Reclaimed Charm was born out of a passion for sustainability. Initially, I began re-purposing and up-cycling as a way to keep discarded household goods from the landfill. I painted, repaired and saved anything that I could; I tried to use stained glass wherever possible. As a veteran stained glass artist for over 20 years, I became unchallenged by the regular stained glass methods: buy glass, cut, fit into pattern - stained glass by numbers.
It wasn't until I first came upon a 100 year old window that was broken and about to be thrown in the landfill that I saw a unique opportunity. Rather than fit the glass to an existing pattern, I created or found patterns that fit the broken and discarded glass. I felt so passionate about saving this glass: it is a part of our history! From a window in a farm house, to a house on Locke St., to a church in Richmond Hill.
Many of the pieces have been created from discarded glass and have history lessons, workmanship and most of all kept our families warm and dry. I've used 100, 150 and 200 year old glass in my pieces, and I am currently working with 200 year old church glass. The church was built in 1776, went through wars, several renovations and these church windows were removed when a predominant church member passed away and the family had new windows created in their memory. The glass sat in the basement for many years until it was decommissioned by the church then taken home by a Deacon. I couldn't pass up such an exciting opportunity!
I am excited to source vintage glass kitchenware that our mothers and grandmothers were proud to serve candy to visitors in but is now given away to thrift stores. I create art pieces and make heirlooms knowing this glass will live on and have another life rather than be discarded to the landfill. Every piece I make has a story and I can tell you where every piece of glass came from.
I reclaim, re-purpose and up-cycle specializing in stained glass.....glass with a history, a story, a past!
No comments:
Post a Comment