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Mosaics & Stained Glass
I will lay thy stones with fair colours, and lay their foundations with sapphires. And I will make thy windows of agates, and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones.
Isaiah 54:11-12
Mosaics
If you’re considering taking a mosaic course just to use up all of the broken glass left under the table after last months especially messy party then think again; there’s a lot more to it than chucking a bit of glue on different coloured glass and sticking it on a table. Mosaics is the art of creating images with small pieces of coloured glass, stone or other materials and is used in many ways like as a decorative art, interior decoration and to symbolise cultural or spiritual significance in a church.
Tesserae blocks are the basic building blocks that form the mosaic. These can include smalti, vitreous glass, marble and stone; all of which can be used to make a great variety of mosaics.
It’s origins lie in Roman, Byzantine and Greek culture and today there are no limits to what can be created; the most modern uses are for mirrors, walls and murals however you can also use it to create beautiful and original pots or lamps. A nightcourse in mosaics will mean that birthday presents and wedding gift nightmares will be a thing of the past and your artistic brilliance will be common knowledge…
Stained Glass
Stained glass is usually coloured by adding metallic salts to it during its manufacture. It is then crafted by arranging small pieces of to form patterns or pictures which are then held by strips of lead and supported by a rigid frame. Painted details and yellow stain can then be used to enhance the design.
The idea of stained glass conjures up images of huge windows in old cathedrals many of which have survived the test of time well and remain intact all over Europe; in fact many would sat that it is the most substantive art form that has lasted. It has been produced since ancient times; it reached the height of its popularity in the Middle Ages when stained glass images were used to illustrate narratives of the Bible to the illiterate however interest in it faded over the years.
A considerable amount of cathedrals were affected in Europe by bombs in World War 2 and in a lot of these the stained glass was destroyed. This ultimately led to lengthy restoration projects and a revival of curiosity in the art.
Today stained glass is not only committed to adorning churches and cathedrals; Tiffany lamps are just one example of a modern vernacular method that is popular. Pub booths, skylights and shop windows reflect the recognition that stained glass is not only something of historical importance but is also of great beauty and value.
A course in either mosaics or stained glass will teach students to unleash their creativity and make their own designs in an interesting and inventive way in a process that when learned, is extremely rewarding and incredibly beautiful.
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