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Why the Tapestry?
The wish to find a format in which to recreate the splendor of the old church window in a contemporary context has led me to the invention of the “glass tapestry”. The “glass tapestry” permits me to paint with light on a mobile surface, which can be displayed in any environment as easily as an oil painting.
Having painted on canvas for twenty years, I joined Willet Studio of Philadelphia in 1991 and began to paint stained glass windows for churches and other public buildings. Now, fourteen years later I am devoted to painting with light and no other medium feels as exciting as colored glass.
To realize my artwork, I have made a commitment to the highest standards of the craft. I paint exclusively on mouth-blown or antique glass, which with all its bubbles, waves and varied thicknesses comes alive when exposed to natural light. Following the old tradition I etch with acid to create smooth color transitions in a piece of glass. This lets me paint as I would on a canvas. Finally, I fire the painted glass in a kiln where the paint becomes a permanent component of the glass.
What is a Glass Tapestry
The glass tapestry, a hybrid between a painting and a stained glass window, breaks away from the medieval tradition of displaying stained glass in a leaded window or panel. Instead it provides the painted glass with a contemporary and less rigid look. The painted pieces of glass appear to be suspended in the air. In lieu of glass pieces being held together with leads, the glass in tapestries is fastened to a metal armor, which becomes virtually invisible to the eye when seen against the light. When fully assembled, all the pieces of painted glass form a complete painting made up entirely of seemingly floating glass.
The idea for this new form of glass display naturally originates in the tapestries of the middle ages and the Kilims of the Middle East. But instead of hanging these tapestries on walls they are placed in windows or before an artificial light source, where they capture the light and come alive just like traditional stained glass windows in a cathedral. Not only do these tapestries change character with the passage of the sun, but they will at times reflect colored light onto the ground or other nearby surfaces.
In my most recent tapestries I have begun to incorporate black metal pieces, which both add a sculptural dimension and serve as a contrast to showcase the beauty of the glass.
The tapestry combines historic glass painting with a novel and mobile method of display fit for any residential or public space. It can be moved from window to window as easily as a painting is moved from wall to wall