Kansas City Stained Glass Portfolio Review: Lovely Painted Stained Glass

Here at Kansas City Stained Glass, we are fortunate enough to be a part of one of the most talented stained glass studios in the country-Scottish Stained Glass. This allows us to be part of some really amazing stained glass creations. Each project comes with a set of challenges–but at the end of the day, they are all fulfilling. We see our job as transforming more than just church windows but the lives of the congregant’s tool. One example of this is our most recent installation and powerful portfolio piece– St. Andrew The Apostle Catholic Church located in Wray, CO.

The Scope of Our Custom Stained Glass Project

Wray isn’t a large town but this stained glass installation sure was! Since this is a newer church (built in the last 30 years) St. Andrew’s did not have stained glass windows in the sanctuary. 2020 turned out to be the year the congregation was ready to have them installed–even in spite of a pandemic (and of course all safety protocol and social distancing was implemented for the job). They reached out to us to install five new, painted stained glass windows on the east side of their sanctuary. A custom job we were happy to have the chance to do–since custom work is what we do best.

Customizing Stained Glass to Be Historically Accurate and Beautiful

The church congregation decided on a depiction of the five Luminous Mysteries (baptism, wedding, proclamation, transfiguration, and last supper). These depictions were significant to them and their beliefs. For a job, this sentimental, painted stained glass artwork was an option we pitched to them and they loved the idea. Not only is painted glass a very unique stained glass art form but we work with an amazing painted glass specialist–Maria. This project was one for us to put her incredible skills to use. The goal was to make the depictions as life-like as possible so we used actual models to get the poses right. We also did extensive research for historical accuracy in:

• The Appropriate background and foliage for the region
• Authentic tile design for floors in that time-period
• A historically accurate depiction of the town of Cana

The Beauty of Custom Painted Stained Glass

Our custom painted stained glass project for St. Andrew The Apostle Catholic Church came out lovely. We used primarily black and brown paint but we were able to pull hints of color from the glass background. We also constructed the stained glass in a manner that harnesses the natural sunlight. This created depth in faces, hands, fauna, and flora. The result was a  stunning three-dimensional appearance– that was truly authentic. All in all, the members of the congregation (who watched socially distanced) were extremely pleased by the beauty and the considerate manner in which we conducted ourselves. One member even mentioned– “Now we have a church”. It is this the type of affirmation that gives us pride and makes us love our work in custom stained glass creation.

For more information on custom stained glass or breathing life into an old piece of stained glass with restoration–contact us at Kansas City Stained Glass today!

Martin Faith

Martin Faith is from Glasgow, Scotland, the stained glass capital of the world. Martin has been practicing the art of making stained glass windows for over thirty years and is a collector of antique works. His excellent craftmanship and extensive knowledge of the art form, including the required techniques for glassmaking, styles, and history of stained glass make him an expert in his field. Martin owns one of the largest stained glass window studios in the country. The company specializes in stained glass repair and restoration, religious stained glass, commercial stained glass, and custom residential stained and leaded glass. Together, Martin and his team have created hundreds of stained glass windows for homes and buildings in the Kansas City area.