What can I expect of hand-crafted stained glass works?
How are stained glass works signed and validated for authenticity?
Stained glass works from Spirit of Light are original designs created by Hahn [ 'Hahn.' ]
All pieces designed and created at Spirit of Light are numbered and signed by the artist. The signature may be engraved or painted on a section of glass. In addition, each is accompanied by a signed certificate of authenticity. Finally, a record of sale will be kept for each as further validation of authenticity.
Two sales formats exist, limited editions and commissioned one-of-a-kind works created specifically for the commissioner.
Are stained glass panels an investment?
Just as with any other artwork, these pieces can be resold. Perhaps in time you find you'd like to replace your stained glass panel with another that expresses your changing interests. Or should you decide to move, you can take your custom designed panel with you. Of course, if the design was planned for interior decor purposes, you'll find that stained glass panels can be a positive selling point.
Glass designs that are offered as limited editions distribute the cost of the design over several pieces. No two will be exactly alike, but as part of an edition you are guarenteed that this studio will not produce any more iterations of that complete design than the limit of the edition. Limited editions are numbers as 1/50, 2/50, 3/50 etc. The number to the left side of the slash is the number in sequence of a particular panel. The number to the right side of the slash is the maximum number of times we will reproduce this design. Because we hand craft each panel, the upper limit of an edition is rather low. In some cases, we may never reach the upper limit.
Collectors of all kinds are aware that the fewer panels of an edition that are created, or the fewer that survive without repair over time, are likely to increase in value.
What is the long term value of designs by 'HAHN?' Only time will tell.
What factors affect the price of a stained glass design?
Spirit of Light Studio can create a design to fit your budget! We can emphasize clean simple design and work within a limited palette of glass or we can create works of art, rich in detail, and inclusive of high-end specialty glass. For residential pieces limited in size to no more than 36" in any direction, prices can be as low as $25.00 per square foot or as high as $200.00 per square foot. Large commercial pieces require special reinforcement that must be considered in design and can run upwards of $200.00 per square foot.
Prices vary based primarily on:
Original signed/authenticated custom design vs. original authenticated design/limited editions
An original design created specifically for you reflects the interaction between designer and client as they cooperate to create a totally unique expression.
An orginal design offered as a limited edition reflects the limited numbers of signed/authenticated pieces of more commercially appealing designs
Number/shape of pieces [reflecting labor]
Each individual piece of glass is created through a series of steps to develop the precise shape and fit. Depending on the technique used, 'came' is either then cut to fit to hold each piece and soldered into place, or all pieces are wrapped with a foil tape and coated with a solder layer to join them together. Depending on the size of the piece, steel wire may be embedded between the glass components to support the weight of connected glass.
Type of glass/overall size [materials]
The manufacturing process of glass provides a weath of different textures, color mixes and relative transparencies/opacities. Prices vary between the types of glass and colors that may be used.
Framing
All works can be priced with and without frame. Small pieces, such as 8" X 10" can be accomodated in a standard frame. Larger pieces require substantial support and should be constructed of hard wood and customized for supporting free hanging glass works.
How can I purchase in the category of limited editions?
Designs generated by our artist will be available in limited editions. A predetermined number will be established for the edition. Should requests for that design reach the limit, we will stop creating panels of that specific design.
As a purchaser, you will know what number edition you are purchasing as well as the maximum number that may be created. And remember, each work is signed an accompanied by a certificate of authenticity.
Development of a hand crafted stained glass piece is a time-consuming process. As a small independent studio, we begin the development process when you order a numbered edition. If you choose to order a limited edition:
Limited edition designs are posted in the gallery when the prototype is complete.
You may order a limited edition by emailing us, calling the studio or watching eBay where we place prototype pieces and some numbered pieces for sale.
What can I expect if I commission a design?
When you choose to commission a piece, you will be an active participant in the design phase. You will make choices that most please you, from a limited selection presented by the artist.
You will have the option of monitoring progress along the way. You may do so in person or we can arrange to periodically post photos of the piece under development for your viewing.
Step 1: We will have one conference, at no cost to you, in which our artist will try to capture ideas about what you would like to have in terms of design. You may prepare for this conference by viewing pictures and stained glass pattern books in an effort to find examples of subjects that appeal to you.
Step 2: As a result of this conference you may decide to provide a deposit of $40.00 to have our artist open the design phase. She will develop rough sketches of 3 alternative designs from which you may choose. This deposit covers the time invested in working out design ideas. It is applicable to the total cost of your finished piece, should you decide to move forward.
Step 3: Three different design sketches are presented to you. One of the sketches hits the mark! You feel good about that one.
If as a result of the work done so far, you believe you'd like to explore the next step, tell the artist which design you want to develop further and what you most like about it. Be prepared, you will once again provide a $40 deposit to cover the artists time committment. You may want to have the artist make some changes, or you may have some more specific ideas you'd like the artist to incorporate into the design. Express your interest and concerns now. Become part of a design team. Our artist will incorporate your ideas and evolve a more refined design.
Step 4: Three different color versions of the refined design are presented to you. You really like two of them and may struggle to decide which combination you want to go with. At this point, the artist will be able to provide you with a bid of the final cost.
Once the bid is presented, if you decide to go forward at this point, you are commissioning a work. The deposits you have paid to this point will be applied to the total. You will be required to submit the balance between what you have paid so far, and 50% of the full price to move to the next phase.
From this point, you will have the opportunity to monitor progress on the work. This is facilitated by posting digital shots of the work as it progresses.
Step 5: When the piece is complete, you will have to make arrangements to have it delivered to your location. We can assist with this process. Final payment is required prior to shipping. If you are within a comfortable distance of Central Illinois, you may wish to make arrangements to pick up the work.
As you work through this process, you need to know that no pictures of the work as it is laid out, can do justice to the appearance when the work is displayed with light shining through and reflecting from the frontal surface.
Although we lay the work out on a light table to get the best read of how the colors are working together, and this sometimes leads to selecting a lighter or darker color for some pieces, we never see the true nature of the work either until it has been leaded and can be held up to light.
How long does it take to create an orginal design stained glass piece?
This depends on the complexity of the design. A complex piece can require months of preparation and work.
In the early stages, time is allocated to working through ideas and capturing them so you, our customer, can make decisions and invest the design with your own ideas. Once we have agreed upon a design, attention turns to selecting just the right glass to achieve the color pallete you have selected in combination with the many textures and transparencies/opacities that will make your piece truly a work of art. Finally we engage in the craftsmanship of cutting glass, shaping and grinding where necessary, and securing the glass in 'came' or wrapping it with foil so it can be joined in the soldering process and reinforcing with steel if necessary.
At Spirit of Light, we require that each stage of development get our complete attention. The works are not mass produced but instead are created out of the love of the material and artistic expression. Estimated development time will be established when the design is set.
Some clients choose to create a custom design as a gift for a special event. If you have a specific time frame requirement, please consider the lead time this studio needs to prepare and build the piece.
What do you mean by residential stained glass?
By residential stained glass we mean that the design is limited in size and does not need special reinforcment to prevent distortion over time. Residential panels are designed for interior display and should not be directly exposed to the elements that cause expansion and contraction. It is this model of glass designs that have gained in popularity for interior design and as an expression of the home and family.
Works that span over 36 inches in any direction require special reinforcing techniques to support the weight of that much glass held together by lead or solder. Larger works can 'push out' at points where two pieces of glass are joined. This is most common on the vertical axis due to the weight of the glass. Glass designs that require special architecture attention naturally fall into a different pricing model. However, this technique is most appropriate for even special interior projects. For example, a privacy wall for a hot tub. . .or a room divider.
Price quotes do not include the cost of framing or installation. We will be happy to arrange to have a suitable frame made upon request.
Many pieces are designed to hang in window locations where they will become a focal point of attention. Some works can be designed as interior shutters, table tops, window banners, room dividers, valances or, well. . . be creative. Interior window shutters are especially popular for pieces designed to provide some level of privacy.
We recommend against installation of these panels in a window or door sandwiched between two outter panes. Sandwiching an art glass piece between glass window panes detracts from the tactile beauty of the work. If you do decide to install a glass panel permanently into a window well, consideration must be given to allowing air to escape from between the window and the stained glass panel.
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