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In the winter of 2016, I made this stained
glass wall for a high-rise condominium in Hollywood CA. This wall of
stained glass created a guest bedroom as well as adding a major focal
point to the condo. Each of the four main sections is divided
into six openings, for a total of 24 stained glass panels. The two
outer sections are stationary; they do not move at all. The two middle
sections slide apart on a track at the top. This wall of stained glass
creates a new guest room behind
the wall. In that new room, they built a set of wall-mounted
cabinets for which I did
five stained glass panels in a matching design. The cabinet doors were
still unmounted
when I installed this wall of glass, so a photo of them will
have to be added later.
 A
project
like this is difficult in a different sort of way. While the
actual design is not very complex, the precision
required to make
everything look right is very complex. Even the outer sections where no
circular lines venture, precision is required to
make such long
straight lines match up correctly. Also, correlating the glasses to
match in both color and direction of the grain requires a lot of
forethought and planning.
The client's contractor was very competent. We collaborated well. He
fabricated the steel
framework I designed, then laid the four sections out flat so
he
could send me precise paper
patterns of the whole wall. From these I was able to draw the full size
stained glass patterns. This level of precision at every phase is
necessary for any large commission, but particularly so when a large
design spans multiple spaces, as it does here.
Part of the beauty of the design in this wall of stained glass is my
use of multiple sizes of lead came. The thinnest leadlines are
1/4" wide and the thickest are one inch wide.
Bending such large cames correctly is hard work, and this project made
my hands hurt while I was building it.
This client opted to have me deliver and install these panels
personally. That was doubly fine because immediately after I committed
to driving this wall of stained glass to Hollywood, I got another
stained glass commission that would need shipping or delivery
90
minutes from there. I love when that happens! The first client waited
patiently and was thrilled when this wall of stained glass was finally
installed in her
condominium.
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