Client: Private Resident

Overview

The four elements of air, fire, water and earth are the theme for these four art-glass windows. The texture melted into the glass follows the design of the hand-painted image. Each of the four panels measures 8 feet long by 2 feet high and is created from 3/8 inch tempered cast-glass with custom cold-applied colors.

Goals

The client needed to cut down on glare in the living space and a counseling office space in this Philadelphia area Bauhaus style home. The client decided to commission hand-painted art glass to solve the issue and add to their existing art collection. The goal was to create a healing sanctuary as well as improve the light. Bright color and a dynamic design to move across the window panels were also goals. The client was pleased with the project and they, "... hope a lot of people can see these windows. They are spectacular and deserve wide acclaim."

Process

A site visit with the client over a delicious meal was the setting for the commission conversation. The visit involved a tour of the art collection, and a dialogue about style, concept and the lighting issue to be solved. Approved drawings were enlarged to scale and sent to the Meltdown Glass Studio in Tempe, Arizona. Chris Klein of Meltdown used the images to create custom, textured glass that followed the flow and composition of the designs. The paint was cold-applied by the artist in several layers onto the prepared glass at the studio of Meltdown Glass. Once finished, the glass was shipped and installed in the residence. The design is continuous between the four windows and can be enjoyed from inside as well as from the garden outside.