The Family That Prays Together

What an honor to create a family cross for this beautiful family!

The photo below shows this glass work in several shots so you can see the final piece, a close up with the background glass, and another close up showing the very textured state the crushed glass was left in.

I love working with various sizes of crushed glass, including frit to give the frayed edge seen on this piece.

For my work, lately I have been using System 96 in sheets.  I cut them to size big enough to fit into my glass crusher.  From there, I sort out the sizes so I can layer the glass in the way it will work out best for each piece.  For things like this where I want a frayed edge, I use a simple mold cut out of foam board and layer the glass until it gets no thicker than the 1/2 board I am using.  Carefully, I pull up the mold, rearrange any stray pieces, and fire it to about 1300 degrees.  The background with names and dates was fired separately.  Next, the glass is glued using KOA 300 and an ultraviolet light to set it.  This gluing method has been working very well for me on transparent glass.

What a beautiful wedding gift for somebody special in your life, don't you think?  Elizabeth, thank you for giving me the opportunity to give you a gift I know your family will enjoy for a long time to come.  Because this has to go through 2-3 firings in the kiln, advance notice for gifts of this type are necessary.

Pat Deere

LINKS:  Click HERE For more information on custom designed stained glass by Pat Deere.

Wedding Cross for a Deserving Friend

When my friend Elizabeth told me about wanting a cross for their upcoming wedding, I was thrilled to be able to help her with this project.

She has 3 beautiful young boys, and a husband to be I haven't yet met.

Elizabeth works at  Giovanni a'balatti Salon and Spa in Adrian and cuts my hair.  We have worked on art projects together and she is truly deserving of good things in her life.

Because she wanted something to signify their new family, she thought of this idea.

Love it and would love to do more for wedding couples.

The pattern below is the simple computerized design, the picture above shows the glass in the kiln after the cross was fired and before the painted names have been kiln fired.  It has yet to be finished and framed.

LINKS:  To find information on other crushed glass panels, click through to my web site.

Pat Deere

Crosses of Distinction

I am shipping this cross out today... with a little hesitation. I was given boxes of glass a customer salvaged from a church that had burned. Evidence is still in the glass that couldn't be washed off. It gives the glass a smoky grey color in areas. The appropriate thing, it seemed, to use the glass for was to make crosses.

Last month I set up for a spiritual art show in Orchard Lake. Somebody snatched it up and I am mailing it off today. This was the only cross I was able to make with this glass because I only had one piece with the beautiful painted glass floral pattern.

I am sure it is going to good hands and they will enjoy it. That makes it much easier to part with.

Pat Deere

Links: Glass Painting Classes