34 BCD SPECIAL REPORT ON HISTORIC CHURCHES 32nd ANNUAL EDITION AARON MORRISON’S ACCOUNT OF WORKING AT RAINBOW GLASS STUDIOS ‘Stained glass is a strange and beautiful thing. We have been surrounded by churches our whole lives whether it be regular services, school trips or on a long walk. Sure, churches have stained glass windows; it is common knowledge. It is not something we often dwell on. Once you do though, you see artistry that dates back so far that few can pinpoint its origin. They have been a part of various cultures, places of worship, historic buildings, opera houses and private residences. You encounter stained glass more than you realise. I have had many highs and lows working with stained glass and have come pretty far in the last two years. ‘I fell into the craft of stained glass by accident and circumstance. I was seventeen years old and in my last year of school with no clue what I wanted to do next. To fill the space in my timetable I engaged in work experience. The only problem was that I had no idea about my future career. However, I was good at art and enjoyed working with my hands. This prompted my teacher to send me to a stained-glass studio nearby at Rainbow Glass Studios Ltd, Ayrshire for an interview. Much to my surprise they took me on. At the end of that first month, I could not imagine doing anything else with my life. Becoming a Craft Fellow ‘I was working part time at Rainbow Glass Studios Ltd during college and HES approached the studio about training people through the Craft Fellowship programme. I was able to go full time as a HES Craft Fellow when my college course ended. I have been with Rainbow Glass Studios Ltd for five months now, supported by HES. ‘My skills and experience have grown, and I feel incredibly lucky to have been given this exceptional opportunity. I have worked on many jobs now that I’m proud of. My first important solo job was a significant experience in my journey as a Stained Glass Craft Fellow. It was at St Joseph’s Catholic Church in Kilmarnock. When the windows first came to us at the studios, they were covered in dirt and grime. Broken bits of lead and glass covered the large window I worked on. ‘St Joseph’s opened in 1847 and is a Category B Listed Gothic style Church. Its stained glass windows are from the early 20th century. The church also houses a newly restored 1903 Harrison & Harrison pipe organ. Holding history in our hands ‘While there are many steps involved in restoring panels, the charcoal rubbing is the most important. It is used both to mark the location of the broken pieces and as a blueprint to rebuild the window when the time comes. Cleaning follows and is the most time consuming and tedious step. It is also the most important. Each piece must be meticulously cleaned, every crack must be repaired, and every piece beyond saving must be replaced. ‘Restoring the window to its former glory is essential but using every original part you possibly can is vital in maintaining the conservation of the window. Historic glass is irreplaceable, and therefore, valuable. These colourful works of art are delicate. Too much pressure or a slip of a scalpel can have catastrophic consequences. We may be the first people to handle the glass in hundreds of years. We are literally holding history. ‘Personally, my favourite part of the entire process is building the window. Piecing the artwork back together one bit of lead at a time, seeing what it used to be to what it is now, is extremely rewarding. Each bit of glass must be put into place and wrapped with lead, and reveals more and more detail of the painted glass and subsequently more art. At the end, you are left with something that you are proud of, not because it was your job to restore it, but because of the hard work that went into it. The first time I felt that I did everything correctly all the way through the process, was the window at St Joseph’s Catholic Church. I hope that I was able to restore the piece to its original glory and that St Joseph’s Catholic Church is pleased with it. ‘My job is to keep these beautiful works of historic art alive for future generations to enjoy. Working with stained glass will be forever relevant and I hope to one day pass my knowledge on to others so that the next person who falls into this line of work, is successful and as in love with their work as I am.’ Rebuilding the stained glass window at St Joseph’s Catholic Church in Kilmarnock (Photo: Aaron Morrison)
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MzI0Mzk=