Our Parish liturgical education continues by introducing the concept of “Art Glass: and providing actual samples of “Art Glass”.   

        “Art Glass” is what we used to refer to as “Stained Glass”.  Two samples of “Art Glass” will be placed in our present Church for our education and for an inspiring glimpse of the beauty we will create in our new church.  One sample will be placed in the window to the right of the present Altar, and the other one will be placed in a segment of the large window above the balcony.  The sun comes through these points at different times.

          The quality of “Art Glass” can be assessed by the colored light that is reflected and refracted within the building.  The color is actually part of the glass, not painted or stained.

             Brad Butler and Cindy Swarts have designed two “Art Glass” panels to demonstrate different glass types, colors and the light variations and consequent effects.

             The windows do not have any theological point nor are they representing anything but the glass.  When they are disassembled they will be able to be incorporated into the future windows that will be designed.

             All the art glass is mouth blown and made in Germany by Glashuette Lamberts Waldsassen.  Some of the glass is actually two layers, one color over clear, which accounts for the variations in shade.  Actually one layer of glass is made by dipping the blow pipe into a molten pot of clear glass, gathering a ball, blowing it out to form a bubble, and then dipping it into a molten pot of color which coats the outside.  The bubble is then blown out and formed into a sheet.  Hence, two layers are fused to make one piece of glass.

            In the glass in the Sanctuary layering enabled the artist to etch the “universe” out of the blue leaving the clear layer to allow light through as white.  The dark amber color is actually two layers of glass, one placed on top of the other to create the desired shade.  The clear beveled pieces in the balcony sample are custom made, shaped and polished by hand. 

 All glass was fabricated using traditional methods of soldering together lead, zinc, and steel.