Harnessing Solar Power

In the interest of incorporating green technology into my work, I've been working. on some solar power

lanterns for the home and garden.  These particular solar-powered lanterns give off a blue-ish light, which plays a part in determining the stained glass pattern used to decorate it.

Since the lantern doesn't use a candle to light these lamps, the ability to see through the stained glass sides was not critical to the final product.  So, in this case, I've used an acid-etched glass for the design background, giving it a frosted appearance.

The first design is a simple leaf pattern, employing a variety of semi-transparent and opaque green shades of

glass.  The second design offers a bit more complexity both in terms of colour and luminescence.  The pattern is build around a fractal structure, employing a cool colour scheme ranging from turquoise through heliotrope.

With the solar panel located on the top, these lanterns are suitable for hanging both indoors and out.

Old World Influences

I've been on a a bit of an ethnic journey, researching ornamentation from different cultures and exploring photographs of ancient works from Italy and southern Spain.  As well as fueling a desire to travel to Europe again sometime, this exploration has inspired some of my recent work.

The first notable example is a 10"x 22" stained glass window piece I created in using a pattern I developed from similar examples found through out a variety Mediterranean cultures.  The glass colours range from a deep blue, through turquoise to sea green are set out in a diagonal gradient pattern 

The lead joints are finished with a dark, black patina to enhance the colour vibrancy.

 

The second example is contemporary-style indoor lantern, paneled with stained glass in an elaborate pattern, influenced by the mosaic styles of southern Spain.

Clear glass is used for some of the design elements.  This allows the glow of the internal flameless candle to come through unfiltered.  The stained glass pieces range from terracotta, through various intensities of orange and yellow, to white and light chartreuse.

The lead joints on the glass panels have been left unfinished and polished to a high shine in order to co-ordinate them with the silver finish of the lantern frame.

These pieces were created as Christmas gifts, so they are not available for sale.  However, these patterns are available for re-production or re-tasking in other projects.

Maple Leaves

I've been on something of a maple leaf kick lately. I'm not sure I'd go so far as to say that this is the result of any surge in patriotism on my part. More likely, it's that I'm drawn to the range of vibrant colours produced by maples in the autumn months. SOLD

The two pieces shown here are my stylized tribute to the maple tree in the height of its glory. The mosaic patio table is set on a black cast iron base. The patio lantern is finished in matte black metalwork. In both cases, this has been done to provide dramatic contrast to the brightly coloured glass leaves. SOLD

Break Out The Patio Ware

Spring is here!  (Actually, in Toronto, winter didn't quite materialize this year, but we're enjoying the milder weather all the same.)  In anticipation of the upcoming warm seasons, I've been adding some more patio lanterns to my stock.

The first of these is a silver lantern frame, with four complementary glass panels in clear and transparent water glass.  Expanding on a recurrent theme in my work, this design features a series of joined circles on each panels.  The clear and transparent coloured glass allows viewing of the light source.  The finished size is 11 7/8" x 5" x 5".

The second lantern is smaller at 8" x 5" x 5".  This top-loading lantern features a black frame, with four complementary stained glass panels in a modern stripe.  Colours range from turquoise to green, amber to white.  A subtle lighting accent for the patio. SOLD

Theatrical Influences

Watching a film with someone who is "in the business of making them" tends to intensify one's focus on details most people dismiss or don't see. I hadn't realized the impact this was having on my own viewing habits until I found myself pausing movies so that I could examine exotic window treatments and unusual patterns going so far as to take screen shots of specific frames so that I could trace and adapt certain elements to a stained glass pattern. This most recent stained glass lantern is a products of such obsessive whimsy. 

The solder lines of the four stained glass pattern in this lantern are loosely based on a window grate that appears behind two characters in The English Patient, as they indulge in some semi-clandestine adulterous activity in 1930s Cairo.  An odd place to find inspiration, granted, but I take it where I can get it.

This lantern is stands 1.5 feet high with an 8" base. The four glass panels are comprised of over 600 individual pieces (total) of glass in clear, red, tangerine, gold and amber. The metal lantern frame is finished in dark brown.  The solder joints in the glass panels have been finished in a complementary dark copper patina.

The lantern is suitable to hold a 3" pillar candle, though I am recommending its use with a flameless candle to avoid fire or damage to the artwork. 

Small Vines Lantern

My last piece for 2011, given as a Christmas gift, is a variation on a larger vine themed lantern done earlier in the year.  As before, I used a combination of clear, transparent and semi-opaque art glass so that the candle light source may be visible.  The art nouveau-stylized leave are created from medium green art glass, which shows its vibrancy even when the lantern has no light source.  The amber-coloured leaf centers are glass stones, which add a third dimension to the design.

The metal lantern form is finished in dark brown.  The patina of the joints between the glass segments has been done in a complementary dark, aged copper.

Stained Glass Lantern - "Vines"

This stained glass patio lantern is comprised of four unique, transparent panels, which combine to form a three dimensional effect of intricate vines, highlighted with amber glass stones to create changing light reflections.  The finished size is 15" x 7" x 7" which is ideally suited to hold a large pillar candle for a light source.

Patio Lanterns

Patio Lantern

It's great to be able to sit outside in the summer with a little bit of ambient light.  And hey, if the mosquitoes are thick and vicious, what better way to dress up a Citronella candle than inside a stained glass patio lantern.  (I like to cultivate practical applications in artwork.)

All four panels of glass are the same pattern in a palette of clear, blue, turquoise and mauve.  The glass selection combines a variety of textures to diffuse the candlelight and reflect it in interesting ways.

   

The Third Dimension

Although I haven't posted much recently, it has actually been a fairly prolific period.  Many of my recent projects are Christmas presents, so they won't be viewable online until the new year.

In the mean time, I've recently completed this piece.  It's a quilt pattern that many would recognize, one I've used in the past, but I wanted to create this in a large scale piece, which incorporates the three dimensional effect of the blocks.  Although the 3d effect is visible when the piece is unlit, but it really comes alive with the light behind it. 

This piece is designed to fit in an Ikea wall lamp fixture, or would work well as a large window piece.  In the photo shown here, it is being lit from behind by a light table to give the full effect of the design.

That 70s Lamp

Unfurl the shag carpet, dust off
the disco ball, put on your boogie shoes and do the hustle.

My goal was to replace one of my own lamps that was recently destroyed during some nocturnal feline hijinks. At the same time, I was looking to explore the use of fully transparent glass. I tend to gravitate towards more opaque glass selections, as they tend to buffer light source intensity. I also wanted to construct a three dimensional object using thin strips that would maintain it's structural integrity - often a challenge using the foil method.
My intention was not really to create something quite so 'retro', but given the colours and shapes involved, I shouldn't be too surprised that this latest creation takes me back to somewhere around 1976.

Tri Panel Revisited

ON State

OFF State

Experimentation with various light sources has led to the discovery of a more compact cabinet light. The smaller light source has allowed me to revise my signature tri-panel lamp design so that the lamp base can now be flush with the glass portion. I think this creates a crisper, more streamlined designed for those who favour clean lines. SOLD

The Colour Purple

OFF State

ON State

I've always been partial to purple.  Those who know me well would probably say that this is an understatement.  I don't work in this colour range often, because it's difficult to find a lot of variety.  I've been collecting purple stained glass for a while and finally assembled enough 'interesting' purple glass to build this abstract lamp.

The colour purple always reminds me of a scene in the book of the same name, where the Sugar Avery character remarks how the colour purple draws attention away from everything else in nature.  That's one of the many things I like about it, (especially when light is shining through it).

This lamp, made in my signature 'tri-panel' style, has a minor variation from previous iterations.  In this case, I've used an Ikea halogen light fixture.  The lighting tone appears to be similar to the LED I normally use, but the fixture itself is a bit smaller.

Custom Lamp

OFF State

ON State

This iteration of the Tri Panel Lamp is a commission for a wedding gift.  Specifications: abstract design, brown, turquoise and amber colour scheme - no blue.  Easy enough.  

Here I've used mostly glass with varying degrees of opacity.  There are a few selections, mainly the plain light turquoise and amber glass, that have a more transparent quality.  As a result, the difference between on and off settings for this lamp is quite striking. SOLD

Ancient Craft Meets Modern Design

The next evolution in my creative lighting journey involves a sleek wall mount light box covered by a single panel of stained glass.  (Finished size is 26.6cm x 56 cm.) A combination of clear an opaque glass comprises the abstract design in blues, greens, yellows and amber.)

During daylight hours, this piece serves as a dramatic piece of wall art in cool colours.  By night, this piece changes, producing a warm, ambient glow, generated by white light shining through the green and amber tones.

Tibetan Wisdom in Stained Glass

The neighbourhood where I live in Toronto boasts a thriving Tibetan community.  I've seen the Glorious Endless Knot symbol in restaurant windows, on textiles, in clothing shops, etc., and finally got around to researching its meaning.  The following is what I discovered: 

"The Glorious Endless Knot (Sanskrit “Shrivatsa”; Tibetan “Dpal be’u”) is one of the Eight Auspicious Symbols in Tibetan Buddhism. It reminds us that all things are powerfully interconnected and of the Buddha’s limitless wisdom and compassion. All things are intertwined in a system so complex that we must just trust that all actions have consequences. However, the Knot also seems to remind us our actions and their consequences do not look like “A then B then C”. They follow a twisting path that inevitably comes back to us."

Besides the reminder about the inter-connectivity between actions and consequences, which is good to keep in mind at any time, it's also a neat looking symbol.  I though it would make an interesting stained glass design.

This Tri Panel lamp is done with two different glass varieties, both of which have been discontinued by their manufacturers.   I have had my eye on the turquoise/taupe/brown glass for some time, waiting for some inspiration.  When I found out that it wasn't being made anymore, I miraculously became inspired.  

What is really interesting about this piece is how much the colours change, depending on whether the lamp is illuminated or not.  Again, I've used an LED cabinet light embedded in the wooden base as a light source, to reduce power consumption and prevent the lamp from becoming hot.  The colour combination and the opaqueness of the glass gives off a warm glow, suitable for mood lighting. 

Glass for a Friend

I was fortunate to have a visit from one of my greatest friends (and ardent supporter) this weekend.  While we only get to see one another a few times a year, we manage to stay in close touch via phone and email.  This tri-panel lamp was made expressly for her, in honour of a friendship of 33 years and counting.  Thanks, Jen, for all the encouragement!

Yes, Believe it or Not, I Do Use Patterns (Tri-Panel Celtic Knot Lamp)

I realize that some of my previous pieces may give the impression that I don't use patterns to create stained glass pieces.  The more abstract -looking pieces are actually patterns that are developed using a piecing process laid out in a wooden frame which is the height and width of the finished panel.  In a freestyle piece, the pattern begins with a few shapes that represent the focal point of the panel.  The remaining pattern pieces are created 'on the fly' using a rubbing technique to create fitted shapes of the negative spaces.  (Yes, it's often quite time consuming.)  Although my intention is often to make the pieces appear to be ad hoc, it really isn't the case.  That said, I don't often use patterns in the traditional sense, and when I do, they're usually my own design. 

In the case of this most recent project, I wanted to try something involving a pattern.  As I have just begun a course to learn the leaded stained glass technique, and knew I would be required to work from a pattern, I thought it wise to brush up.  I also came across a stunning piece of blue-green glass that was in desperate need of a project.  So I designed a Celtic Knot panel to be repeated to form the three sides of this lamp.

The blue green glass in the centre each knot is quite spectacular.  (I don't think a photograph really does it justice.)  It reminds me of looking at the Caribbean Sea from the air - rich turquoises, blues and greens.  To mind, the knot colour wasn't about complementing the centre as much as it was about setting it off.  Hence the jet black knot pieces.

Like the previous Tri Panel Lamp, the lighting fixture used is a "green" LED style cabinet light with a long life and minimal power demands.

'Green' Lighting

This iteration of the Tri Panel Lamp is not only green in colour scheme, but is also green in energy conservation.  The pot light built into the base of the lamp is LED and boasts a life of 30,000 hours of use.  Furthermore it uses only 2 watts of power when illuminated. 

Let There Be Scrap

So we had two matching glass table lamps from, you guessed it, Ikea. Following a 'chasing incident', involving at least two of our three cats, only one of these lamps remains. (Fortunately, the only damage was to the lamp, not to any of the perpetrators.) The removable fixture for the destroyed lamp remained intact. So it was tucked away for future use.

That future use came to fruition as I pondered what to do with all of that leftover stained glass from previous projects. It's impossible to throw it away, not to mention potentially hazardous. Drawers full of odds and ends, small pieces, large pieces. I promised myself I would stay away from the local glass peddler until I found a purpose for some of my endless scrap collection.

This three-sided stained glass table lamp is constructed entirely from scrap glass (except for the Ikea fixture, of course). However, we have decided against keeping it on a table in the interest of preserving it in one piece.