Encountering the Ancient Art of Stained Glass

5th year art students had the privilege of visiting Aria stained glass studios to see how the commission for the spirituality room is progressing. Richard Kimball and Marija Kovač gave an in depth tour of the studio space and explained the incredible process involved in the creation of stained glass art.

Richard spoke of the commission process liaising with clients, the research, concept drawings and design process. He explained about glass making and the mineral ratios required to create desired colours. How the process used by Aria studios is the traditional method used of old; all by hand cartooning, cutting, glazing and leading methods relatively unchanged since the 7^th century.

Master painter Marija Kovač explained the painting process and showed examples of her wonderful designs. The students were enthralled by Richard’s and Marija’s work and garnered an appreciation for the stained glass tradition. When asked why the studio is called Aria, Richard explained “The art of stained glass is like an aria one only sees the finished result and can be overwhelmed by its beauty which belies the years of training and the thousands of hours spent honing the craft which lead to its creation. “

The piece which celebrates Colaiste Iognaid’s history, tradition and spirit is comprised of three panels telling the story of the school and the life of Saint Ignatius Loyola. The beautifully painted individual segments will eventually form a whole. It was a wonderful experience to gain insight into the creation of an artwork and see the tradition of stained glass being kept alive. We eagerly await the instalment of the magnificent piece which aims to be ready by Easter.Stained Glass Studio VisitThe piece which celebrates Colaiste Iognaid’s history, tradition and spirit is comprised of three panels telling the story of the school and the life of Saint Ignatius Loyola. The beautifully painted individual segments will eventually form a whole. It was a wonderful experience to gain insight into the creation of an artwork and see the tradition of stained glass being kept alive. We eagerly await the instalment of the magnificent piece which aims to be ready by Easter.

Article written by Mr Revill