Dolphin & Manatee installation

Here are a series of photos of Eric in the process of preparing, and installing the Dolphin and Manatee stained glass windows above our clients’ Jacuzzi tub.  Here they are with the custom wood frames as constructed and painted by Eric.

On site, Eric adds the insulating tubing around the perimeter of the frame.  There is also insulating tape around the glass itself, as well as square wooden spacers between the glass and the window.

After carefully re-measuring the windows, Eric drills pilot holes for the screws.

And here he is, tightening the final screw.  Each screw was covered with a white cap, as shown, so that they blend into the frame.

Here I am with the windows.  Its SO satisfying to see the windows "living" in such a beautiful home with owners who truly enjoy them!  Thanks Ed and Julie, it was a pleasure!

  

(Click on images to enlarge, use back arrow to return).

And here's a "thank you" note from my client!
"Just a little note to tell you how much we love these works of art.  I had some time today, during a call, to really look through these in detail, as the sunlight came through.  The textures and angles of the light flowing through the glass is just magnificent!  Even the touch of making their eyes translucent blue just “pops” when the sun hits them just right!   Thanks again!"

Please call or email to have me build one for you ... Click here for Boehm Stained Glass Studio website.

Dolphin & Manatee are done!

The windows are done!  My husband, Eric, will now build custom wood frames for each of them.  Then they will be installed in my clients' beautifully renovated 18th Century, eco-friendly, Victorian mansion.  Here they are, side by side, as they will be installed in their new home.

  

And here are the two original renditions as created in my stained glass software. It's a very useful tool which enables my clients to see a "real life" version of their windows before a single piece of glass is cut.

These windows were a joy to create ... I already miss working on them! Lighting permitting, I may post a photo of the windows "in place" following installation.  (Click on images to enlarge, use back arrow to return).

If you'd like to have a custom stained glass window for your home, give me a call or send an email, and we'll get started!  Comments and inquiries always welcome.

Click here for Boehm Stained Glass Studio website.

Dolphin & Manatee windows are soldered

As of this afternoon, both windows have been framed with a stabilizing zinc channel.  The fronts and backs have been soldered.  Following the soldering, the flux and bits of excess solder were carefully washed off with warm water, a brush, Comet, and rubber gloves.

The sky area, as mentioned before, is non-transparent, clear glue chip glass.  The tan color seen here is the homasote board showing through.

It is my goal to work toward completing my clients' windows quickly and well.  But it is bittersweet when they get to this stage.  All that needs to be done now is the patina-ing, the rinsing, the waxing, and the wood framing.  My husband will then install them in my clients' home.

Tomorrow, I will post the first photos of the finished windows in the sunlight, along with their original computer-generated renditions.

(Click on images to enlarge, use back arrow to return).

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Dolphin & Manatee windows are foiled

As of this afternoon, the Dolphin and Manatee stained glass windows are now foiled.  This process involves evenly wrapping the edge of each piece of glass with a strip of adhesive 7/32" copper foil.  The foil is then burnished with a fid (a flat, firm, but flexible, plastic wand). The two windows took a total of 53 yards of copper foil.

The foil is then brushed with liquid flux (a wetting agent) and then soldered with 60/40 solder.  I anticipate starting that process tomorrow, followed soon after by patina-ing, cleaning, waxing, and framing.

With time on my side, the windows are about one week from completion .. The anticipation is building .. Stay tuned. 


(Click on images to enlarge, use back arrow to return).

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Dolphin and Manatee window glass is cut

All of the glass for both windows have now been cut, ground and fitted, and are ready for the next step, applying copper foil.  (The gray above the water line is the pattern showing through.  It is actually clear glue chip glass).

Although I prefer to do all my glass cutting by hand, these windows are primarily opalescent (non-transparent/ translucent) glass which doesn’t have the “grain” of a cathedral (transparent) glass.  This characteristic makes getting good cuts “iffy” when cutting by hand. 

Rather than take chances with “bad breaks”, I fired up my Gryphon Omni 2 Wire Saw.  Its loud and its messy, but given a slow hand and a lot of concentration, it is very accurate.

Much of the glass used in these windows came from my reliable online suppliers in PA and FL.  But nothing beats a trip to the Glass Gallery in Nutley, NJ where surprises always await!  I found the beautiful light gray for the Manatee there, as well as the swirly textured dark blue and green for the lower portion of the water, and the pale green Spectrum Corsica glass used in the greenery.

I am a fan of Youghiogheny glass (don’t ask me how to pronounce it), and I was glad to incorporate some of their steel gray opal mottled glass into the Manatee’s body and the Dolphin’s tail.  It adds a very realistic dappled effect appropriate for these graceful sea creatures.  I gave each of them dark gray-blue eyes … Next time you see them, they will be foiled in copper and ready for soldering.

(Click on images to enlarge, use back arrow to return).

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First look: The borders

As they lay on the pattern, the true beauty of the pieces of glass can't yet be seen, but here are views of the Dolphin and Manatee windows, with the borders cut.  The outer border is composed of shades of deep purple, the inner borders are shades of emerald green, and the diamonds are a bright yellow.  

The purple glass is a mix of Spectrum grape rough rolled, which is a semi- cathedral glass with a texture which bounces light beautifully, along with a few pieces of deep purple water glass. The green glass is mostly Spectrum emerald green rough rolled, along with some rich Wissmach green that has a hefty hand-made look with some darker green and a touch of yellow in it. The yellow diamonds are from an older glass, similar to Spectrum rough rolled, but a bit more refined in texture and more brittle to cut. It really pops in the sunshine.

The mix of colors in the border will echo the exterior colors of my clients’ home.  They will be a beautiful match when viewed from outdoors at night! 

Next up will be more cutting and refining as the windows come together.  Stay tuned for updates as the Dolphin and Manatee take on their personalities and come to life!

Click here for Boehm Stained Glass Studio website.

Pattern Making for Two Windows at once

 I’ve decided to construct the Dolphin and Manatee windows simultaneously, so this requires even more organization than a single window.  Even though the borders are identical, each individual piece will differ slightly, so the pattern pieces must be cut and placed exactly where they are intended.

To this end, I’ve made the pattern for the Dolphin window with tan manila folder paper.  And I’ve made the Manatee pattern with green manila folder paper.  The pieces which correspond to each pattern have similar numbers, but they are followed by a “D” or an “M” to further distinguish them.  (Click on photo to enlarge, use back arrow to return).

The pattern pieces, (the tan “D”s and the green “M”s together) were placed into envelopes marked for the color and texture of glass I’ve assigned them.  I’m cutting the glass now, color by color, going back and forth between the patterns.  Following soon will be an update with photos of the windows with the borders cut and in place.  To assure that all the glass fits well, I build the windows from the outside in.

These two have a wonderful selection of glass … As always, I can’t wait for them to see the light of day!

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The Evolution of Custom Designs

The day after "Starry Night" was installed, I received a request to design and build two more windows, a Dolphin and a Manatee, each approximately 17" x 24", to be installed above a spa tub.  We spent about three weeks collaborating on the custom designs.  Here was our process:

I searched my sources for designs and presented several different ones to my clients.  I also presented two potential borders.  The "winning" two designs were both created by Canadian artist Chantal Pare.  Here they are ...

My clients want the Dolphin window to be on the left side and the Manatee on the right, so I ran the designs through PhotoShop and flipped them so that they face each other.

In order to make them symmetrical, I added a body and tail to the Dolphin and cut out the single Manatee from the original design.

These were the designs at that point:  

After seeing these, my client sent me a photograph of a stained glass window with a border she preferred. Eric drew it for me and we created the next version of the pattern.  I suggested adding some sea weed to the bottom of each design .. I re-sized and positioned the greenery I used in the "Starry Night" window.  I scanned each full size pattern, saved them as JPEG's, and then ran them through my stained glass software.

Here are the color versions of the final designs as approved by my clients:

Since these will be mounted above a spa tub, I selected and ordered glass which is not transparent.  The glass will arrive on Friday and I can begin cutting the pieces. Today I'm busy tracing the patterns onto manila folders to be numbered and cut.
 
Custom designs to suit you .. As long as the designs are structurally sound, the possibilities are endless.

Stay tuned .. These are going to be beauties!

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Starry Night completed!

This wonderful 21" x 27" Van Gogh window is complete. Eric is preparing a custom-stained wooden frame for it, to which installation hardware will be added. My signature and the date have been etched into the lower right corner.

The solder has been patinaed in traditional black which brings out the shapes and glass colors even more vibrantly.  The first photo is in full sun, the second is in the shade.  As the window goes through the day, and the seasons, you can see how the the quality of the light and the colors of the glass will change.  A closer look (in person) will show all the different textures of the glass.  (Click on photo to enlarge, use back arrow to return).

Starry Night is a vibrant, artistic addition to the room, a great conversation piece, and "an heirloom work of art to be admired daily and treasured forever!"  Call to have me build one for you!

Click here for Boehm Stained Glass Studio website.

Starry night soldering has begun

And here is the window after an additional 3 hours, with the front side soldered with 60/40 solder.  Before soldering, the copper foil was brushed with flux, a liquid which enables the solder to adhere to the foil.  Then, working around the window, small dots of solder were applied to the seams between the pieces so that they were tacked together.

The metal jig surrounding the window was then removed and the paper pattern beneath it was slid out from under the window.  This way, the pattern stays relatively clean and can be re-used.  (Click on photo to enlarge, use back arrow to return).

Also, a metal channel frame was custom cut, fitted to all 4 sides, and soldered at the corners.  Next steps:  Carefully turning it over, soldering the back, washing, applying black patina, and waxing.  Updates to follow!

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Starry Night copper foiled

After 7 hours and 29 yards of copper foil, the window is now ready for soldering.  To get to this point, each of the 200+ pieces of glass were removed one at a time and wrapped with 7/32" adhesive copper foil tape.  The tape was applied directly in the center of the edge of each piece of glass so that the overlap on the front and back is consistent.  Then the tape was burnished to further secure it to the glass. After foiling, each piece was returned to its place in the "glass jigsaw puzzle".  (Click on photo to enlarge, use back arrow to return).

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Starry Night glass all cut

I finished cutting, grinding, and fitting the 200th or so piece of glass today!  At this stage of the 21" x 27" window, some minor adjustments are always necessary.  A few pieces were removed and trimmed to fit better.  They need to be snug against each other but not so tight that the pieces crack when soldered.

I replaced two light blue pieces in the lower middle with a streaky gray opal glass.  Before I begin the soldering, I may make a few more changes.  But overall, I'm happy with the interplay of the colors ... They will come to life when the window is completed and in the sunlight.

So far, I've spend just over 4 hours preparing the pattern and almost 33 hours cutting all the glass.  Next, I'll wrap the edge of each piece of glass with thin, adhesive 7/32" copper foil tape. Stay tuned ...

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Starry Night more progress

Here it is as of this afternoon ..

Piece by piece, I'm making my way to the top of the window!  I've added a variety of glass to this one, including rough rolled, wispy, Artique, waterglass, cathedral, some opals, and even a medium blue Flemington, which has little star-like designs embossed into it.  By including similarly colored glass in different textures, the window picks up dimension as well as visual interest. 

This window has lovely movement with lots of curves which are difficult to cut, but for the most part, the glass is cooperating!

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Starry Night progress

The glass jigsaw puzzle is coming along.  A few pieces broke the wrong way, and had to be re-cut, but that's to be expected.  More glass arrived on Friday from Florida, but a sheet was missing and another was duplicated ... So we made the trek to the Rockland County, NY glass supplier to fill in the missing piece and add another.  Now that the glass inventory is complete, the window will move forward more quickly.  I plan to tackle the greens next.

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Starry Night glass cutting

Glass cutting is coming along well.  So far, each piece has been cut by hand.  I'll resort to my Gryphon Wire Saw if any complex cuts make it necessary, but I find it far more challenging, and rewarding, to cut all the glass for the window by hand.

I've ordered additional glass from a new-to-me supplier in Florida.  (My go-to supplier in Allentown, PA was out of two textures/colors I wanted).  Delivery is expected this Friday, and after that, its full steam ahead.

The two sheets of blue shown above are there just for "preview" purposes, to help determine which colors will look best next to what is already cut.

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Starry Night underway

Glass cutting has begun!  One by one, each pattern piece is outlined onto the glass with permanent marker (black or silver).  Then each piece of glass is carefully hand cut and the edges are ground down with an electric grinder.  After each piece is washed off, it is numbered to correspond to the pattern.  The pattern soon resembles a large glass jigsaw puzzle, as shown above.

In order to keep the window square and the glass pieces flush against the others, the pattern is surrounded by a metal jig, as shown.  There are around 180 pieces of glass still to be cut and of course, several more steps in the process. I'll be working on this window until it's complete, or I'll interrupt the process temporarily if a commissioned window is requested by a client.

The glass colors as shown on the pattern are seldom what they look like when the window is done.  The glass which appears black here will actually become a warm, variegated brown when the light shines through it ... and the blues and greens will correspond nicely to similar colors which will be used throughout the window.

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Starry Night pattern ready for glass cutting

Numbered manila folder pattern on left,
and color-marked envelopes on right, filled with cut pieces

  
I cut out the manila folder pattern and organized the 200+ pieces into 20-or-so envelopes marked with multiple shades of blue, green, and yellow to correspond (loosely) to the many colors in my glass inventory.  A fun aspect of working with glass is being able to make decisions on the fly.  Undoubtedly, there will be some color changes to the pieces that are currently assigned.  As the window progresses, it becomes evident as to the best location for each of the colors and textures of glass.

Next up, cutting the glass and placing each piece back onto the original pattern.  Many hours of work ahead, but always enjoyable!

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Starry Night pattern traced and numbered

According to the doctor, my foot surgery went "perfectly".  I get my stitches out tomorrow.  I'm walking pretty well but will be saddled with the "Frankenstein" boot for about 4 weeks longer until the bones fuse.

Today, using carbon paper and manila folders, I traced and numbered the pattern for "Starry Night".  Pictured is the pattern itself ... The marked manila folder pattern is underneath it, ready to be cut.

In addition to the pattern maker Chantal Pare 's interpretation, I have color references from 3 other renditions of this pattern as well as a color printout of the original painting by Van Gogh.  I will take all 5 interpretations into account as I choose the glass. This window will have just over 200 pieces.

I've started a log to keep track of how many hours this one takes to complete, as I do with all my windows.  Its good to be back in my studio ... I've missed it!

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Next project: "Starry Night" by Vincent Van Gogh

My photography has thankfully kept me very busy this summer.  Click here for my photography blog.  But I'm itching to get back to my glass, and tomorrow's foot surgery will keep me confined to the house for several weeks.  Van Gogh's "Starry Night" pattern by Chantal Pare has been on my list for a while.

I had the pattern enlarged yesterday, and after checking my inventory, I have a nice selection of blues and greens and neutrals, as well as enough chemicals, channel, and chain to complete the window.  Finished size will be 21" x 27". 

As soon as I can make it to my studio downstairs, I'll begin tracing and cutting the pattern.  A great way to pass the time and stay creative while I'm healing.

Click here for Boehm Stained Glass Studio website.

Lovely letter of thanks from my Tuscany Villa window client

From a happy client ...

"Yesterday, late afternoon, Eric and Tom installed the window and it was instantly 'home.' Well, well, well... I cannot say enough! Absolutely beautiful! Beyond even the great expectations!

"Kathy, your efforts and dedication are immediately evident ... in all the glass choices of color, texture along with arrangement of pieces that have resulted in such a beautiful work of art.

"Our window now makes a dramatic entrance with views from almost every room on the 1st fl main living areas, as well as the first view coming from the 2nd fl... Good Morning!

"We are back traveling the roads, making our way from Rome to Florence to Venice and then again from Bologna back into Tuscany, heading for its seaside coast.

"We will now forever have our Tuscany vistas in glass, a perfect composition which appears to change with times of day & night. Our window will be alive with changing light, weather, and seasons.

"Thanks for helping make a 20+year plan realized! Absolutely beautiful! Love it and Love you for all your detailed decision making, long hours, and painstaking work!"

Tuscany Villa Window finished!

This past Thursday, after 5 weeks, the Tuscany Villa stained glass window was completed.  The changes to the original design from Paned Expressions can be seen, above, with the altered skyline and the addition of the sunflowers in the foreground, as well as the hillside vineyards.

This window is 19” x 32” in four panels, has 275 pieces of glass, used 40 yards of foil, 1-1/2 pounds of solder, and weights 8-1/2 pounds.  I signed and dated it at the bottom right with a Dremel Tool and a small rounded tip engraving bit from Inland.  It will be installed in my client’s home in about two weeks using short lengths of chain in the three eye hooks which I soldered to the top to evenly distribute the weight. 

My client has not yet seen it but it received rave reviews at a recent gathering of friends. I haven’t yet added up the total time to build this window.  I estimated it to be 35 hours but I anticipate that the actual time will be much longer.  Well, when these projects turn into labors of love, who’s counting? 

Thanks Rosanna, for entrusting me with your window.  I hope you love it!

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More progress ...

As of yesterday, the front and back of each of the 4 panels are soldered and are awaiting the zinc “H” channel which will bond them together.  The “H” channel has been cut but not yet installed and soldered.  My photography gigs are always welcome and this week and last week, I spent many hours behind the camera and then behind this computer, editing shots.  But the Tuscany villa will soon see the light of day, I’m happy to report.  The finished window should be unveiled within this coming week.

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Tuscany Villa window home stretch

Three panels foiled, one more to go!  Here’s another view of the top half of the Tuscan Villa window.  (The full scene will be unveiled when its complete). So far, I’ve gone through 105 feet (or 35 yards) of a combination of copper and black-backed 7/32" foil.  Several pieces of glass, as usual, needed to be ground down a bit in order to fit.  That thin wrap of foil around the edge of each piece of glass can be enough to fill up the space between the pieces and make them fit too tightly.

I’ve inserted strips of colored card stock in between the four panels so that when I begun fluxing and soldering the panels, they won’t accidentally get bonded together.  I've decided to build the entire window inside the confines of the jig, to ensure that the piece stays perfectly oblong until I'm ready to separate it into the 4 panels.  I hope to begin those final steps toward completing the window within the next few days.  Onward!

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Yet another update ... Tuscany Villa

Another several days gone by, and more progress to report.  We decided the blue sky was overly blue, so I replaced it with Spectrum “Monterrey” Spirit glass in crystal clear/ivory. This glass looks like puffy little clouds on a clear background, nice for sky alongside the clear glue chip glass.  Just a few more pieces to cut near the sunflowers (not shown) and the window will be ready for foiling.  Since there are over 270 pieces of glass in this 19" x 32", 4-panel window, this will take some time.

Here’s a sneak preview … During this phase, the stained glass windows look like ugly ducklings.  The idea is there, but they don’t come alive until they’re soldered.  The villas will have hand-painted windows.  More to come …

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Tuscany Villa window .. Still cutting glass

Still cutting!  I’ve made my way around the window, top to bottom.  I'm now working in the lower left corner, cutting the leaves for the two large sunflowers I added to the pattern.  They were drawn by Joe Larson of Home Studio Art Glass in Munfordville, KY who gave me the OK to use them for this piece. I’m finding some good greens in my glass inventory for the leaves. I still have a few more to cut, though.  The 50-or-so yellow sunflower petals will be cut next.  Then its time to take out the big gun, my Gryphon Wire Saw, the loudest thing this side of the Appalachians. I intentionally left a few complicated pieces uncut because they cannot be safely or easily cut by hand.  The wire saw will take care of them, but this thing is loud!  When I don my earplugs, I’ll know the cutting is almost done and it’ll be time to start foiling.  Stay tuned …

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Tuscany Villa window .. The latest

It’s coming along!  About 11 colors down, several more to go.  Here’s a sneak preview.  You’ll notice several variations from the original pattern (posted below) on the skyline and perhaps one or two of the colors.  Part of the fun of working the glass is being able to make decisions on the fly, depending on what will look better or more realistic.  All of the villa windows will be painted on later.  Since my client requested transparency for much of the window, the villas are done primarily with Spectrum Cathedral and Artique glass.  I’ve discovered Wissmach glass and just love working with it.  The entire line of trees, side to side, was done in sequence with just one piece of Wissmach glass, no breaks.  Amazing. 

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Tuscany Villa window update

Just a quick update on the Tuscany Villa window, below … After a few more minor design tweaks, I completed the pattern and cut out about half of it.  I’m doing a photography project today, but anticipate starting to cut the glass first thing tomorrow.  I'll be cutting for a while ... This beautiful 19" x 32" window now has over 270 pieces of glass.

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Tuscany Villa window commission

This Tuscany villa scene is the basis for my next project for a client who has wanted a custom stained glass window since her now-28-year-old son was an infant.  Her original idea was a four seasons theme but we couldn’t quite find “the” design that would work well with her 4-panel horizontal window.  Knowing her taste, I went back and did more research for her.  As soon as I found this Tuscany scene from  Paned Expressions  it got an immediate thumbs-up from both her and her husband.  Yes!  Based on our collaboration, I’ve already modified it to include two beautiful large sunflowers in the left foreground as well as the addition of vineyards to the landscape. This week I’ll be focusing on inventorying my glass, ordering what I need, and then starting the pattern-making process.  With this lovely Italian countryside palette and the ideas that my client and I developed together, this window should be stunning.  Can’t wait to start cutting the glass for it!  Stay tuned for updates.

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Dedicated to Mom

Since today would have been my Mother’s 82nd birthday, and because she is my inspiration for learning stained glass, this post is dedicated to her.  Pictured is the piece that started it all, a pretty grapes-and-leaves panel that my Mother started and I repaired. She had given it to me many years before her passing but it had broken into two halves before she had a chance to install it. After her passing, I wanted to repair it and enjoy it, so I signed up for a basic stained glass class to learn how.

The teacher told me that the repair would be too difficult to attempt in that class and that I should put it aside and try again in her advanced class the next semester.  Not to be so easily swayed, I worked hard, learned every skill as taught, and pushed to do more advanced techniques.

Toward the end of the course, I jumped in on my own … I removed and replaced my Mom’s old copper foil, sanded off the old solder, jig-sawed the two halves together, soldered them, and then refreshed the black patina.   It was a bit tricky due to the age of the piece, and the uneven borders, but the results were so worth it. I added channel to reinforce the borders as well as a wood frame. It is now proudly displayed in our front window, a warm reminder of my Mom ... naturally creative and always inspiring.

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Still Life in Stained Glass

There is another stained glass window on the horizon, but I’ll post a few past projects until its ready. This is a 46-piece window from a pattern called “Still Life” by Ellis Roddick which I completed in April ‘09.

I modified the round pattern by adding the four clear glue chip glass corners to make it a 13-1/2” x 19” rectangle. I also soldered on 16 flat glass marbles instead of cutting half-circle pieces of glass as the pattern suggested.  (Due to the possibility of the glass cracking from the heat of the iron, the marbles were soldered separately, then tacked on to the completed piece as a unit.)

For a faux wine label, we added a digitally altered photo of our home with the words “Chateau Boehm, Vintage 2008, Midland Park, New Jersey.” I framed the piece with thin channel, and then my husband made an external wood frame for it.  Then he added a half-inch internal wood frame between the stained glass and the existing window, as a moisture lock.

By using true-to-life glass colors for the elements in the piece, and by mixing up different textures of glass, we have a bright window that we never tire of admiring.

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Rescue Window for a Rescue Cat

This 9” x 12” piece was started by a client in memory of her rescue cat. She missed a couple of her stained glass classes and was feeling overwhelmed. She still wanted to see it finished, so she called me this week for help. My pleasure! She had already cut about half the pieces, but all were a bit larger than the pattern. Each one had to be trimmed with breaker-grozier pliers prior to grinding. Grozing makes such a satisfying crunching noise, its almost addictive if you can get past the mild panic that sometimes arises for fear of the piece breaking. But none of those pieces broke, and even the curvy tail came through unscathed. The wispy white and wispy turquoise for the diagonals are a nice complement to the curvy opaque black and white glass. This “rescue window” is an amazing likeness, and a fitting tribute, to my client's beloved rescue cat.

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Repair to Stained Glass Dragon

This little brass and stained glass dragon from the 1970's came to me in pieces yesterday ... One wing had fallen off and the other was split into three pieces. Just by chance, I had glass in my inventory which nearly exactly matched the existing wings.  So I set down to work ... 

 I melted the existing solder and, using needle nose pliers, carefully pulled out the old copper foil embedded in it. Using the parts of the broken wing as a pattern, I cut and grinded a new wing, foiled and tinned it.  

Since this job required a third hand, I used my weighted, relocatable clip implement to hold the new wing in place against the body while I soldered. I re-foiled the fallen wing and re-soldered it onto the brass body of the dragon at an angle similar to the opposing wing. So, in about an hour, this little dragon was flying again.

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