Philadelphia Skyline Transom

Philadelphia Skyline Transom

by Julie Brask

Stained glass, lead, copper foil

Methods: I used the tiffany method of stained glass construction with lead came for stability. I cut the glass using a toyo glass cutter, reduce it to the perfect shape using a water-fed grinder, and solder together using tin/lead.

Inspiration: I started learning to make stained glass last spring as a way to keep my hands busy and manage stress during the pandemic. I spent a lot of time on it and really felt like it "clicked" for me in a way that no other medium ever has. This winter, I got the courage to step up from suncatchers to a full stained glass window. I worked for weeks to create a transom window for my home. I did everything myself - drafting the pattern, picking out colors, building it to exactly the right size, and installing it in my home. For me, it's a symbol of how much I've been able to grow and learn despite otherwise feeling so stuck this past year.