Material Folklore and Stained Glass

Material folklore as illustrated by stained glass construction is the area I have elected to use for Reflection Question Number One. While it can be part of an official culture, learned in a classroom setting, in my case it was taught to me informally by my dad. He emphasized the importance of design, methods of construction, glass types, cutting and grinding techniques, pattern making, soldering, framing, cleaning, preservation and restoration. Of utmost importance, was attention to detail.

After mastering these skills, I was able to incorporate another aspect of folklore by sharing my knowledge with others. This was sometimes in a class I was teaching or in conversations with other stained glass artists. Attending arts and crafts festivals provided an interactive process that added to my knowledge.

With this knowledge also came an appreciation of works by professional artists and craftsmen such as Louis Comfort Tiffany, John LaFarge, and Dale Chihuly. While vacationing, I was often able to view stained glass exhibits such as the one at Navy Pier in Chicago. While all of the above represent high art or elite culture, I had been taught the basic skills necessary to produce handcrafted objects, which illustrate material folklore.

For a few years I was able to put this training into practice while working with my dad in our retail store. I was able to interact with clients and produce stained glass pieces that reflected their individual needs. In one instance, the members of a small church wished to have several windows designed for their sanctuary that would depict specific stories from the Bible. It was necessary to gain input from a committee in order to determine the content of each individual window. Working with this committee having similar interests and purpose represents expressive communication within this particular group.

To have been taught the art of stained glass by my dad is important to me because it gave me a sense of self worth, and the ability to express my self creatively through the materials and tools of this particular trade. Stained glass represents something I have created that can be appreciated and valued by others.

This posting is my response to Chapter One Reflection Question.