Just put in my Kentish Gold door for a private client who lives in a wonderful Victorian gothic country house. She was brought up in Kent surrounded by hops, chickens, bee hives etc hence the subject matter.
The door is on the side of the house and opens on to a lobby area with lovely golden stone flags and a warm coloured wooden side board with reddish marble top so the golds and red in the stained glass pick upon all this very well.
The door is facing the west so the sunset in the door will be enhanced when the outer door is open on a good sunset day!
The fish - a rudd is trying to catch a fly, people keep thinking it's real!
I am relieved that the glass is in safely and pleased that my client is very happy with it!
I am so thrilled and privileged to be included in Cat Bennett's new book 'Making Art A Practice' (Findhorn Press) the sequel to her first book 'The Confident Creative - Drawing to free the Hand and Mind ' which has had such an influence on my work and my teaching too. She really understands the creative process and what it takes to be an artist and is one of life's encouragers!
Cat is a wonderful artist and was a professional illustrator with clients that include the Boston Globe, The New York Times, Time Magazine and many others. She lives in Boston and runs the Boston Saturday Morning Drawing Club.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2333963/My-haven-David-Shepherd-wildlife-artist-conservationist-82-drawing-room-15th-century-Sussex-farmhouse.html
David Shepherd mentions the stained glass shield I designed and made for him in an article about his house in the Daily Mail.
It was commissioned by his wife Avril as a surprise 80th birthday present. She took him away for the weekend and we snuck in and installed it!
As he says it depicts all his favourite things. Painting the Black Prince (his steam engine) I was worried that I would get every pipe and cog in the right place!
I am thrilled that he likes it so much.
Shield for David Shepherd's 80th birthday.
Having previously made the screen in the restaurant, Raymond wanted me to face the pillar opposite it with a similar glass treatment, but because it was against the wall it couldn't be transparent so therefore it had to be done on mirrored glass.
The design is a reverie of Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons based on Raymond's ideas and every detail honed extensively....
A voluptuous woman drapes herself over a pumpkin and dreams of Le Manoir whilst the sun shines down on the scene and the steam from a tureen drifts up past her.
Vegetables are represented, in a bowl, and growing in the kitchen gardens whilst a worm and a fossil re-appear (as seen in the screen previously) in the metalwork base.
The glass is acid-etched with a beautiful satin effect finish and then sand-blasted. However some of the mirror is left un-treated which adds a contrasting sparkle. I then rubbed in the colour to various sand-blasted elements.
"I remember that day when I told Stoney of my vision, my ideas. Using her exceptional talent, knowledge of design and passion for her craft, she created something of true beauty. To work with Stoney was a joy and an utterly enriching and rewarding experience." Raymond Blanc
