In 2019 and 2020 we made a number of these panels for a client in Calgary who gave them to her family members as gifts. The panels measured 8 inches in diameter and were wrapped in a flexible decorative U channel with an attached fine silver chain for hanging.
Design by Brian McMillan & Lucinda Doran – Birds of North America Volume 1 – Walrus Publications
When we retired in 1999 we lived in our 5th wheel trailer, travelling for some 2 + years. We spent our winters in Utah, Nevada, California and Arizona. On our trip south in 2000 we enjoyed a week at Moab Utah and toured Arches and Canyonlands National Parks.
Delicate Arch is one of the wonders of the world. To get to it you have to hike approximately 3 miles one way, with an elevation gain of 480 feet/146 meters, no shade on an open slickrock surface with some exposure to heights.
That fall we first stayed at Valle Del Oro RV Resort in Mesa Arizona and in November the Arizona Republic published an article about Delicate Arch which included the picture below. It was from this picture that we transposed it into a stained glass design. Our panel design measures approximately 14 inches wide x 10 inches high.
We were fortunate to have been able to locate this beautiful sandstone colored glass which closely matches the color of the arch. Because of the current virus situation in our world we now have the time to delve into the archives and hidden spots of our studio where we have found this and other interesting pieces and design patterns, some of which will be made and eventually find their way to our website.
It was a beautiful day in October 2000 when we hiked up to Delicate Arch. The 3 mile one way hike was not a problem because in the winter of 1999 – 2000 we hiked some 450 miles in the high Sonoran Desert around Phoenix, Mesa, Apache Junction etc. We were fortunate enough to climb to the top of Superstition Mountain, Picacho Peak as well as other lesser peaks during the winters of 1999 to 2001.
Design by Bob & Flory Wilkins
As a gift we made this open Hummingbird Panel, complete with some Gemstones. The panel measured approximately 7.5 inches wide by 8 inches high. The recipient loved Hummingbirds and Gemstones. The Gemstones were attached with E6000 glue.
A helpful hint for anyone wanting to make a panel like this is to pre cut, fit and form the wire. We used some light welding rod and 18 gauge tinned wire. Before attaching the rod and wire we beaded the edges. The welding rod was tinned prior to installing so as not to incur a lot of heat on the glass parts and with the beaded edges attaching was fairly easy as we held the various pieces with needle nose pliers to ensure that they fit half way between the glass edges.
Designer Unknown Gemstone Idea by Flory Wilkins
This Quilt Block panel gift measured 6 x 6 inches and has a 1/4 Zinc Frame. Before soldering the frame together we carefully drilled the holes for the key ring inserts. We then finished soldering the joints to the came, cleaned with Kwik Clean, applied black patina after scrubbing the solder with #0000 steel wool and finally applying Clarity stained glass polish.
The final process item is to insert the key rings and attach the chain, by using link chain it is easy to add or remove links for perfect hanging from a secure hook in any window.
Design by Marianne Warner in Spring 2006 Glass Patterns Quarterly
This wonderful door insert began with humble beginnings as our client initially had made a rough sketch on a piece of paper (see second picture below for the drawing). We then made several trips to our clients home on the shores of beautiful Sylvan Lake located in Central Alberta west of the city of Red Deer.
Once again we enlisted Martha Hanson and her design team at Paned Expression Studios Inc in Edgewood Maryland USA for their stained glass design expertise.
The door insert is approximately 20 inches wide by 63 inches high and comprised of some 400 pieces of stained glass.
This is how this window was first conceptualized by our client.
After visits and further discussions our client enhanced his ideas in more detail.
Shown here is the Fall view of Sylvan Lake from our clients property. The jut out on the left center is called 3rd point.
This is the view from the door going out onto our clients deck and where the stained glass insert was made for.
This next photo shows a window view of the various birch/popular trees on the property.
On the property were Red Osrser Dogwood and Purple Leaf Sand Cherry bushes, together with birch and evergreen trees all of which our client wanted incorporated into the stained glass panel.
View of one of the many evergreen trees on the property.
Our clients are excellent purveyors of art and from this original painting came up with the basic idea for their stained glass door insert.
The following picture shows the design pattern on which we constructed this panel. We used Spectrum, Uroboros, Bullseye, Kokomo, Wissmach and Youghiogheny glass in the panel. Here is an interesting fact it required over 208 feet of black backed copper foil.
We started at the top of the panel and worked our way down to the bottom. We use the Morton Layout block system and one has to make sure to measure corner to corner diagonally to ensure squareness of the panel in order for it to fit properly.
The next series of photos are some closeup pictures of the panel construction using the copper foil method. One has to be very careful all the time to ensure the correct flow of the glass.
Next photo shows some of the soldering using 60/40 solder.
Designed by Paned Expression Studios