From Concept to Creation: Aside from commissioned work, Valerie creates watercolors, oil paintings and three-dimensional stained glass sculptures. The ideas and visual experiments developed in the non-commissioned work have inspired designs for our clients. In a glimpse into the artist’s creative process, below are examples of Valerie’s designs that may have started out as photographs, watercolors or oil paintings and eventually became glass pieces. Valerie’s mastery of many media lends itself well to the process we use in the making of your one of a kind work of art in glass.
Every stained glass window we make begins as a painting. Valerie’s background in the fine arts lends itself well to the stained glass process. The ideas and visual experiments developed in many different media in her non-commissioned work inspire designs for our clients. Below is a glimpse into the artist’s creative process:
Our initial meeting includes a presentation of our completed work and a discussion with the client on design preferences and budget.
Firm prices depend on the amount of detail in the windows, and quotations made upon submission of watercolor renderings of our suggested designs.
The watercolor renderings are made to a scale of 1”=1’0”. They show the size and number of the pieces, and the color scheme. We request a non-refundable deposit of 10% of the total ordered (per window design) to cover the cost of the designs and the research into possible themes for the windows. Upon approval of the preliminary design, another drawing is submitted for approval that is the actual size of the window(s), and in black-and-white (the cartoon). The full size drawings become the patterns that are used to cut and assemble the glass. Samples of the proposed glass are also shown.
Upon approval of the full size drawing, the glass is selected and cut. If required by the design, the glass is hand painted to achieve certain details, after it is cut into the individual pieces and before the pieces are assembled. All of our painted glass is fired permanently onto the glass. Some of the details require up to three applications and firings in our kiln to achieve the desired effects.
To assemble the window, each piece of cut glass is set into its respective position and bound with a strip of lead in the form of an “H” channel. Where each of these metal strips intersects, a joint is formed. Each joint in the assembled panel is soldered on both sides of the panel, using a lead and tin combination heated with a soldering iron. We use the highest quality lead and solder in the completion of the windows. After assembly, the window is waterproofed by brushing a soft, putty-like mixture on both sides of the window panels.
The completed window is installed at the site. All of our work is installed so that it may be removed and/or repaired in the future. All framing is plumb, level and true, with proper reinforcing used to prevent premature aging of the windows. Your new stained glass windows will last for over a century with little maintenance.
A client approached us with a 6 foot x 10 foot Victorian skylight in need of re-leading and installation. The center section was missing, so we designed and made one to complement the existing panels. Later, the client moved and wanted to reuse and expand the skylight, adding curved panels to fill a 16 foot square ceiling. We designed the additional panels, and installed the lighting and the steel framing. We made wood molds with which to assemble the curved panels in our shop.
