Commissioning A Stained Glass Installation

This article gives helpful advice for planning or commissioning a stained glass work, describing the process that might be used and important decisions that need to be made by both the artist and the commissioning congregation. Stained glass, from its origins, has been an integral element of church architecture because of its inherently dynamic qualities. While it stimulates our visual senses, it stirs us emotionally toward a more reverential sensitivity, encouraging introspection and contemplation. Stained glass complements the liturgical action by infusing the place and people with a heightened sense of purpose. However, like all aspects of building or renovation, the successful use of stained glass depends on careful and thoughtful planning. These notes will focus on the steps involved in commissioning stained glass work rather than aesthetic or stylistic considerations. The Parish Team A committee or task force for procuring stained glass should be formed early in the design…