Breaking stained glass ceiling

The stained glass industry has come a long way since the eleventh and twelfth centuries when a religious fervour swept the European countryside. In those days it took more than four individuals to complete a piece. An alchemist was needed to formulate the glass, a chemist to figure out the colours, a metallurgist to mine and cast the lead and an artist to design the window. Today, stained glass can be created by individuals in the comfort of their own home, using only safety glasses, a glass cutter, breaking pliers, running pliers, glass grinder, copper tape, solder, flux, 100W soldering iron, a pattern, glass and a work surface. The local industry is fairly new — having only broken ground in the late 1980’s to 1990’s. One local artist, Denzley Butcher, owner of Artistic Glass and Home Finishers Limited, located on John Shaw Avenue in Arima, has high hopes for the local stained glass industry. “For me,” he said in a recent interview, “the stained glass industry is only going one way — up.” His view is shared by Construction and Interior Design Manager of Rodritec Systems Limited, Wendy-Fae Rodriguez, who sees the industry moving ahead at a rapid pace. “Many designers,” she said in an interview, “are incorporating stained glass into their designs. Existing suppliers are finally getting a break into the commercial and residential industry instead of the old Victorian buildings and churches.” Rodriguez revealed that locally the present designs were becoming prevalent in entrance doors and attic windows, influenced by North American designs. The advent of cable tv brought with it a medium for the exchange of ideas from one country to the next, which seemingly has had an impact on the revival of the stained glass industry.

Butcher also credits a return to the renaissance era in architectural design for this rebirth, noting that people are now becoming aware that their homes can be something more than just a daily shelter. “If you look at the buildings being constructed now,” he said, “you will find that they have gone back to the era of Gothic head roofs and fancy doors which leaves room for the revival of the stained glass industry.” Butcher has been involved in the business of stained glass and artistic design since 1984, having studied it in Canada. His business was officially opened in 1986 on its present site. His interest in stained glass came about after a visit to the small London town of St Thomas. “Here every other house on the street had a stained glass piece over their door and each depicted something different,” he recalled. His first piece was donated to the Tacarigua Roman Catholic Church and preceded his first big commission which was a stained glass window panel measuring 110 feet by 8 feet depicting the Annunciation, Crucifixion and the Feast of Pentecost. This was designed for the Malabar Roman Catholic Church.

Since then he has done restoration work for the St John’s Baptist Church on Pembroke Street, PoS, the Paramin RC Church, the Holy Cross RC Church in Princes Town and the La Divina Pastora Church in Siparia, in addition to numerous smaller churches. He has also designed pieces for homes in Goodwood Park, Lange Park, San Fernando and La Romaine, as well as for the Richmond Guest House in Tobago. Butcher is now offering courses in the art of stained glass for those who are interested. “My philosophy is that someone taught me and now I will teach others.”  For hundreds of years, the traditional art of stained glass has illuminated cathedrals and churches with its beauty and colour. Today, in addition to the more traditional uses in doors and windows, stained glass is increasingly used in gardens as a sculptural feature or hanging panels suspended from trees or pergolas. In the home stained glass can be used for many applications including decorative panes and free standing screens. There are more than ten different types of glass available on the market. Dichroic glass is coated with one or more ultra-thin crystalline layers of transparent metal oxides; glue-chip glass has a pattern resembling a fern and is often used for backgrounds while iridescent glass resembles an oily, metallic film of soft colour on water, which produces a shimmering rainbow effect. It is primarily used to highlight special areas.

Opalescent glass is made in a number of ways — as a single colour; with the pigments mixed to give the glass a streaky, mottled appearance and with or without a surface texture. The pigments are mixed into opalescent glass during manufacture with the result that the colours, patterns and textures are never exactly the same. This type of glass looks effectively when used with transparent glass to provide a contrast. Butcher dismisses the myth that stained glass is available only to the affluent. Noting that there are no rich or poor when it comes to this art. “Anyone can learn to do this,” he maintained. “You will find that there are a lot of people willing to learn the art which will have a significant and positive impact on the industry.”
However, the ready-made pieces may prove to be out of reach for many pockets since they range in price from $750 upwards. According to Rodriguez, cost varies from about $1,500 per door upwards according to the design and the various stained glass colours used. Smaller pieces such as sun catchers which are becoming popular in many households, may go for $100 or less.  “The more people who are exposed to the art of stained glass the better the industry will thrive. You will find that it will be accepted as something not for the elite but for anyone.”