Tuesday 29 October 2013

Stained Glass Projects

For the past umpteen years I've attended literacy related SAG/SAGE sessions.  This year Catherine Wurtz and I made a switch  and chose instead to attend  a session offered by Manitoba Association for Art Education (MAAE): Simple Stained Glass Window Hangings.

We actually learned how to plan a project, cut glass and then solder all the components together!  We also assembled original glass pieces using beveled glass, wire and beads. 
Since it was an all-day session, most of us managed to complete at least 3 or 4 projects.

"You have more experience with glass cutting and soldering," Catherine commented as we ate our lunch at noon.  That wasn't actually the case, but throughout the day, as I was working on my projects, two themes kept rolling through my mind: previous glass art projects we've offered at my school and projects my dad was involved.  Although I didn't work on the latter projects, I must have picked up on a few hints and techniques. 


Over the years at Brennan School  via ArtsSmarts grants, our students, have been introduced to glass mosaics where they created Hutterite history murals...

















and glass fusing where each student designed a plate or dish. 



 Perhaps stained glass will be next on our art agenda.



My dad enjoyed creating or fixing thing; paschklen, we might say.  years ago, when I created macrame plant hangers, my dad would cut circulars pieces of glass for them on which the plant would sit.  As I made my first attempt at cutting curves, I remembered from watching him that that was much more difficult than cutting a straight line.  
Although I don't recall a specific item that he created or fixed using his soldering iron, I do recall watching him during winter evenings, a spool of lead in his left hand and his soldering iron in his right.  Drops of shiny, silvery lead dropping onto his project, the odd one dropping to his work surface...  
Perhaps with a bit more experience, my ability will equal that of my dad's.




 


 





2 comments:

  1. Oi! I haven't even figured out where I want to hang mine! My students are busy admiring them and telling me which they would like to take home. LOL!

    Your's look really good in the window. I should dig out my suction hangers also. . .

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  2. Thanks Catherine. Have you found a soldering iron yet? :)

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