State of the Art Stained Glass

Oak Ridge Public Library, Oak Ridge, TN

Volunteer Federal Credit Union, Madisonville, TN

Kimball’s Jewelry Store, Knoxville, TN

Farragut Primary School, Knoxville, TN

Second United Methodist Church, Knoxville, TN

St Bernard Covenant, Nashville, TN

First United Methodist Church, Mt Pleasant, TN

St John Lutheran Church, Walhalla, SC

Central United Methodist Church, Knoxville, TN

First Presbyterian Church, Weaverville, NC

admin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 18:38:03 +0000

In 2002 we were asked to submit proposals to design, fabricate, and install stained glass windows in the Oak Ridge Public Library. We designed this series of 18 windows. Each window is 3 feet tall and 11 feet wide. Our theme was a Lifetime of Reading. It depicts the enjoyment and pleasures of reading throughout one’s life. The series begins with a new mother reading to her newborn. In each window, the parent and child matures. The books and items depicted in each window changes to match their age. Windows 1-4 depict early childhood. Windows 5-9 show elementary and high school students. Windows 10-14 illustrate college and adult activities. Windows 15-18 show the golden years. In window 18, the cycle life starts again with a grandmother reading to an infant.


Oak Ridge Public Library, Oak Ridge, TN	Oak Ridge Public Library, Oak Ridge, TN	Oak Ridge Public Library, Oak Ridge, TN	Oak Ridge Public Library, Oak Ridge, TN

Oak Ridge Public Library, Oak Ridge, TN	Oak Ridge Public Library, Oak Ridge, TN	Oak Ridge Public Library, Oak Ridge, TN	Oak Ridge Public Library, Oak Ridge, TN

Oak Ridge Public Library, Oak Ridge, TN	Oak Ridge Public Library, Oak Ridge, TN	Oak Ridge Public Library, Oak Ridge, TN	Oak Ridge Public Library, Oak Ridge, TN

Oak Ridge Public Library, Oak Ridge, TN	Oak Ridge Public Library, Oak Ridge, TN	Oak Ridge Public Library, Oak Ridge, TN	Oak Ridge Public Library, Oak Ridge, TN

Oak Ridge Public Library, Oak Ridge, TN	Oak Ridge Public Library, Oak Ridge, TN	Oak Ridge Public Library, Oak Ridge, TN	Oak Ridge Public Library, Oak Ridge, TN

admin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 18:14:50 +0000

For the Volunteer Federal Credit Union in Madisonville Tennessee we created a 13 foot by 20 foot skylight. Since the building was a built at the turn of the century, we created a piece that in color and design would look original to the structure. We even deliberately mismatched some of the glass to make it look as if it were old and had been repaired. The frame had to fit through a standard seven foot commercial entry, we had to weld the frame in two halves and then once on site weld the two halves together. This required a lot of coordination with the construction crew so as to not delay their progress and not damage what had already been done. We are very proud of this project.

admin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 17:59:37 +0000

For the Kimball’s Jewelry Store on Bearden Hill, we built a true dome skylight the base of which is 12 feet in diameter and 5 feet tall. There are 24 individual panels with over 6000 pieces of glass. To add detail we silk screened and fired in a kiln some of the fleur de lis. The floral pieces are red on clear flashed that we sandblasted, silk screened and fired the black lines, then silver stained the back. Every panel had to be built, soldered and sealed on the curve. Even the reinforcement bars had to be bent to match the curve. When we worked on the back, we had to manufacture a curved mold, the exact opposite of the first mold. It was a very challenging project!


Kimball’s Jewelry Store on Bearden Hill, Knoxville, TN	Kimball’s Jewelry Store on Bearden Hill, Knoxville, TN	Kimball’s Jewelry Store on Bearden Hill, Knoxville, TN	Kimball’s Jewelry Store on Bearden Hill, Knoxville, TN

Kimball’s Jewelry Store on Bearden Hill, Knoxville, TN	Kimball’s Jewelry Store on Bearden Hill, Knoxville, TN	Kimball’s Jewelry Store on Bearden Hill, Knoxville, TN	Kimball’s Jewelry Store on Bearden Hill, Knoxville, TN

Kimball’s Jewelry Store on Bearden Hill, Knoxville, TN	Kimball’s Jewelry Store on Bearden Hill, Knoxville, TN	Kimball’s Jewelry Store on Bearden Hill, Knoxville, TN	Kimball’s Jewelry Store on Bearden Hill, Knoxville, TN

Kimball’s Jewelry Store on Bearden Hill, Knoxville, TN	Kimball’s Jewelry Store on Bearden Hill, Knoxville, TN

admin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 13:13:52 +0000

The windows that we donated to Farragut Primary School were based on the premise that Reading is Fundamental which is the center window. The other windows show all the wonderful things that can be studied once you master reading. This project was just plain fun. We had a great time picking out the different symbols that went along with the different windows. I have enjoyed answering questions from children who ask things like: ‘Why do you have a soccer ball in the math window? Why is there an organ in the math window? Why is there an emergency exit sign in the health window?’

admin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 12:39:34 +0000

We completely restored the stained glass windows for Second United Methodist Church, Knoxville, TN. We removed the old plastic, scraped down the wood frames, repaired any rotten wood, replaced any broken glass, re-putty glazed, then painted the frames. Once the paint cured, we covered the stained glass with1/4″ clear safety glass for protective glazing. The windows look great!

Second United Methodist Church, Knoxville, TN		Second United Methodist Church, Knoxville, TN		Second United Methodist Church, Knoxville, TN		Second United Methodist Church, Knoxville, TN

Second United Methodist Church, Knoxville, TN

admin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 12:22:40 +0000

In 1991 St Bernard Convent in Nashville, TN built a new facility. The Sisters wanted to move the stained glass windows from their old facility into their new one, but the windows were not the same size or shape. We removed the stained glass windows from their old facility and boarded up some of the openings. Since the Sisters were still using the convent, we installed a heavily textured clear glass in some openings. This gave the Sisters privacy yet still provided light. We brought all the stained glass back to our studio. designed new stained glass windows out of their original stained glass windows.

(Before) St. Bernard Covenant Nashville, TN		(After) St. Bernard Covenant Nashville, TN

admin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 12:01:30 +0000

First United Methodist Church in Mt Pleasant, TN had beautiful old stained glass windows that were in very good condition. In the late 1990s, we cleaned the exterior of the stained glass, painted the frames, and the installed protective glazing on the exterior.

admin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 10:43:09 +0000

For St. John Lutheran Church in Walhalla, South Carolina we restored all the stained glass windows in the church. Every 80 to 100 years all stained glass windows need to be rebuilt. The windows are photo documented before being removed from the site, crated for safe keeping, and then taken to our studio for the restoration. After a window is removed from the frame, a rubbing is taken. On the rubbing special notes are made as to what glass was used, where it was located, previous repairs are noted, broken original pieces are noted, and the sizes and types of lead cames are noted. Original pieces that are broken and cannot be matched with new stained glass are edge glued with an ultraviolet glue. Previous repairs are replaced with glass that matches as close as possible in color, density and texture. Then each piece of glass is hand cleaned. The window is then rebuilt using the rubbing as a map. Before the windows are reinstalled into the wood frames, the frames are also restored. The frames are stripped to bare wood, sanded, and then painted an oil based primer and two finish coats. If there are any rotten areas, those areas are either repaired with Liquid Wood or replaced with pieces milled to match the original. The windows are then put back into their original wood frames and reinstalled into the church. When we install the windows in the church, we inspect the frame and trim work, if there are any rotten areas or missing trim we correct that too. For protective glazing, we have installed tempered glass on the exterior. Our restorations are full turn key operations. When we are finished, the church has new windows that will last another century.


St. John Lutheran Church Walhalla, SC	St. John Lutheran Church Walhalla, SC	St. John Lutheran Church Walhalla, SC	St. John Lutheran Church Walhalla, SC

St. John Lutheran Church Walhalla, SC	St. John Lutheran Church Walhalla, SC	St. John Lutheran Church Walhalla, SC	St. John Lutheran Church Walhalla, SC

St. John Lutheran Church Walhalla, SC	St. John Lutheran Church Walhalla, SC	St. John Lutheran Church Walhalla, SC	St. John Lutheran Church Walhalla, SC

Good Shepherd St. John Lutheran Church Walhalla, SC	St. John Lutheran Church Walhalla, SC

admin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 09:29:10 +0000

For Central United Methodist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee we were asked to restore their stained glass windows and to cover them with Lexan. Their stained glass windows had been repaired previously many times. Sometimes the broken panes were repaired with stained glass that did not match in color or texture. We contacted a glass manufacturer who made a very close duplicate of the original glass. We replaced the mismatched glass with our new glass. All the windows were dismantled; each piece of glass was cleaned; and the windows were re-assembled with new lead that matched the original in size and shape. The steel frames were removed; sandblasted to bare metal; and primed with black paint. Some of the steel frames had rusted completely away. For those frames, we fabricated new frames that matched the originals. The beautiful wood frames had settled and pulled apart to where daylight could be seen through the frames. We bolted them back together; scraped off the layers of old paint; restored the rotted areas; re-installed the stained glass and then painted the frames. As the final step, we covered the windows with Lexan.


Central United Methodist Church, Knoxville, TN	Central United Methodist Church, Knoxville, TN	Central United Methodist Church, Knoxville, TN	Central United Methodist Church, Knoxville, TN

Central United Methodist Church, Knoxville, TN	Central United Methodist Church, Knoxville, TN	Central United Methodist Church, Knoxville, TN	Central United Methodist Church, Knoxville, TN

Central United Methodist Church Knoxville, TN	Central United Methodist Church, Knoxville, TN	Central United Methodist Church, Knoxville, TN	Central United Methodist Church, Knoxville, TN

Central United Methodist Church, Knoxville, TN	Central United Methodist Church, Knoxville, TN

Volunteer Federal
Credit Union,
Madisonville, TN

Volunteer Federal
Credit Union,
Madisonville, TN

Volunteer Federal
Credit Union,
Madisonville, TN

Volunteer Federal
Credit Union,
Madisonville, TN

Volunteer Federal
Credit Union,
Madisonville, TN

Volunteer Federal
Credit Union,
Madisonville, TN

admin — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 07:53:47 +0000

In the late 1990s we did some simple repair work on the stained glass windows in First Presbyterian Church in Weaverville, NC. These windows are beautiful. These windows are all fully hand painted stained glass. They have a ‘modified’ diamond grid in the center. Some of the diamonds are perfectly straight. But some are wiggly diamonds. That is a really nice touch! Of all the windows that I have photographed, my customers always like these stained glass windows.

First Presbyterian Church, Weaverville, NC		First Presbyterian Church, Weaverville, NC		First Presbyterian Church, Weaverville, NC		First Presbyterian Church, Weaverville, NC