Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - March 12, 1977, Winnipeg, Manitoba Forum stained Glass revival ancient Art used to new effect by Paul Moloney John Edwards and John Nutter look at the world through Rose coloured glasses. These practitioners of the new stained Glass Art Are More interested in the Quality than in the Quantity of Light passing through windows. Following a path recently cleared by a dozen West coast artists they have begun hewing an entire spectrum of Glass into panes meant to transform Light and define a room s mood. Unlike much traditional coloured Glass which is painted Over and then scraped away so that ornate scenes or figures appear the new Glass is not conducive to pictures. Its Impact lies in the ability of Glass to filter Light and thereby enhance the character of either a room or an Exter Nal View say the partners who opened a Small shop at 807 c or Don Avenue about six months ago. Stained windows can be made to Block out the world if you Are beside a factory Wall or complement a pleasant View. For example an Artisan May use a Centrepiece of Oak leaves surrounded by transparent panes to Frame an Oak tree on the Lawn outside. The Young partners find it difficult to describe the design process in words. Much depends on intuition the setting for a window and the size and shape of the window itself. However they say homeowners and architects Are becoming increasingly convinced of the aesthetic value of stained Glass. Whereas owners of older Homes would have replaced aging stained windows with Clear Glass five years ago they now Are bringing them in for re leading. Nutter said. He considers this a Wise investment in that a stained window would Likely increase a House s value by Many homeowners specify tradition Al designs but some clients such As Victor s restaurant in Osborne Village. Have used a More abstract approach. The partners rely on the. Three Dis Tinct types of stained Glass antique Cathedral and Tiffany and Cut pieces which Are then fitted together with Lead in a preconceived design. Although they spent a year and a half working under two Irish trained specialists in the painted technique used fur religious themes the two decided to abstract Nix my mood in pursue the leaded approach in their own business. Both techniques require Lead but the paint method allows for bigger pieces Glass even though More intricate detail is possible. The reason is that the panes Are painted Over and scenes or figures Are made by scraping the paint away. With the Lead method the Glass if coif makes the design. There is Good and bad an in either children s Corner Tulip taster travels to Maple Leaf by Ann Stacey wee Hans peeked his Little Black nose from under the stoop of his favor Ite hiding place in Amsterdam saw the Day was Fine and the coast was Clear. Happily he scampered to the Flower bed where the first shoots of tulips daffodils and hyacinths were poking through the Black Earth. All mice like Flower bulbs wee Hans was no different. His favorite was Tulip bulbs he was a Tulip gourmet a connoisseur of Holland s finest he was rapturously sampling a double ruffled hybrid red Kauf mania when whack whack the Earth flew up about his cars As a Broom descended with blow after blow missing him by a Mere whisker it was the Frau from the big House. She was red faced with anger and she screamed abuse at wee Hans As she wielded her Broom. At last she caught the petrified mouse in the straws of her weapon and Shook the Little Crea Ture Over the Wall and into the canal. Good she shrieked. You Tulip eating when wee Hans recovered his wits he found himself clinging to a Shingle and floating out to sea. A Fine thing to escape a dragon Only to face certain calamity Al sea and As if his situation was t desperate enough behind him and gaining fast came a huge liner blotting out the Sun. Just As the ship caught Hans s Shingle and sent it Fly ing into the Spray wee Hans leaped at a dangling Cable caught it and scampered up to safely. There was great confusion on the poop deck and no one noticed the Small mouse run for shelter under a deck chair piled with plaid Lap Robes. Here wee Hans had a Chance to recover his equilibrium. Imagine his Surprise when a Short Lime later a Tubby fellow mouse found him there after a moment s confusion and astonish ment. Chief scout Hermann mouse introduced himself. Wee Hans de scribed his misadventures and her Mann was nicely sympathetic. You could t have picked a better he assured wee Hans. This is the finest ship on the sea lanes the passengers Are the most elegant the Crew the most officious and the food is fantastic come with Hermann and Hans then took a Zig Zag tour of the upper decks and finally to the storage area off the first class dining Salon. There a party of mice was already asset med for lunch. The food was As fantastic As Hermann had promised smoked herring several delicious cheeses and a variety of Salty seed sprinkled biscuits and for dessert glorious chocolate creams. What food no wonder All his compan ions were As Broad As they were tall. For five glorious Days. Wee Hans lives the High life on the High seas. But at least the word came thai they were sailing Inlo new York Harbor. New York old new Amsterdam wee Hans had heard of it and rushed in deck to see this greatest of cities. What a View it was unbelievable wee Hans was so struck with wonder he did t notice the hand that grabbed him a boy had him firmly in his clutches in a Wink Hans found himself in a pocket already cramped with Jelly Beans and dirty string. From the motion and noise wee Hans decided they had gone ashore. The boy and his parents were shuffled hither and thither. At last they were driven through the noisy City. Then they entered s building Hans Felt himself shooting upwards and soon thereafter they entered a quiet apartment. The boy set about making a Home for wee Hans. It was in a Box hidden under the boy s bed. I m going to Leach you he promised Hans feeding him a Jelly bean. Darkness came at last and Hans scrambled out of the Box. He squeezed under several doors before he found a corridor. There he discovered an air conditioning vent which he entered. He followed a Maze of pipes for what seemed like Miles. Suddenly he dropped from the vent into a living room lit by the red glow of a Gas fire. Sharing out of the dimness were the glowing eyes of a siamese Cal they were watching him with a terrified squeak Hans leaped for cover. He found himself in an open Brief Case and he wriggled his Way to the Bottom of the Case which was crammed with papers papers papers and samples of wine dipped Sweet Samantha cigarillos. But at least he was Safe the Cal scratch cd and mowed threateningly All the sleepless night Long. At last morning came. Wee Hans Felt the briefcase zipped shut and himself being hoisted and removed from the premises. He Felt himself tossed into a cab carried into an Airport and on to an aircraft he heard a pleasant voice welcoming them aboard flight m7 to to where Winnipeg Canada what was that and where was thai when Hans s keeper unzipped his briefcase to remove some papers to read during the flight wee Hans grabbed the Opportunity to escape. Fresh air Al last he was quite dizzy from the smell of the cigarillos and staggered groggily Down the aisle. A stewardess spotted him and gave a Little shriek upsetting a Iray of glasses. Then several other Passen Gers spotted him and made such a fuss wee Hans was Happy to scoot up the sleeve of a nearby Coal find a rip and Settle himself Well out of View in the lining. It was a Muskrat coat wee Hans Felt an Odd sense of kinship to in. After that in was an uneventful trip. Wee Hans slept through it All. When he wakened he fell the coat being thrown Over a pair of shoulders. Then he was battered and bruised As the coat and its wearer were hugged and squeezed by affectionate rela Tives. There was another ear Long one into the suburbs. Soon he Felt himself tossed still in the coat on to a bed. Then blissfully All motion ceased and Hans found himself All alone. Soon he wriggled free of the Coal and set Oul to explore his new surroundings. He crept along baseboards squeezed behind furniture and crepe under doors avoiding All Contact with those big a National creatures who seemed determined to carry him to the ends of the Earth. He found himself in a Cool Quiel basement a tantalizing scent led him on. Under another door he wriggled and there in a sort of storage room the scent was stronger. Now he remembered the Aroma. It was the bulbs of the double ruffled hybrid red Kauff mania Tulip wee Hans Sal right Down and bawled. When his self pity and Home sickness had been quite cried away wee Hans became aware of company. Around him was a family of Friendly fellow mice curious but sympathetic. Wee Hans allowed himself to be comforted. Mice language is the same the world he was especially comforted to see the tender glances of a charming Fra Gitein mouse in the group. Suddenly wee Hans was heartbroken no longer. May i recommend the double Ruf fled red he asked her shyly. They Are a gnat delicacy where t Conw it xxx by in paint or Lead. But the partners think the latter lends itself to simpler contemporary and traditional design applicable to new Homes restaurants offices and churches. The new Glass must be designed in blend with modern architecture. The work should t be perceived in newer buildings As some kind of aberration from pre depression Days when stained Glass was widely used they say. So far their business has been split Between homeowners and commercial designers. Although clients have been specifying their own designs the partners arc interested in design and have definite opinions Aboul whal will work. Use of color has a direct bearing on design because of How in reacts to Light. You can t just throw a Bunch of colors Inlo a window or in will look As though a kid had used crayons on it Edwards said. A half Century old Lead Type window they Are restoring is an example. Dark Green and mauve pieces were fitted Side by Side whereas they think complementary colors More effective. Glass makers had less consideration for color when stained Glass was More common. Nutter said and simply produced windows to Supply a mass mar Ket. Nonetheless the 30-Inch by 54-Inch window valued at is suited to an older Home while a new Lead Type Glass window Worth the same Money possibly would t blend with older architectural styles in the customer s eyes. And the partners Don t criticize traditional Lead or painted Glass design. But they do emphasize the importance of a constant theme whether Lead or paint traditional or contemporary. A window should give one distinct impression and not be perceived As a collection of unrelated colors Nutter said. If a designer wants to use Bright color rather than pastel or smoked shades he should consider sticking to different shades of one or two colors to give a Well coordinated effect. The local artisans think so Many diverse effects can be achieved using the three stained Glass types in one window that great care is needed in selection of color and shape of Glass pieces if the window is to come to Gether As a whole. Each Glass Type has its own charac Ter. Antique Lias streaks and bubbles so the nature of the Light shining through differs for every pane. Cathedral is less Brilliant being embossed on one Side and in fillers Light Tiffany or Opal scene Glass is Milky and marbled lending to make the Light glow. Thus fitting these Multi hued types Inlo a composite requires a certain level of artistry. This could explain Why Nutter and Edwards would l object to becoming known As designers which is evident even in their shop s name design Glassworks. Original design provides a Chance to say something Edwards said. There is a Fine sense of satisfaction m being Able look at a window and think that s my. Yoe or done it and it s ;