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More information about the windows
- their design -
and making of... at
the bottom of the page.
Saint
Frances Xavier Cabrini
1850
- 1917
PDF
file with information about the window
Blessed
Katherine Drexel
1858
- 1955
PDF
file with information about the window
Saint
Rose of Lima
1586
- 1617
PDF
file with information about the window
Saint
Elizabeth Ann Seton
1774
- 1821
PDF
file with information about the window
The
Sisters of Saint Joseph
PDF
file with information about the window
The
Annunciation
PDF file
with information about the window
Our
Lady of Guadalupe
PDF
file with information about the window
Vanity
of Vanities
PDF
file with information about the window
Hobe
Sound, Florida
PDF file with information
about the window
I
am the vine, you are the branches.
PDF file with information
about the window
The
Artist... Juan Gardy Artigas
....About
the Windows
The
Rev. Leslie Cann, in collaboration and consultation with Graham
and Graham Architects, sought the design and fabrication of
stained glass windows to compliment the renovation and additions
to St. Christopher Church, Hobe Sound, Florida.
A
company was sought which would be able to implement the designs of
the European artist, Juan Artigas. The stained glass windows
are very unique for an American Church, in that they were designed
in surrealistic style. After appropriate consultation and
interview, Casola Stained Glass Studio, Inc. was selected because
of their experience with this style. The surrealistic style
in stained glass was made famous by the Russian artist and
painter, Chagall, a friend and mentor of Artigas.
Mr.
Artigas came to the Cosola Studios in Ft. Myers and worked
with their artists for several days. Artigas drew the
cartoons for the windows to full size and supervised the conversion
of his designs to stained glass as well as assisting with the
selection and the hand blown European glass.
After
the full size cartoons were created to the exact frame size,
templates were made for glass cutting. All the glass templates
we3re numbered for color and location. All of Artigas'
original artwork was used as a guide only i.e., the glass was
never placed on tope of the original cartoon, thus preserving the
original art work.
The
hand blown glass known as "Antique" was selected by Mr.
Artigas for color and transparency. Two kinds of white glass
were used: Opak white from Fisher Glass Co. in Germany; and Opal white
(more transparent) from St. Just Glass Co. in France. In
all, approximately thirty different colors were used.
Various processes were used on the flashed glass which allows the
resultant piece to contain sometimes two or three different
colors, a process which can be traced back to medieval times.
All
of the painting on the glass was done before incorporating it into
the window so that it could be fired and annealed in a kiln of
1300 degrees. Most of the paint used was black for trace
lines. Silver Nitrate was also used on the back on some of
the glass to control the gold and orange colors in some of the
rays. This was also fired in.
Approximately
99% of the color of the glass is the natural color. The
process which was used, with the exception of the electricity and
some of the tools used to cut the glass, is exactly the same as in
medieval times.
After
the kiln process was complete, it was then lead glazed using
several profiles of the American Lead Cames as indicated by the
artist, thus completing his fabrication. The windows were
then numbered for identification and cemented, a process which
waterproofs and soundproofs. The windows were then steel bar
reinforced for strength and were dry glazed in teak frames.
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