I took the stained glass class at the Des Moines Art Center about 15 years ago, before we had kids, before we had an historic home. I mostly paid attention to the stained glass technique called “foiling” which is better suited for small projects, as opposed to leaded glass, which is better for larger windows like I want to do in the Hatton House. So when my parents asked what I wanted for my birthday/Hanukkah, the answer was easy: Stained Glass Class!
Turns out, it’s the same teacher still teaching at the Art Center, Jerry Goodrich, who was very supportive in my crazy idea to do a 12×27″ transom window in the scope of a six week class, especially after over a decade break in glass work. I free-hand drew an adaptation of the Keith family crest, altering it from the typical vertical to horizontal. The glass cutting and grinding came back fast enough, but this was my first project in lead, the that was more tricky than I bargained for. After much cursing and one last minute broken piece, it came together nicely. I still need to cement it, and I haven’t decided if I’m going to add the family motto “Veritas Vincit” in the white banner, but here’s the first of six transoms I want to do in the house!
Hatton House Diaries 