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In 2023, the historic Battle Creek Tabernacle commissioned Scottish Stained Glass to create an extraordinary 162-square-foot stained glass window for their church, complete with custom metal framing and a sophisticated backlit lighting system. Working closely with the church, our master artisans employed their expert talent to bring a moving Biblical scene to life, rendering the delicate details and thought-provoking imagery in an array of colors and meticulously sculpted stained glass. Read More
Religious stained glass is an integral part of our Dallas community. During services and individual prayer, this artwork provides a constant beam of encouragement that can’t be replicated by other forms of art. Stained glass not only holds profound sentimental value to churchgoers, but it also has historical significance that further highlights its importance in the preservation and celebration of culture around the nation. Do you think your own stained glass may need some maintenance? Here are several ways for you to tell whether your Dallas Church stained glass windows require repairs, restoration, or replacement!
Minor blemishes and wear-and-tear can usually be fixed without having to uninstall the stained glass windows from their setting. It is suggested that those responsible for caring for these exquisite pieces of art should plan a restoration project every 75 – 100 years; this will help keep them looking bright and beautiful. If you notice any fractures, missing elements, discoloration or disintegrating lead in your stained glass window then it’s time for some tender loving care!
To prevent irreparable harm and costly replacement, stained glass restoration should be done as soon as possible. A restoration is usually an economical option; however, under some circumstances, a new window may end up being cheaper than restoring the existing one. An experienced stained glass artisan can help you figure out which course of action to take by conducting a cost-benefit analysis.
When deciding who should carry out your stained glass repairs and restorations, it’s of the highest priority to select wisely. As a leader in our field, we are delighted to examine your stained glass and decide if you need an at-home repair job, an entire restoration project or a complete replacement. If haphazardly appointing someone for this task isn’t done carefully then more money may be spent than necessary with no successful results seen; however, when choosing us for the job there will be remarkable outcomes that can last up to one hundred years! Our renowned practices can restore any type of stained glass from any century – let us help make sure yours remains preserved and protected.
For more information regarding church stained glass repairs or restoration, please reach out for a free consultation today!
If your Houston church has been around for eighty years or more and features stained glass windows, then it may be time to seriously consider restoration. Taking action now can help maintain the integrity and value of these historical artifacts. However, deciding on such a project should not be taken lightly; below are some points to ponder for you and your congregation.
Your Houston church’s antique stained glass may seem to have little value, but this is not always the case. The materials used in its construction, the studio that crafted it and its current condition are all factors determining just how valuable these windows truly are. Restoring them can increase their worth even further—one thing is for certain!
Enhancing the historical significance of churches across this city, stained glass from early days holds immense cultural and aesthetic value. Depending on what studio crafted it, which materials were used in its production, or where your parish is located, some church windows may be more valued than others. Not only does preserving these beautiful works help to keep local heritage alive but also allows us to safeguard our community’s customs and artistry for generations to come.
Church stained glass restoration isn’t just a way to preserve the aesthetic beauty of these fixtures – it’s also an excellent method for retaining sentimental value. Many members of each congregation have had fond memories associated with their church’s stain-glass windows, and restoring them allows those times to be remembered while also creating new experiences that will last into future generations!
Although the expense of stained glass restoration can vary depending on the magnitude and complexity of repairs, it especially holds true if an entire frame must be dismantled or rebuilt with fresh materials. This cost may be a hardship for churches that are faced with scarce resources; nevertheless, there are typically historical grants accessible from regional associations. Additionally, we have knowledgeable advice regarding fundraisers that have effectively worked in prior cases.
Strikingly beautiful and intricate, a church stained glass restoration project is an exciting opportunity to improve the building’s aesthetics in ways unseen before. With many windows comprising over 100 square feet of repairs, this process requires time; ensuring that we can match colors from long ago. If your church is considering such a venture, it is important to remember that our studio could need up to one year for us to remove all the damaged pieces and carry out necessary maintenance tasks in our studio.
For more information on stained glass restoration for your Houston Church and to schedule an inspection contact us today.
If your stained glass is around 75 to 100 years old, it might start showing damage. To keep your beloved stained glass in good condition and make it last longer, you need to restore it. A quality restoration can help your stained glass last for another hundred years. If you’re wanting to begin the restoration process for your stained glass, here are a few steps to get you started. This process can be used to fix any issues or damages that your piece has encountered.
No matter what your personal or professional needs are for stained glass, we have a solution tailored just for you. Does your church have antique windows? Or does your business need repairs on existing panels? The restoration process begins with determining if repair, replacement, or full restoration is necessary. The best way to come to this conclusion is by finding a contractor experienced in the field of stained glass work.
If a stained glass studio gives you a quote without coming to assess the property, this is cause for alarm. You need to find a company that will come and take a look so they can make an accurate plan based on what they see. When looking for the right stained glass studio, it’s also recommended that you ask for two to three recommendations, as well as examples of their past work that are similar in size to your own project.
We are proud to be the leading stained glass restoration studio for those in the Dallas area. We have plenty of experience working with churches, old buildings, businesses, and houses as they bring their windows back to life. To maintain the antique value of your stained glass, partner with America’s top-rated painted glass restoration experts. For more information on how we can restore your stained glass piece, please reach out to us!
We’re proud to announce the successful completion of our recent custom stained glass project for St. Edwards Church. The Pennsylvania-based church decided to look into constructing a stained glass window to replace the large existing window that overlooked the main street intersection. The purpose of this stained glass was to honor their pastor that had recently passed away while also concealing the street view during service. St. Edwards Church contacted several companies about two years ago to find the right studio for the project.
We conducted our initial meeting over Zoom due to the pandemic – normally we would’ve visited the church in person for the project. Luckily, we were able to utilize technology and discuss the custom designs electronically. The church had several sketches done of the tree of life. As we were finalizing the design, Father Rick mentioned that someday they’d do another window on the other side (of the church) where Jesus is on the Sea of Galilee, which was his favorite teaching from the Bible. Our painted glass artist decided to go ahead and create this design, and presented it to the church. The Father fell in love and decided to change directions with their project.
In order to create a three-dimensional look for the stained glass, our artist achieved this through painting and shading in the water. She also created calm water which wasn’t a typical scene from the Bible, offering a metaphor for making it through the storm. Different types of people were also depicted, allowing congregation members and visitors to interpret it in various ways. Our team also had to address the existing curtain wall without removing it along with all the existing bricks in the window. We created one large, continuous panel for installation.
Scottish Stained Glass is honored to be the leading custom church stained glass studio serving Pennsylvania and the rest of the nation. We’re humbled to have had the opportunity to create such a stunning, powerful stained glass window for memorializing the church’s pastor and providing so much inspiration for its congregation. When the window was installed, people walking into the church burst into tears and were so amazed by the result. It was one of our most rewarding jobs, with the larger-than-life figures and the whole window standing at about 20 feet tall and 14 feet wide. For more information regarding custom church stained glass, please contact us!
Stained glass windows are beautiful works of art that lend exquisite beauty to any space. Originally, stained glass was used to depict biblical stories and inspire members. Today, this tradition lives on in modern churches, temples, and cathedrals. Below, weve shared our top ten favorite cathedral stained glass windows. Read More
If you have ever looked at church stained glass windows very carefully, you may have noticed a lot of different symbols in different parts of the work. This is very common for religious stained glass. Iconography was used often to tell important stories to church congregations. Some symbols like a cross, for instance, have a very clear meaning. But, sometimes there are icons that don’t have as clear of a meaning. Below are some of our favorite religious stained glass icons and what they represent.
To learn more about the lovely meaning behind your church’s stained glass, contact us today!
Tulsa is a city full of beauty, character, and history. Today, it is home to two very-well known universities, as well as numerous museums, parks, and an attractive array of art deco buildings. But modern Tulsa is far different from the city it once was. Read More
Houston is known for its contributions to space exploration, its delicious Gulf seafood, and beautiful sunny beaches. But that’s not all. Locals know that it’s also home to some of the most enchanting stained glass windows in the country.
Step into one of Houston’s oldest churches and you will instantly be mesmerized by the beauty of the stained glass. As sunlight seeps through the glass, a brilliant array of vivid colors wash over the interior. It’s truly a sight to behold.
But beauty isn’t the only thing that stained glass windows bring to the table. They’re also an important part of history.
Colorado Springs has some of the most beautiful church stained glass features in the state. For churches that are interested in creating custom stained glass for their property, a great way to gain inspiration from other churches around the world. Churches have always utilized stained glass as a way to showcase important biblical figures and teachings. This incredible medium has lent both beauty and function and is still very common in churches today. Did you know that church stained glass actually has intended symbolism behind every color?
Scottish Stained Glass is honored to be the leading custom church stained glass studio serving Colorado Springs. Contact us today!
Churches have used stained glass for centuries, offering a beautiful way to showcase the teachings of the Bible and important biblical figures. Historical church stained glass can be found around the world, offering beauty, inspiration, and sentiment. Did you know that the colors depicted in these historical stained glass features actually have meaning behind them? Churches offer significant symbolism that’s depicted by the colors that they choose for their stained-glass features.
Scottish Stained Glass is the leader in custom church stained glass and would the opportunity to create your vision. Contact us today!
Many of us are amazed by the beauty of stained glass windows. When you walk into a church with colored glass windows, you can’t help but stop and stare. All of the colors and the magnificent rays of light shining through are quite a spectacle. But how did leaded glass windows come to be such a common part of churches? The answer may surprise you. Here’s a little bit of information about the history and meaning behind church stained glass.
For many churches, stained glass windows hold more than just aesthetic value. They’re a connection to the past that ties together pieces of an important story, illuminating the details of how the congregation transitioned from its humble beginnings to its place in modern society. They’re precious.
While stained glass windows are designed for durability, they’re far from unbreakable. Stained glass restoration provides San Antonio churches with the ability to restore broken and deteriorating stained glass windows and save them from destruction.
Do you have stained glass windows in your church that are cracked or falling apart? Before you remove them, you should consider looking into stained glass restoration in Houston instead.
Stained glass windows are beautiful. And while they’re very strong, they don’t last forever. When stained glass windows start to deteriorate, they can become a safety concern. Pieces of glass can fall out and break furniture or land on someone’s head.
Of course, this is an alarming situation. You don’t want anyone to get hurt. But do you really want to throw out something so beautiful and meaningful? Instead, you can opt for stained glass restoration from a Houston expert.
Scottish Stained Glass is honored to introduce our painted glass artist and stained glass conservation specialist, Maria Sheets. Her comprehensive training and educational background include a Masters in the Humanities from the University of Texas, Dallas and a Professional Associates degree from the American Institute for Conservation. Maria has trained with industry-leading conservation and glass experts through her ten years at various stained glass apprenticeships. With extensive experience as both owner and chief conservator of an art conservation firm that’s served museums, galleries, and private collections throughout the nation, Maria brings a wealth of knowledge and specialty technique to the Scottish team. Her incredible art skills range from kiln-fired glass pigment to fine art oil painting.
Maria’s passion for conservation was sparked when she worked with an art museum who had sustained significant damage with an accidental fire. When working through the stained glass restoration at the museum, Maria realized that she could paint the damaged painted glass better. After this revelation, Maria committed to glass painting classes and pursued her Professional Associates degree from the American Institute for Conservation. She holds a high standard for proper conservation and taking the ethical approach when restoring stained glass and other mediums of art. By prioritizing these standards, Maria is able to truly honor the original artist and their intentions.
Her comprehensive painting background and specialized painted glass technique have created incredible, one-of-a-kind art for many of our clients nationwide. Maria begins to custom painted glass process with a lot of research. She also utilizes live models in order to truly capture proper form and composition. These models are often clad in costume wardrobe in order to really seize life-like fabric flow and shadowing.
One of her favorite painted glass projects is the Santa Marta Saints. This Scottish project was completed for a private chapel in Olathe, Kansas that commissioned three custom stained glass windows with handpainted St. John Paul II, St. Teresa of Calcutta, and St. John XXIII. The design process took approximately six to eight weeks through constant communication between Maria and the Santa Marta community. Each religious painted glass project requires comprehensive research of similar paintings through history as well as a background in iconography. Her hand-sketched initial designs had to also be approved by the clergy. Maria uses Photoshop and extensive references in order to incorporate every single detail in her intended painted glass design.
Painted glass incorporates numerous layers in order to define depth and shadowing– the glass has to be carefully transferred to the kiln to bake after each completed layer. These details were imperative to Maria since the three saints are contemporary figures that people recognize and have seen. This was probably the greatest challenge for her but Maria was humbled by the great honor to be given this responsibility. Once the three painted glass masterpieces were completed, it took our nationwide team a total of eight months to complete and install this project. Maria appreciates the team setting and all they were able to accomplish together.
As a conservation specialist, Maria believes that authenticity is the biggest concern in her field. It can be difficult to truly authenticate a piece of art. Another challenging aspect is ensuring the ethical approach is taken. Often times when a piece of art or glass is restored, there will be parts left blank. Especially in the context of writing and quotes, it is crucial to have prior images in order to attempt to replicate. Expert opinions are needed in order to avoid ethical implications and taking the guesswork out of proper conservation. If critical components are missing and there aren’t original photos available, these sections are left blank but will honor the original aesthetic and ensure structural integrity.
It can be a very tedious process when it comes to matching colors for restoring painted glass. When Maria is finally able to match a color dead-on, this is the most enjoyable part of the process for her. Honoring the artistic intent of the creator is the most joyous part of conservation. When it all comes together after the lead came has been structured around all glass components, Maria is always delighted with the final product and how stunning it is when all painted pieces are joined together. The colors pop and the cohesive efforts of the Scottish team are displayed when the stained glass is re-installed after restoration.
Scottish Stained Glass is honored to be the nation’s industry-leading stained glass restoration team. We’re humbled to have talented members that specialize in conservation, helping aid our mission and passion for properly preserving stained glass. Working together has created an outstanding learning process for all of us on our continued journey to restoring historical and sentimental pieces of art throughout our community. We look forward to experiencing more incredible talent from our renowned team and can’t wait to see what all we can accomplish together.
Whether you’re looking to restore your church’s antique stained glass windows or you’d like to commission your own custom painted glass, we’ve got you covered. Work with our painted glass and custom stained glass specialists to achieve lifelong, impactful pieces of art. Contact us today for your free consultation!
Old churches are full of history and character. Often, cities themselves were built around churches, with the church being a focal point and a gathering place for community events. When you walk into one of these older churches, you can see the evidence of the passage of time, and memories made.
In Fort Collins, we are fortunate enough to have more than our fair share of historic churches. Not only are these churches an important part of our town’s history and culture, but they are also beautiful places to visit. Below, we’ve listed some of our favorite historic churches in Fort Collins with stained glass windows.
As the whole world watched the Notre Dame Cathedral burn, many thoughts raced through our collective minds. First to the safety of anyone inside then to the host of historical relics, artworks, and unparalleled architectural structures that we knew for sure were engulfed in flames or close to it. As we here at Scottish stained glass, looked at the images of the burning spire fast sinking into that fiery mass, our hearts too sunk, assuming the very worst about the famous and beloved Rose windows. This is because we are more than just stained glass restorers here but avid stained glass lovers as well–and there is quite possibly no other stained glass window in the world that encapsulates the affection we have for this magnificent artform than–the Rose Window Of Notre Dame.
Incredibly built in the 13th century during the Gothic period but somehow still relevant and timely in today’s distant world. Whether because of the careful choice of bold colors, which truly never go out of style, or the jewel-like pattern in which each delicate panel is positioned, this window could as easily pass for modern as it does Gothic–a dichotomy that is part of its undeniable charm. However, the Rose Window or Notre Dame was built for peril just like we witnessed this week– distributing weight equally across a perforated stone wall of traversing apertures. This structural style also happens to lend itself to making this lovely stained glass window appear much more delicate and fragile than it truly is. As we have mentioned many times in our blog--stained glass is, contrary to popular belief, incredibly durable, something we run across each and every restoration and have yet to fully appreciate ourselves. The Rose Window of Notre Dame–is no exception.
“Although the wooden roof is gone, the vaulted stone ceiling below and the iconic rose windows have been saved, the latter at least surviving in “good shape,” Lt. Col. Gabriel Plus
This is why we have such great hope for the Rose Window still. While not completely out danger yet because of the failing structure that surrounds it, it is our hope that this window will yet prevail, as it has done through the last 7+ centuries–through wars, invasions, plagues, riots, occupations and more. If history is any indication of the fate of this iconic stained glass window, we know for sure it will endure, and a restoration, albeit a massive one, will keep this piece of religious art intact for scores of generations who have yet to enjoy looking up at a piece of stained glass that has seen the world change but somehow remains the same.
For inquiries about a San Antonio area stained glass restoration of your own, contact us at Scottish Stained Glass today. We serve all of Texas and many other regions across the US and would love to work your church or home stained glass restoration project.
Stained glass windows are beautiful, to say the least, but did you know that they’re also a very practical feature to have in a church? It’s true, many stained glass windows in Colorado Springs churches, temples, and cathedrals exist for a very real and practical reason.
In fact, the very reason that churches began using stained glass in the first place was for a very practical purpose – to educate their members. At the time when stained glass windows became popular, much of the world’s civilized population was still illiterate. Stained glass became a form of storytelling through which churches could use pictures to explain the stories and teachings in religious texts such as the Bible. Later on, stained glass windows became more and more elaborate and took on a larger role in improving church aesthetics, but their true original purpose was education.
Today, stained glass windows still continue to play an important role in modern churches, and help make churches more comfortable and enjoyable for those that attend them. Below, we’ve described a few practical benefits of adding stained glass to Colorado Springs temples and churches.
Stained glass windows can make a lovely addition to a church. Indeed, there is nothing quite like the experience of looking up at stained glass on a Sunday morning as the sunlight hits the windows and makes the glass shine as if it were made up of thousands of tiny diamonds or precious gems. Such a site brings instant serenity to those who are fortunate enough to experience it.
If you’re considering adding stained glass windows to your San Antonio church, you’re making an excellent decision. Your members are sure to appreciate the elegance and privacy that the stained glass provides and will be proud to attend such a beautiful church.
In regards to stained glass, the US was relatively late to the party. This is because settlers from Europe got to this continent in the 1600s and stained was technically “invented” somewhere around 1000 AD. However, this artform permeates the American church culture and is a common feature on many homes to this day.
The first stained glass production was actually set up fairly soon after colonist arrived in Jamestown in 1607. As it happened, England was running out of wood to fuel their furnaces that made stained glass at the time. Here in the Americas, there was plenty of wood, therefore, stained glass manufacturing became a new world trade. Many workshops were built, one of the most famous of which was set up by Jan Smeedes, in 1679, in Lower Manhattan. Another was a studio by William Gibson, who was labeled the “Father of Painted Glass.” However, the Puritans did not like religious imagery like that on the Churches of England, so almost no glass is left from the colonial times. Sadly, less than 1% of the Nation’s stained and leaded glass predates 1700.
The Puritanical line of thinking did not last too long, however. In Europe, the 1700s saw massive demand for stained glass and is referred to as the golden age of stained glass in Europe. Here in the states it did not take long for this trend to catch on and by the early 1800s intense interest in the craft arose again in and production began to increase steadily throughout the century–beginning the American golden age of stained glass.
Some of the most historically significant stained glass from the US:
John and William Jay Bolton: Glass made between 1843 and 1848, called St. Ann and the Holy Trinity.
Louis Comfort Tiffany: Known for his designs of deeply colored works of glass in the style of Art Nouveau and his signature iridescent glass called Favrile.
Frank Lloyd Wright: Was technically an architect but he pioneered geometric representations of natural motifs in stained glass and used of angled glass.
While the “great age of stained glass” is technically over, there are still numerous stained glass windows remaining all over the country to this day. This country has a rich history of stained glass and that is what we here at Scottish Stained Glass in Denver work to preserve everyday. If you have an old or historic church or home stained glass window that you would like us to inspect for restoration, contact us today to schedule a consultation.
Stained glass windows are durable by nature. Nonetheless, sometimes life just happens. There are a number of things that can ruin the health and integrity of stained glass – hail, hot summers, powerful winds, and even rambunctious human beings. Even if your stained glass never suffers any catastrophic trauma, it may still degrade, like all things worldly, from the passage of time. If this happens, you have a couple options available. You can opt for stained glass repair. Or your Kansas City church can replace the stained glass entirely. Which is best for you depends entirely on your situation. Let us explain.
There is perhaps no art form more elegant and appealing than stained glass. For hundreds of years, stained glass has retained its prominence in religious architecture, bring light, radiance, and color to the holy places where it resides. In the light of the sun, it shines like an opalescent gem, and its texture and intricate detail create an aesthetic so fascinating that it’s hard to look away.
Stained glass is not only a beautiful feature for a church to possess, but it’s also traditional. Once used as a way to spread the messages in religious text, stained glass has played a significant role in religious history, and continues to do so today. Many churches, around the world and in Houston, add custom stained glass to their building as a way of honoring tradition.
If your church has antique stained glass windows, you are extremely fortunate. Antique religious stained glass is absolutely gorgeous and is becoming extremely rare these days. However, it’s important to take good care of your stained glass and make sure you check it regularly for possible signs of deterioration.
Cracks, chips, and other structural issues should be remedied as soon as they are noticed, otherwise you run the risk of losing your church’s valued artwork forever. With stained glass restoration for your Denver church, repairs can be easily addressed and the lifetime of stained glass can be prolonged for several decades longer.
Today, some of Austin’s historic churches are nearing an age where they are more than one hundred years old. In fact, one of Austin’s oldest churches, St. David’s Episcopal Church in downtown Austin, is over 150 years old. Many of these old religious buildings are very solid in structure, but they contain elements that need regular care, such as stained glass windows.
Stained glass, when it gets to a certain age, starts to lose its structural integrity from years of being exposed to the rain, heat, and climate conditions. Lead heats up, melts into a new shape, and then hardens once it cools down, becoming slowly distorted over time. This puts pressure on the glass pieces, often so much that they start to crack or fall out. By opting for stained glass repair, Austin churches can preserve their stained glass windows and keep their beautiful historic building fully intact so it can be enjoyed by future members of the congregation.
Probably the biggest hesitation to getting stained glass restored here in Colorado Springs is the financial part. Most churches don’t have thousands of dollars set aside for such repairs and, understandably, have no idea where to get such vast sums of money. This is one of the reasons, we at Scottish Stained Glass are here to help. We have done a fair amount of church stained glass restorations across the country and have seen many churches successfully navigate the stained glass restoration fundraising process to bring their cherished windows back to life. Below we have listed a few tips on how to get started and, of course, we are happy to brainstorm with your Colorado Springs church individually to help you tap into local resources not outlined here as well.
The first step in stained glass fundraising is mobilizing your church and working with those that are most supportive and enthusiastic about the process. This will help you throughout the process not just in the raising of the funds.
This may seem self-evident but some church’s we have encountered only want to get stained glass restoration funds internally from the church, while others are willing to seek help outside of it. Should you decide to look outside your church, be aware there are grants available from historical societies and even local businesses help out sometimes–especially if they are hosting events or matching contributions, not just writing a check. It is good to get the community involved in church stained glass restorations as preserving these windows is an investment in the community as a whole.
Church stained glass is lovely and charming and as such can inspire great creativity and envoke participation across a number of channels. Of course, traditional fund drives like car washes, selling candy are great but something like a silent auction, involving local businesses or an ice cream social may stand out and garner more donations!
These are, of course, just a few ideas that we have seen churches across the county succeed in. There are so many things churches can do to get the money they need, including grant money. We advise you to call us for an initial assessment on your Colorado Springs church stained glass so you have a solid number to work for. Reach out to us today to schedule a visit and to take that first step toward preserving your church’s lovely stained glass.
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Thinking about getting your church stained glass restored and curious about how the process will work? First of all, you are not alone and second, this is a great place to start. Because at Scottish Stained Glass we are arguably the country’s most prolific stained glass restoration company and more to the point–we love what we do. Below is a quick guide on the next couple of steps and what we can help you achieve with your church stained glass windows.
The first thing we do is consult with you by viewing your church’s stained glass and making an assessment.
This includes:
Once we begin the job we will, in many cases, remove your church’s stained glass window(s) from its frame. Then, carefully wrapped, we take the stained glass and its corresponding structural parts to our studio. Here we do our restoration craftwork, including:
We finally bring your lovely, new/restored church stained glass windows back to your site and put them back where they have graced the walls of your chapel for decades. This is our favorite part, since, we get to see these wonderful works of religious iconography back where they belong, looking more lovely, in many cases, than the day they were installed!
Stained glass is more than just our job here at Scottish, it is our passion too! We just love bringing back these gorgeous works of art and preserving them for the next generation. Contact us today on your Fort Collins church restoration and see our passion in action.
Today, churches often don’t know who to turn to when they need stained glass work. Many stained glass studios today don’t have experience working with antique stained glass and therefore aren’t able to perform the repairs required for a full restoration. Even churches who are looking for new stained glass windows may have a difficult time find a studio. Most of the stained glass produced today is mass-generated in factories. Very few studios actually create custom stained glass in Fort Worth.
At one point in time, stained glass windows were used in churches as a way to share the messages in scripture with people who did not know how to read. At this point in time, a great deal of the world’s population was still illiterate so churches had to figure out a different way of sharing the stories and messages in religious texts. By painting scenes on stained glass windows, they were able to illuminate details that were expressed in text.
While this need no longer exists today, many modern churches in Fort Collins still choose to include stained glass in the architectural design of their building. By doing this, churches are continuing and honoring an age old tradition as well as creating privacy for their members. Stained glass windows make it difficult to see into a church from the outside. Yet unlike curtains and drapes, they provide this privacy without blocking out the sun. So stained glass windows today serve both an aesthetic and practical purpose in Fort Collins churches.
Do you belong to a church that’s in the middle of remodeling or undergoing renovations? One change you should consider making is adding stained glass windows to your Kansas City church.
Stained glass windows are not only a traditional part of church design, but they also serve a practical purposes as well. Color and texture add visual interest to church interiors while also creating privacy without blocking light. By adding stained glass windows to your church, you can brighten up the interior and create an inviting, welcoming space.
Church stained glass restoration, although sometimes expensive, is critical to the history of American churches of all denominations, breathes new life into congregations and brings absolute joy to parishioners. As such, it is something for churches here in Denver and across the country with stained glass windows to consider, whether those windows are small and simple or majestic and looming.
A good example of how enriching stained glass restoration on a church can be is that of the sanctuary restoration of Bethel A.M.E. Church in Huntington in NY. This lovely church has the distinction of being Huntington, NY’s oldest African American church; something that carries with it a very deep-rooted history both of the area and of African American culture within it. This particular program cost about $50,00 and took two years but meant a lot to the parishioners, as they were preserving more than just their windows and culture but paying homage to those bygone parishioners that put so much into their church and their original stained glass windows.
As you can see from the pictures below the stained glass windows in the sanctuary at Bethel A.M.E. are astounding and still true to the style of the time during their installation in 1924. But, over the years the condition of these once striking stained glass windows had deteriorated and in early 2016, Rev Larry D Jennings decided it was time to do something about their very bad condition; not only because the window truly needed it but because of the historical value and as a respect to the original generosity of those who paid, and likely sacrifice for them to be installed.
Paying for stained glass restoration can be expensive and finding funds a challenge. But, luckily for Bethel A.M.E. a town historian, Robert Hughes sought out grants from the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation for $20,000, them the Sacred Sites program of the New York Landmarks Conservancy for $10,000; and finally The Gerry Charitable Trust for $5,000. The remaining costs were covered by donations from the congregation itself. And the results could not be more breathtaking.
If you have a church here in Denver with aging stained glass, which is likely the case if the glass is over 80 years old, having them restored is a way to breath new life into them and your congregation. Here at Scottish Stained Glass, in Denver, we can help guide you through the process, costs and even fundraising for stained glass restoration as well. Contact us today for more information and for a free consultation/stained glass inspection.
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