Category Archives: Reflections and Discussions

Posted on

Bored? Then Forget the Internet

by

Glass painting is more interesting

I am shocked.

A recent poll reveals that 40% of Londoners say they need to be “connected to the internet” at all times (yes, “all”)  in order to remove the boredom of queueing.

This means 40% of Londoners are so addicted to distraction (sorry, Londoners, it’s what the poll says) they can’t bear the solitude of their own thoughts.

Now how have we let technology do this to us?

Here, there are two schools of thought about the effects of technology in particular and of tools in general.

Posted on

Saint Peter

by

Goodness me, we get to see such lovely things. My friend and colleague, Fábio Fonseca, has just sent me this beautiful photograph of Saint Peter (I think Fábio might be restoring it right now; his studio is in Sao Paulo, Brazil).

I could look at this photo for hours and lose myself. (I only wish I had the real thing.)

Posted on

Five Days in June

by

Unlike the Jesuits, we don’t need someone “before the age of seven in order to make them ours for life”.

No, as seasoned instructors of glass painting, five days at pretty much any point in someone’s adult life – provided they are fit and mentally well-balanced – will give us enough time not just to eliminate bad habits but also to convey the foundations of tracing, shading, highlighting, working with oil, and silver staining.

But make no mistake – it will be a tiring week. Not right for everyone by any means, because we focus ruthlessly on techniques, not self-expression.

Also, because the studio is so busy, this is indeed a rare event: a five-day intensive course like the one that’s happening all this week.

On the other hand just think what these people who have travelled 1000s of miles to spend five days working with us in the studio – just think what they will be confident to do when next Friday comes …

Watch this. You’ll need your volume on as well …

Posted on

Three Put-Downs and one Suggestion

by

Put-Down #1

Dear friends and colleagues – it is our shared fate to endure remarks like this:

So you do stained glass do you? Oh, I’d love to paint stained glass – it’s just I don’t have time

How often I hear this … and what about you?

… As if it were merely the world-changing busy-ness of the speaker’s life which – unfortunately for us – prevents them from giving birth to artworks that would put Harry Clarke to shame.

And what is the implication here?

Is it that we do glass painting because we “have the time” (- when really it’s because we choose to make the time, thank you).

No one gets better at something unless they really work at it. Even Charlie Parker worked hard – boy! how he worked. He made the time to be the best saxophonist he could become.

As do we all work hard – for the things we choose to do.

It’s just that some folks work hard at watching TV or planning their next holiday …