Fall issue of the Stained Glass Association of America magazine
We’ve recently received our Fall issue of the Stained Glass Association of America magazine which features an article about our mentor Roy Coomber and an article about our studio and the work we’ve done here in Vancouver.
Here’s a copy of the article if you want a little coffee time read;
“John and Laura Gilroy have been involved in producing stained glass since 1985 when they began an intensive apprentice education in one of England’s oldest studios founded in 1788. There they mastered the traditional skills used in creating new windows and in the preservation and restoration of existing windows.
This type of training, with skilled and experienced artists teaching younger artists, is unfortunately very rare now that many of the large and long established studios have closed. The Gilroys consider themselves fortunate to have been the last artists to have completed their training before James, Clark and Eaton of Bristol closed their doors for the last time. John spent his entire apprenticeship there, primarily trained by Roy Coomber FMGP SGAA, while Laura continued her education with Roy when he left to establish his own studio; “we appreciated his willingness to share his knowledge and to give constructive criticism, and we admired his enthusiasm to try different techniques in the medium and to keep his art ‘fresh’ even after so many years in the business.”
The focus was glass painting - learning to create structure through line, and tonal values through contrast of light and shade, then learning to recreate and match many different styles for restoration, and progressing to painting new windows as well as cartooning and designing. Another influence was the late Dorothy and James Crombie ARCA, AMGP “whose abilities, knowledge and encouragement played a significant part in giving us a passion for the unique and demanding medium of stained glass”.
It was a natural progression in 2000 to become Gilroy Stained Glass and achieve their ambition of opening their own studio. They predominately supplied 30 other stained glass studios throughout Britain and the US with glass painting and artwork, as well as producing windows for a church furnishing company to export throughout the United States. They also undertook a variety of new commissions under their own studio name, ranging from residential and commercial projects through to ecclesiastical commissions for all religious denominations. They established a reputation as restoration experts, often called upon to meticulously restore windows so badly damaged that a box of fragments was the only clue left to its original state.
Laura, as the main designer, was elected an Associate of the British Society of Master Glass Painters (BSMGP) in 2000. The Gilroys also enjoy teaching glass painting classes, and feel that it is now their turn to pass on some of the skills and techniques which were once almost exclusive to the ecclesiastical artist.
They have developed a “taster” weekend course that manages to cover each stage of traditional glass painting, with all its joys - and, yes, - frustrations. Many students come back for follow on classes, and so the weekend course often runs on multi levels due to the differing skills of their students. The Gilroys both started drawing and painting early on, inspired by their parents; Laura’s father was a glass artist and John’s mother a keen painter in oils and acrylics. It was no surprise then that John and Laura chose to become artists themselves, but what they do find surprising is how their students often come to a love of drawing from the opposite direction; via their interest in stained glass and the realization of what they can create with practice.
Several of the design projects they completed for the US encompassed all the windows in a church, allowing them to set the artistic style and ambiance for the whole building. For an artist this is a very rewarding concept and one they wanted more opportunity to explore both in design and glass painting, and this led to the decision to move to North America where newer buildings increase this kind of opportunity. Their research, and Laura having family in Canada, led them in 2005 to Vancouver as a location where they could further their abilities and portfolio in a beautiful and stimulating environment.
The Gilroys feel that there is greater potential to keep challenging their abilities here in North America, and believe they definitely made the right decision to relocate. As an example they are currently nearing the end of a rewarding 18 window project depicting the life of St. John the Apostle for a local Catholic Church. “By making a conscious effort to keep the studio focused on the fine art side of the craft; taking on projects that reflect this, and high standards of quality control at all stages including joinery and installation, really keeps the brain active.”
John feels that one of the most rewarding parts of his work is the further development of his painting techniques; “creating ‘Glassy’ painting which is sharp, jewel like and reads strongly from a distance, especially important for ecclesiastical work, brings a lot of satisfaction”. Laura maintains that for her “the conceptualization and design is the most exciting part of a project, but seeing the finished window installed in position runs a close second!”
Gilroy Stained Glass specializes in traditional and contemporary glass painting and fabrication using materials of superior quality imported from all over Europe and North America. They believe that through good design, considered selection of glass and the application of painted tonal values an original piece of art that lends a special ambiance to its architectural surround can be created.”
Posted on October 26th, 2009
Tags: Classes, Design, painting, Restoration, Students, Technique
Categories: Published Articles
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