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.

Click here for Boehm Stained Glass Studio website.

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.

Click here for Boehm Stained Glass Studio website.

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.

Click here for Boehm Stained Glass Studio website.

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!

Click here for Boehm Stained Glass Studio website.

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!

Click here for Boehm Stained Glass Studio website.

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!

Click here for Boehm Stained Glass Studio website.