Blanding's Stained Glass Guru

Most people think of Mark Lyman as a skilled counselor and friend, but he also has many creative talents. He majored in Art at BYU and graduated in 1967. This led him to a skill that few people are patient enough to learn: Creating stained glass windows. He first encountered the majesty of stained glass in the Cologne Cathedral while living in Germany in the 60’s. "It was the first time I appreciated the practice of medieval people building stone cathedrals, soaring higher than seemingly possible, with stained glass windows placed along the walls high enough to cause you to look up, heavenward. The combination of stone, colored glass and incense in the air must have been a magical and humbling experience for Medieval people. as it is for us today." The combination of stone, colored glass and incense in the air must have been a magical and humbling experience for Medieval people. As it is for us today. Years later the Lymans took their family back to Cologne to see if they could recapture that magic. "It was still there and has been each time we’ve visited" That same experience and sense of awe can be found in cathedrals all around the world. The famous Rose window in the Notre Dame Cathedral survived the fire of 2019 and is again open to the public, as well as the lesser-known Saint-Chapelle, also in Paris. "We have experienced St. Paul’s and Westminster Cathedrals in London, Canterbury Cathedral, St. Albans in Copenhagen, Sulzberger Dom and Nurnberg Abbey in Salzburg, as well as many smaller, lesser-known cathedrals. St. Savior’s Church in Bar Harbor, Maine has the largest collection of Louis Comfort Tiffany stained glass windows. These are at eye level, and although marvelous, don’t seem to inspire the same sense of wonder. They feel more like an art museum. Being forced to look heavenward seems to be good for the soul." In many ways stained glass as an art form is similar to piecing a quilt, though not as easy to fix if you make a mistake. First the size is determined, then the pattern and color scheme is planned using the various colors of glass. Glass is usually purchased at art stores and then the artist determines a pattern and what colors to use. This is where the real artistry begins, as glass is cut into specific shapes, then tediously put back together into a visual masterpiece.

There is a unique range of materials involved in making stained-glass. The palette consists of colored glass, copper foil, and solder (which holds the creation together). As with other art forms, first the creator plans the design on how the various colors and shapes will fit together in a predetermined space. Next the shapes are traced onto the colored glass using. The glass has to be clean and dry on both sides and then is scored with a sharp tool specifically used for glass, so it breaks precisely as planned. Straight lines are cut first, then the curved ones. All the edges require sanding (with fine sand paper) so they snuggly fit, like puzzle pieces. This is followed by melting copper foil which is moldable and will bend on both sides around the glass. The final step is soldering every piece together with an 80 watt soldering iron, using flux so that both sides stay in place. The foil is like wire and comes in various colors depending on the artist's preferences. Even a small stained glass piece 14X 20 inches may take as long as a week or more to create. Mark has made a dozen or more 4X8X6 pieces and several larger 20X20 stained glass panels. As with all art forms there may be disasters along the way, but the final outcome is still worth it! It is not an simple skill to learn. If you're looking for a quick and easy imitation, you can just paint on glass, which is evidently what was done on the large glass window in the old south chapel.