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There are many ways stained glass can be styled, and artisans are getting more creative now than ever. Stained glass is an ancient art, with some of the oldest pieces being featured in Catholic churches, Victorian mansions, and palaces of Europe. Modern artists are combining the best features of traditional stained glass with a new twist to create delightful new pieces that could never before be imagined.
There are more ways to imagine stained glass for your Kansas City home, business, or church so it stands out whether it is located in River Market or Brookside. Take a look at some of these examples of modern stained glass from the New York Times and My Modern Met to inspire your next property update.
The Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision is a bold example of modern stained glass. Brightly colored stained glass covers almost the entirety of this example modern architecture, making it a hard-to-miss focal point in the city of Hilversum, in the Netherlands. In this behemoth work of stained glass, Dutch architects Willem Jan Neutelings and Michiel Riedijk critique of advertising and marketing, and reaffirm art for art’s sake.
UK-based artist Flora Jamieson creates modern stained glass pieces inspired by graphic design, nature, organic forms, and geometry. She fuses her tastes which are more contemporary with the traditional art of stained glass to create colorful and cheery art like this one of birds and animals on a tree. Her favorite part of the stained glass crafting process is “selecting just the right tones and shades so that they sing out next to each other.”
See his Instagram here.
These unique stained glass panels were created in 2009 by the late German artist Sigmar Polke for the Grossmünster Cathedral in Zürich. Unlike traditional stained glass, these decorative windows were created using thin slices of agate mosaics creating a colorful composition resembling geode crystals.
Scottish Stained Glass is your go-to solution for stained glass not only Kansas City but the whole state of Kansas. We create custom stained glass works for residential, commercial, and religious properties. Scottish Stained Glass artisans have created over 10,000 custom pieces in a variety of styles from traditional stained glass to modern or contemporary stained glass. Contact us today if you have any questions or would like consultations for what might be the best fit for your building and tastes.
Whether you are a stained glass expert or just someone who enjoys the beauty and splendor of this unique art form, there are a few stained glass masterpieces around the world that shouldn’t be missed. If you have the ability to travel to any of these destinations, you won’t regret it, for the awe-inspiring beauty of stained glass windows awaits.
Who had the idea to paint in glass? No one knows for sure, but the process of coloring glass can be dated back to ancient Egypt. It wasn’t until the Middle Ages that stained glass developed as a major art form. Thankfully stained glass windows are durable, and thousands remain in tact for us to enjoy today, from London to Iran.
In London, be sure to check out Kings College Chapel, which is the chapel at King’s College in the University of Cambridge. The chapel is considered one of the best examples of late Perpendicular Gothic English architecture. The more than a dozen large stained glass windows were completed in the early 1500s by Flemish artisans and are some of the grandest in the world.
The Nasir al-Mulk Mosque is a 19th-century place of worship in Shiraz, Iran, that is a splendid example of Islamic architecture. Also known as the Pink Mosque, due to the prolific use of pink tiles in its interior design, Nasir al-Mulk features many colorful stained glass windows. If you are ever in Iran, be sure to add this mosque to your itinerary.
In Fort Worth, Texas, we have many stained glass windows that add to the historic beauty of our city. For all your stained glass window needs, make sure to call Scottish Stained Glass. We are the Fort Worth stained glass window experts and have been designing, restoring, and repairing stained glass windows for years. Our passion for stained glass windows spans across the country and encompasses residential, religious, and commercial applications. We look forward to hearing from you.
As you likely well know, stained glass is an ancient art form dating back thousands of years. The stained glass here in the US obviously does not have the same length of history but a glorious one none-the-less. Here at Scottish Stained Glass, we take great pride in our increasingly lengthy tenure as stained glass artisans here in Colorado Springs and in many other cities across the country and therefore wanted to enlighten our readers with a brief history of stained glass right here in the United States Of America
Glassmaking was initially established in America in Jamestown in 1607 and much like stained glass in Europe, stained glass on churches accounted for a large part of the stained glass proliferation. Therefore, here in the United States, one of the earliest mentions of stained glass was, not surprisingly, in reference to an unpaid invoice for stained glass on a local chapel. Here we see a written complaint by an enterprising stained glass artist named Duyckingh requesting a payment of 2.5 beavers as payment for church stained glass he had installed. However, it would be quite a while from here until stained glass on churches and home really took off in America due to trends and the expense of glass in the new world
We really see stained glass take off in the US in 1857 with the establishment of J&R Lamb Studios in New York City. This was the first major decorative arts studio in the United States and for many years they produced the majority of the ecclesiastical stained glass.
From this point on is where we see stained glass in the US grow and a real push towards innovation with Notable American craftsman like:
John La Farge (1835–1910) Invented opalescent glass and received a U.S. patent for it in 1880
Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848–1933): Received several patents for variations of the opalescent process and probably invented the copper foil method as an alternative to lead. This can be seen extensively in Tiffany windows, lamps and other decorations.
Charles J. Connick (1875-1945): Founded his Boston studio in 1913 and was heavily influenced by his study of medieval stained glass in Europe. Connick created hundreds of windows throughout the USA, including major glazing schemes at Princeton University Chapel and at Pittsburgh’s Heinz Memorial Chapel.
All of these artists and many more led to the myriad of beautiful stained glass cathedrals, churches and much of the home stained glass we see here in the United States today. For more information on stained glass for your Colorado Springs home or church contact Scottish Stained Glass today.
In a picturesque place like Polson, it’s only fitting that our houses of worship should reflect the beauty of our mountainous lakeside landscape. If your local Polson church has stained glass in need of restoration, you may be weighing whether it’s worth it to restore the glass. Below, we’ve put together 3 reasons why stained glass restoration is always worth it.
In places like Mustang and the Oklahoma City metro area, churches often feature gorgeous historic stained glass that functions not only as a beautiful artistic centerpiece within the church, but also as spiritual inspiration for attendees, which is why it’s important to keep it in good condition. If your Mustang church’s stained glass needs restoration, there are a few things you should know before diving into the process.
Spencer and the surrounding Bloomington area are renowned for their natural beauty, but also feature lovely buildings and churches that often feature historic stained glass. For Spencer church attendees, stained glass restoration can revitalize their house of worship and lend spiritual inspiration to the congregation with its picturesque beauty and depictions of the divine.
Before taking on a restoration project, however, it’s important to know what to expect during the process.
Stained glass has long been a way for church’s to portray religious iconography in lovely ways. Some even contend the beautiful storytelling done by these windows is something only these windows are able to do and we tend to agree. It makes sense then that Utah is a hotbed for stained glass on churches since the state as a whole is home not only to Mormon’s but many other religions that appreciate the impact of stained glass. Stained glass began appearing here in Utah at least as early as 1866 from there spread consistently through the state–even to this present day. Below we have highlighted some of the most remarkable stained glass in the state of Utah for your viewing pleasure.
LDS Church History Museum
Now housed in the the Latter Day Saints Museum this window was originally commisioned in 1892 and is an absolutely lovely depiction of the “First Vision for the Holy of Holies in the Salt Lake Temple” The creation of this window led to several other “First Vision” windows being commisioned from numerous artists for Latter-day Saint meetinghouses.
St. Mary’s Episcopal Church
An absolutely breathtaking depiction of the love an humility of Christ this stained glass masterpiece is housed in Provo, St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. According to the church website, it is– “rooted in historical Christianity, particularly as it is expressed in the Anglican tradition of scripture, tradition, and reason,” And while that is true it is also a remarkable piece of church history that still looks magnificent at 100+ years old.
B’nai Israel Temple
This window was originally made in 1891 for a new Congregation B’nai Israel synagogue. This synagogue saw great growth from that point on and the window truly represents the resilience of the Jewish people both here in Utah and abroad. Much like the Jewish people the steadfast stone facade and intricate stained glass windows have weathered time, elements and human intervention.
At Scottish stained glass, we are committed to preserving religious stained glass both for its symbolic value and the value pertaining to Utah’s long church history. For almost 3 decades we have repaired a myriad of religious stained glass windows both here in Utah and across the country and as such are the country’s premier stained glass restoration experts. Contact us today with questions about your church, synagogue or mosque stained glass restoration project and to schedule an inspection of your chapel’s stained glass.
Cracks in stained glass are fairly common, especially on older glass that has gracefully stood the test of time. In fact, you have probably seen chips, cracks, and even broken glass here and there on the stained glass in your Springfield church when you inspect it from time to time. As it were, minor repairs, like replacing a few pieces of broken glass here and there, can be performed while the glass is in place in its frame; for major repairs to stained glass windows, the entire window absolutely must be removed and the stained glass repaired in a professional studio. However, small repairs are just fine as the window stands and are called drop-in work. We do both types of restoration expertly but drop-in stained glass repairs are something we, at Scottish Stained Glass, do quite frequently. It is a process that entails cutting the came flange around the broken piece of glass at the solder joints then folding it back to repair or replace the old glass. We try to keep the original glass in the window whenever possible–but if necessary we are quite skilled at creating matching pieces in our studios.
Replacement is sometimes the only option for badly cracked stained glass. In this case, the church stained glass window is best restored by removing it and replacing the glass. Other times, small cracks can be fixed without replacing any part of the glass and while it is in place. It all depends on where the glass is within the frame and how badly it is cracked. However, since cracks in stained glass will enlarge over time (as the edges grind against one another) it is important to have cracks repaired as soon as you see them.t
Stained glass options for repair include:
Copper Foiling: One of the longest-running ways to repair stained glass cracks on church glass, is usually the best option when a piece of glass has only one or two cracks. In this method a thin copper foil is applied along each side of the break, trimmed and soldered. Since the foil is so very thin, this has a minimal aesthetic impact on your Springfield church’s stained glass
* Please note: copper foil repairs should not be used on unstable glass
Epoxy Edge-Gluing: This technique results in a virtually invisible line and is, for this reason, often used on painted glass. Epoxy is tinted to match the glass and it can also be infused into shattered glass or microscopic cracks. Epoxy produces a very strong repair but deteriorates in sunlight–so it usually requires secondary glazing to protect it from UV degradation.
Silicone Edge-Gluing: This repair method has the lowest strength and should be used when a flexible joint is needed. Silicone repairs are easily removed, so they are really good for a quick fix but will do nothing for the long-term strength of your glass. Additionally, they are unattractive and really useless long for the preservation of valuable church stained glass.
Although Scottish Stained Glass is based out of Kansas City, we have done many church stained glass repairs and restorations in Springfield and all over Kansas so, please, contact us today for more information and pricing on repairing and restoring the stained glass in your Springfield church!
Stained glass in churches is not only beautiful but represent the beautiful church history in the United States as well. Here in Springfield, we are lucky to have a good amount of gorgeous stained glass on the churches in the area and the preservation of this glass is something we are proud to be a part of. While having your stained glass repaired and replaced when needed is something that every church should be prepared to do and begin saving funds for, there are things that congregation members can do themselves to extend the life of their Springfield church’s stained glass. The small things below will not only extend the life of your stained glass but also keep it looking lovely and vibrant too!
Most church stained glass repairs should be done by a well-vetted stained glass professional. However, there are a handful of things you or your church groundskeeper can do to maintain your glass and keep it looking its best for your parishioners to enjoy.
1.Light Cleaning Of Your Stained Glass: Although you Springfield church stained glass does not need to be routinely cleaned like a regular window, if the stained glass becomes dirty or dusty you can carefully clean the glass with distilled water and a soft cloth. *If the glass is painted, be sure to verify that the stained glass window has been fired or you could damage the finish.
2. Maintain wood frames around the Stained Glass: The wood frames on your Springfield church’s stained glass windows are an incredibly important element that stabilizes the whole piece. Moisture sealant and paint should be used to ensure the long life of the entire piece. These sealants should be applied according to their directions, however, great care should be used to avoid getting these materials on the glass, where they can affect the look of the glass and potentially remove paint on unfired panels.
3 Replace missing or loose putty when needed: This is purely aesthetic repair for when you notice cracking or flaking putty on the outer edges of the window. While you can quickly replace the putty and paint over it to keep your church stained glass looking good, a professional should be called for larger cracks or missing chunks as it could be a sign of deeper structural damage.
Keep in mind that all of the ideas above are for competent church groundskeepers. If you would like your Springfield church maintenance person to do some of these light maintenance duties, it is essential to call in a trained professional like Scottish Stained Glass, to come in and consult with your church handyman to give instruction on light maintenance duties and materials. No major repairs or replacements should ever be done by anyone besides a stained glass expert. As always, we suggest a yearly check-up by a professional, especially on older stained glass. Contact us at Scottish for more details about which maintenance your church can do itself and which ones we can do for you. We serve all of the Kansas City area including Springfield, Missouri.
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