Stained Glass Art Essay Research Paper ART

Stained Glass Art Essay, Research Paper

ART APPRECIATION – STAINED GLASS

I. CONCRETE EXPERIENCE

I think my interest in the combination of glass, light and color began as a child when I discovered the colorful images created inside a kaleidoscope. Even as an adult, I cannot seem to resist picking up a kaleidoscope and gazing into the viewer as I rotate the tube to change the design of the colored bits of glass. If you walk into my home, it is apparent that I like to decorate with glass. I have glass flowers, marbles, stones, vases, balls, bowls and my favorite, stained glass.

I have stained glass windows, birds, flowers, night-lights, candle holders, picture frames, and a jewelry box. I like to attend the various arts and craft festivals and shows in Tulsa so I can enjoy the stained glass art created by the local artisans. In November 1999, I went to the Stained Glass Guild’s annual sale and purchased my first large piece of stained glass. It was a beautiful blue, yellow, green and red floral piece. I had purchased several smaller floral pieces in 1998 at Tulsa’s Arts and Craft Fall Festival at Tulsa State Fairgrounds and I knew it would look beautiful surrounded by the smaller pieces.

I purchased my stained glass windows at the Haskell Antique Auction in 2000. They were removed from a building in England and I like to think that they survived the bombings during World War II and now they hang inside my home. I would not say an exceptionally talented artisan created the windows but the pattern in the glass is unique. The colors sparkle and bring a certain charm to my kitchen and breakfast nook, especially on cold winter days.

I recently remodeled my kitchen, breakfast nook and formal dining area. I installed new counters, wallpaper, border, artwork and flooring. In my spare time, I have been working with two friends to make a stained glass still life to hang between the doorway to the formal dining area and the kitchen, breakfast nook area. We made the pattern from the wallpaper border, which depicts a wine bottle, cheese, basket of fruit and some flowers sitting on a counter. The piece has over 200 pieces of cut glass and we are about two-thirds finished. Last Saturday, I wrapped many of the pieces in copper foil as my friends cut and ground the glass. I can hardly wait to get the cutting, grinding, wrapping, and soldering completed so I can enjoy it every day when I eat.

One of my favorite places to eat is at TGI Fridays on 61st Street and Memorial in Tulsa. As you might guess, it is not just the food that makes it special, it is the atmosphere. The walls are covered with antiques and memorabilia-type items. The tables have tiffany-style light fixtures and they have stained glass interior windows. Applebee’s Restaurant in Broken Arrow has similar tiffany-style light fixtures and stained glass interior windows depicting hot air balloons. Another favorite place to eat is the Atlas Grill located in downtown Tulsa in the Atlas Life Building on Boston Avenue. Just outside the restaurant, there is hallway to the lobby of the Mid-Continent Building, which has a beautiful 20-panel stained glass design of Tulsa’s skyline. Two hallways in the building have stained glass panels in the ceiling made from antique glass imported from Europe. I love to stroll through the building on my way to eat and admire the artwork. I have a co-worker who likes to go with me because she enjoys the historic photographs of the Tulsa, which are located in the lower level.

I have another friend who loves the old buildings in Tulsa. In 1994 she talked me into going on a walking tour of downtown Tulsa with her and I enjoyed it thoroughly. There are several old churches in the downtown area and many of them have beautiful stained glass windows. The Trinity Episcopal Church has a “Heaven and Hell” window, which was designed after World War II and depicts the holocaust horrors. The window shows the faces of Hitler, Mussolini, and other Nazi leaders. The Holy Family Cathedral seems to have the most stained glass windows. It has various windows with scenes of the life of Christ, which includes Christmas, Easter and dinner with the twelve apostles. The Boston Avenue Methodist Church, First Presbyterian Church, First Christian Church, and Church of Christ Scientists all have beautiful stained glass windows. I think the churches are widely know for their architecture because they are great examples of Art Deco but they stand out to me because of the stained glass art.

One of my favorite books is about someone that is widely known for his stained glass art, Louis Comport Tiffany. I purchased Masterworks of Louis Comfort Tiffany in 1996. I keep it on my coffee table and I never seem to tire of looking at it and reading about his master works of art. Over half of the photographs in the book are in color so you can enjoy the beautiful range of colors in his art . The book has examples of his beautiful glass designs, paintings, mosaics, ceramics, windows and lamps. His versatility is amazing and each creation seems to contain one or all of the things I love in an art form, color, light and glass.

II OBSERVATIONS AND REFLECTIONS

In stained glass art, the light is refocused and transmitted through the glass making an ordinary material glow and shimmer. I enjoy the fact that the beauty of a piece is not faded by sunlight but enhanced b