The Water Collection is composed of five stained glass windows that will be installed in the client’s pump house at his home. This project is a great example of how stained glass can add energy, color and interest to any environment. The pump house is a rounded concrete form that reminds me of a small hobbit house. The round windows make perfect sense. The diamond shaped window will be installed in the door.
Water Dynamics as a Starting Point
The client didn’t have a particular vision in mind and gave me free rein to develop the design. Given the purpose of the building the windows would be installed in, I thought something to do with water flow would be interesting. A map of the water dynamics of the Atlantic Ocean was a starting point for the round windows. I found the shapes to be quite inviting with a mid-century vibe. I developed a color palette that would link the four windows yet give each its own presence. The four seasons and their temperature shifts guided my color selection.
A Contrasting Color Palette
The diamond window has its own look, more obviously related to flowing water. I used this window as an opportunity to to include a contrasting color palette of warm tones. Amber, yellow and orange add another aspect to the color palette of the round windows. I created the beads of water by using my hand raked fused glass to make fused glass cabochons. They add depth as well as points of visual interest.
The colors of the opalescent Bullseye glass that I used for this project are strong and vibrant. As this suite of windows will be generally viewed from the outside, the glass will reflect color even when the interior is not lit. When the pumphouse lights are on, the colors will glow. Though not a conventional location for stained glass windows, this proved to be a great project with many interesting aspects.