Stained Glass Dallas Portfolio Review: Stunning Painted Stained Glass
Here at Stained Glass Dallas, we love the fact that we are a sister company to one of the most proficient stained glass studios in the country–Scottish Stained Glass. This allows us to take part in some pretty outstanding stained glass creations and installations. Each one presents challenges but they are also equally fulfilling. Because we get to transform more than just windows but, in many cases, lives too. Our most recent large installation at St. Andrew The Apostle Catholic Church located in Wray, CO is a great example of this.
The Scope of Our Custom Stained Glass Project
Although Wray is a small town–this stained glass installation was a big one. It took place in a church that was built about 30 years ago–so fairly new compared to the usual churches we work on. This church in particular did not have stained glass windows in the sanctuary. The congregation felt like stained glass artwork would really make their place of worship feel more like a house of God. They reached out to us with an idea to install five original large stained glass windows on the east side. We were happy to oblige since this type of custom work is right up our alley.
Customizing Stained Glass to Be Historically Accurate and Beautiful
As mentioned the church congregation wanted five window panels–in a depiction of the five Luminous Mysteries (baptism, wedding, proclamation, transfiguration, and last supper). We decided to create custom artwork and use stained glass painting as a technique. This is because we have such an amazing painted glass specialist Maria–and knew it would work well for depicting faces. To get a more realistic look we used actual models to get the exact poses.
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 results of our painted, five-panel stained glass project in St. Andrew The Apostle Catholic Church were–stunning. We used mostly black and brown paint but some color pulled from the glass background. We used natural sunlight to create depth in objects like the faces, hands, fauna, and flora. The result was an amazing three-dimensional look–authentic and lovely. The members of the congregation who watched (socially distanced) were so happy with our work. One member even said “Now we have a church”. It is this affirmation and the pride in a job well done that makes us love 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 Dallas today!
Martin Faith
Martin Faith is a master craftsman, builder, and designer of stained glass windows. Martin learned the art of glassmaking while living in Scotland, where he was born and raised. He has been studying stained glass as an art form for over 30 years. When he moved to the U.S., Martin opened his own shop and started selling antique and custom stained glass windows. Martin's areas of expertise range from historic and religious stained glass to popular styles such as art nouveau, Mackintosh, floral, beveled, Greene & Green, and prairie. Over the years, his company has produced and sold over 50,000 stained glass windows to customers located in Dallas and throughout the country.
