Stained glass is a very elemental, almost alchemical process. You have these pieces of glass, which are made out of sand (earth). Your paint is also a powder, which you mix with water, and apply. Then you put the whole thing into a kiln, where you apply intense heat (fire) to transform it. Then you have to expose it all to air to cool. But not too much air too soon, or your glass will crack.

Then you have all these weird shards of glass, which you assemble into this unified whole, which is much greater than the sum of its parts. And then the whole thing comes alive and is activated only by light streaming through it. Very magical and mysterious.

Not to mention that you’re usually working with all these weird magical/religious imagery and symbolism in your windows, which are meant to, in turn, touch and activate quiet hidden places in your subconscious mind & soul. It’s all very wild.

Another thing that’s crazy is that this process which you go through to create these windows is essentially the same as it has been for a thousand years. The technology and chemical make-up of some of the materials has changed slightly for safety, though. But overall, it’s entirely the same. Totally anachronistic.

And I’ve been to a couple stained glass shops in the city. They are completely covered with a hundred years worth of dust and grime. It’s so clear that nothing has changed in these shops for so long. What’s more, these places are run like factories, rather than places where art is done. It’s very strange. Many of them no longer have resident artists or glass painters, and consequently subcontract out to people like my brother.

There’s much more to be said, but that’s all I can think of offhand.