SUMMER

Summer Light through Stained Glass

Summer is the season where life and light are at their peak. The days are long, and for stained-glass artists we shape this light into its fullest form. The sunlight turns every panel into a shifting display of color. For us, its one of the most rewarding seasons of the year.

The Joy of Restoration

There is a particular sort of satisfaction that comes from restoring stained glass. These pieces often come to us with decades--sometimes even a century--of history held in their lead lines and cracked or shattered panes. Road dust, fractured glass, crumbling solder all tell a story of the buildings they once transformed.

One of the more meaningful projects of this season has been the careful restoration of two large church windows. Deconstruction of the entire window, revealing those muted colors through rigorous cleaning, re-leading all the pieces back into their original form brought these windows back to life. Ready for another century, another set of generations to enjoy them.

Restoration is never only about fixing a window. It is about respecting the original maker's craftsmanship and intention; and giving a community back a piece of its heritage. Seeing an old church window glow once more is one of the most significant joys of the craft.

Looking Forward

So as Summer draws to an end we take stock of what we've accomplished this season, and what we're looking forward to in the Fall.

The past couple months have been full of new projects, classes, and massive restorations. You've likely followed along on our Facebook page and seen some of our progress, if not, give us a follow here.

Additionally, we've done some coordination with Woodcraft Supply, LLC on a couple of different things over the past year. You'll see Aisha featured on the cover in the Autumn catalog coming soon! So if you're looking for a local supplier for some of the standard hobbyist tools, check out their selections here.

Finally, if you're interested in the coming holiday seasons, we'll have themed classes and project evenings, make-and-takes, as well as mosaics that will be wonderful handmade-by-you crafts you can give as gifts. Find our classes page here.

If you have an old panel or window that needs some love, or if you have been curious about trying the craft yourself, we would be happy to have you stop by the shop and chat. Summer is a great time to begin!