Creating a Career as a Stained Glass Artist; Interview with Eleanor Bird

Eleanor Bird has quickly established herself as one of the UK's leading contemporary stained glass artists. She speaks to Transition Tradition about the challenges of creating transcendent installations in religious buildings, trading stained glass windows for Spanish lessons and studying architectural glass design.

Do you consider yourself a maker, designer or artist?

All three, as a stained glass artist, you often become a 'jack of all trades'.

What career path led you into stained glass making?

I studied Design and Public Art at Chelsea College of Art and Design, then worked for a few months at Thomas Heatherwick Studio, where I was a project designer working on a large scale sculptural installation. Whilst there I found I really wanted more hands on making experience, and I applied for jobs in stained glass studios, knowing that I wanted to continue to work with glass, as I love the effect that stained glass has on the built environment.

Do you have a mentor, if so how important has this been to the development of your professional practice?

I don’t have a mentor in any official sense of the word, but Roy Coomber, the Stained Glass artist that I worked for, has had a big influence on the way in which I design and work. I’m sure that I will continue to go to him for advice.

Are there any other stained glass artists who inspire you?

I love the work of John Hayward, who sadly died earlier this year. His work manages to be both spiritual, and extremely dignified.

Is there a contemporary stained glass movement, or is the majority of work restoring traditional examples?

There is a contemporary stained glass movement. Many artists are embracing new techniques that allow them to use glass in different ways to enhance buildings. Conservation is a skill within itself, while some artists are able to do both, it is advisable for anybody seeking to have stained glass restored to go to someone with experience of conservation. 

Is stained glass art becoming increasingly secular?

As with all art, stained glass continues to be appreciated for its transforming effects in both religious and secular spaces.

Are the majority of stained glass artists self-taught or are there professional courses in stained glass production?

I’m not sure I can answer the first part of the question, but I know that architectural glass courses are becoming fewer. Skills such as glass painting are hard to teach as it can take years to really get a good grip. One of the joy’s in working for Roy Coomber was that he had over 50 years of experience as a glass painter yet he is still experimenting and trying out different ways of painting, which makes him an excellent teacher.

How do you find clients and receive commissions?

So far it’s been word of mouth. I haven’t had to advertise or apply for commissions. Though I did once trade a window for some Spanish lessons!

Have you undertaken any business skills training whilst building your practice?

I haven’t taken any business skills training, but again, working for other artists has helped to get experience of relevant business skills.

Is there an ‘ultimate’ commission you would like to undertake?

I’m really interested in the development of churches as community centres, opening up as spaces for all faiths and none. It’s an interesting challenge to create work that is purely transcendent. I was lucky to get a Scholarship from the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust, which is enabling me to study ways of doing this at the University of Sunderland, one of the remaining educational establishments that has an architectural glass department.

For more information, please visit:

http://www.2birds.org/

http://www.qest.org.uk/

http://www.bsmgp.org.uk/

http://www.cgs.org.uk

http://www.churchart.co.uk/