Stained Glass San Antonio Portfolio Review: Breathtaking Painted Stained Glass
Here at Stained Glass San Antonio, one of the best parts about our business model is being part of one of the most proficient stained glass studios in the US–Scottish Stained Glass. This means we are often part of some of the most unique stained glass installations around. Although each one comes with its own set of challenges–at the end of the day, it is incredibly fulfilling work. Our job is not only to transform churches but the lives of the congregants as well. One example of this is our most recent installation (and now pride of our portfolio) St. Andrew The Apostle Catholic Church located in Wray, CO.
The Scope of Our Custom Stained Glass Project
Wray is quite a small town of 2000 but this stained glass installation was big. Five custom panels to be exact. You see– since St Andrew’s is a newer church (built in the last 30 years) they did not have stained glass windows in the sanctuary. 2020 turned out to be the year this would change. The congregation felt like it was time to install stained glass artwork that would make their place of worship feel more like a house of God. So, they reached out to us to install five new, custom stained glass windows on the east side of their sanctuary. Asked if we could do this safely during a pandemic–the answer was, of course, yes. We have been doing safe stained glass installations throughout the summer and we’re happy to help. We were also thrilled at such an exciting chance to do the custom work we do so well.
Customizing Stained Glass to Be Historically Accurate and Beautiful
The church congregation was looking for us to create a depiction of the five Luminous Mysteries (baptism, wedding, proclamation, transfiguration, and last supper). These depictions were very significant to them and their doctrines. For a job this special and sentimental we pitched custom painted artwork was an option. They absolutely loved the idea and we got the green light! Not only is painted glass a very lovely form of stained glass work but it is rare due to lack of artisans too. We are lucky enough to work with an amazing painted glass specialist–Maria –and she didn’t disappoint. She wanted things to look as life-like as possible so we used actual models to get the poses right. We also did extensive research for historical accuracy like:
- The Appropriate background and foliage for the region
- Authentic tile design for floors in that time-period
- A historically accurate depiction of the town of Cana
The Beauty of Custom Painted Stained Glass
The outcome of our custom, five-panel stained glass project in St. Andrew The Apostle Catholic Church was breathtaking. Although we used mostly black and brown paint we were able to really pull color from the glass background. We also constructed the stained glass to effectively harness the natural sunlight. This created a lot of depth in objects like the faces, hands, fauna, and flora. The result was a stunning three-dimensional appearance– both authentic but interesting. In the end, the members of the congregation (who watched socially distanced) were amazed by the beauty of the entire process. One member even said, “Now we have a church”. It is this the type of affirmation and the pride that makes us love our work in custom stained glass creation.
For more information on custom stained glass or breathing life into an old piece of stained glass with restoration–contact us at Stained Glass San Antonio today!
