in the design, and are numbered to correspond to the color glass they are to be made from.
Cut the second paper design (cartoon) out with stained glass shears, which cut an 1/8" out to make up for the lead came between individual pieces of glass in the construction of the window.
The paper patterns are all cut out and will be used to cut the glass pieces.
Next I cut the glass. I started with the double Flemish.
Each piece has to be cut using the paper patterns and made as closely to the pattern as possible.
This requires a lot of ability to cut accurately and lots of patience for when you don't. I use a pair of grozing pliers to chip away at some of the smaller adjustments I make.
Now my double Flemish is cut so I move on to my others. I am also using a blue glass with wisps of white glass mixed in and a clear seedy (or bubbly) glass in this design. Both are irridized on one side, which gives them a rainbow effect much like oil on a puddle. It gives the window design a different look when the glass has no light coming through it, so when the church is dark inside the design can be seen on the windows from the outside.
I cut my blue glass using the paper patterns but this time I can't see through it so I have to trace each one of them.
Then carefully cut and check them for accuracy.
There is a lot of clean up between each cut. Stained glass is a very dirty endeavor, which seems to be one of the things I like about it.
With all the glass cut I can now assemble.
I stretch the lead came to make it stiff and strong before using it.
I have to prepare the old edge lead I took off the blanks at the beginning of the process. This has to be cleaned thoroughly in order for the solder to stick to it.
I start in one corner and put glass followed by lead came in to fit tightly. The box of Band Aids is never far when pushing the pieces in. When I assemble the pieces I invariably find minor mistakes that force adjusting the glass. A small error just gets worse as the rest of the pieces of glass are added.
So I take care of them right away. It is actually my favorite part of the process, the give and take of assembly is not unlike painting or drawing. Overpainting, scrubbing out, and erasing are just as much a vital part of those Art forms as the adjustments are to stained glass.
I nail in supports around the edge of the piece I am working on to keep it within the pattern. I usually work with the second cartoon under the piece I am working on but this project was so fluid and simple that I made my panels according to how I wanted them to flow.
Longer pieces of lead created lines in the design and had to be kept as fluid as possible. Working with organic shapes can be more challenging than geometric shapes because a slight change of angle can throw off the rest of the windows proportions.
Finally I put the outer edge pieces of lead on and the assembly is complete and ready for solder.
Solder flux is applied to each joint that needs solder, to make the solder stick.
Then I solder all of the joints, making sure I create solid and smooth welds.
I flip the window over carefully and solder the other side.
The window is together!
Next is the putty. I force the putty, that I have colored a dark grey to match the lead, into the lead came. This makes the window much more solid.
I sprinkle whiting (calcium carbonate) on the window to degrease it because the solder flux and the putty are quite oily.
The I use a small stiff brush to force the putty in better and scrape away the excess putty. It also darkens the lead and any putty that might not match well. Then I repeat this on the other side of the panel.
I clean off the last bits of putty from both sides, inspect for any flaws, and it is signed and ready to install.
I took all of the panels (48 of them) up to the church in Parchment, Michigan and installed them all in a few days. The old glass was a dark amber and the new windows really brightened the sanctuary.
The church is still being rebuilt so a final picture of all of the windows in place will be coming. The windows are a memorial to the memory of my Mother, Marge Maas, who passed away in the Summer of 2007.
