The Artists: Creating Stained Glass Art Magic ~ Suncatchers, Windows, Mirrors, Jewelry
We are stained glass artisans with a life-long love of the magic & beauty of stained glass. We have been creating our originally designed stained glass windows, mirrors, suncatchers and lightweight glass/gold jewelry for many years. All our work is made by hand at our studio in Spokane WA.
My fascination with glass began in European cathedrals. As a youngster unable to understand sermons delivered in German or French, the stories depicted in magnificent stained glass church windows completely captured my imagination. My first foray into glass art, at the age of 10, consisted of a day spent smashing varicolored glass bottles to smithereens - resulting in a treasure trove of tiny sparkling faceted gems! Steve's father was a glass cutter for Pittsburgh Plate Glass for over 33 years - he grew up charmed by the fluid, magical qualities of glass. An expert photographer of beautifully composed ethereal landscapes, Steve's artistic aesthetic, business acumen and unbounding energy completed the fortuitous union that has enabled us to spend a lifetime creating magical glass.
I graduated from UC Berkeley CA with a degree in Fine Art, and learned traditional leaded stained glass techniques from Peter Mollica, one of California's earliest fine art glass artisans. I studied architectural glass with Ludwig Schaffrath at Berkeley and traditional glass painting with Albinas Elskus at Appalachian Center For Crafts in Tennessee. Both men, master glass artists of international renown, taught with inspiration, sharing their incredible knowledge and love of glass with energy, wit and integrity. Steve and I [Contois Reynolds Glass Studio] have stained glass artworks in the West Virginia Permanent Art Collection, and in private collections across the USA, Canada, Netherlands and Japan.
We are stalwart members of the amazing 1970's Fine Arts & Crafts Revival Movement [you can tell by our silver hair]! Our comfy "Studio East" glass studio in the rural mountains of West Virginia, heated with an Ashley woodstove, was quite isolated but provided a wonderful crucible for creating our gracefully flowing, sparkling visions in stained glass. We led a gypsy life for over 30 years - traveling far and wide to exhibit our glass artworks at over 400 of the most prestigious juried fine art fairs in the country, from Vermont to Florida.
Today we also have a quaint "Studio West" in Washington state, where we continue to create new designs for our discerning collectors. We are influenced and inspired by the peaceful woods and nature surrounding us. We now market solely from the Internet via our Etsy shop.
Our Contois Reynolds Glass Studio has established a stellar reputation for creating extraordinary artworks in glass - we are known for our unique original flowing designs, expert craftsmanship and use of the finest glasses and materials. We look forward to hearing from you if one of our designs captures your heart...our glass brings much joy, transforming light into magic.
Love & Peace,
Ann and Steve
:: To view an archive of our glass artworks, we invite you to visit our Facebook Stained Glass Magic page. https://www.facebook.com/stainedglassmagic
:: And, you can view our commissions at: http://www.StainedGlassMagic.com/commissions/
:: You might like to read about the 70's Arts and Crafts Revival in West Virginia - we are featured in the recently published book "Hippie Homesteaders - Arts, Crafts, Music and Living on the Land in West Virginia" by Carter Seaton 2014
"People are like stained glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within."
"True art is characterized by an irresistible urge in the creative artist." Albert Einstein
