Primarily a contemporary stained glass artist, Tyree MacFarland creates breathtaking glass works in many traditionally recognized styles, including Victorian, Edwardian, Art Deco, Art Nouveau and Arts and Crafts. Among her most interesting works are her timeless leaded glass panels made of etched, beveled and boldly stained glass.
Tyree begins her panels by first creating a miniature maquette on paper--a scaled down version of the window. This version is then drawn as a full-sized cartoon of the panel. Then templates are made from this drawing by tracing it onto manila pattern paper, which is then cut out and used as pattern pieces to trace onto the sheets of glass. Using a carbide glass cutter, she cuts and arranges the pieces of glass on the drawing. Once all the pieces of glass in each color or texture have been cut, it is set up with lathing strips to begin assembly with lead came. The leads are stretched to temper the came and the leading process is ready to begin. During leading, some of the pieces of glass may require grozing (nibbling away bumps or oversized pieces) with hand-held pliers to ensure the glass fits properly within the lead lines. This can also be accomplished by using a diamond bit grinding head to achieve an exact fit. It is important that each piece fits within the lead line on the drawing. Otherwise, the panel can "grow," causing fitting problems at a later stage in the leading process.
Once the leading is complete, soldering begins. A small number of joints are brushed with flux. The panel is soldered at each joint where the lead touches another piece of lead and then turned over to complete the soldering of all the joints on the backside. Once the panel has been soldered, the flux residue is cleaned off and the panel is ready to weatherproof. This is achieved by pushing glazing compound under the lead channel on both sides of the window and allowing it time to set up and slightly harden (for two to three days) before the excess is cleaned away, leaving a smooth edge around the lead. Then it is cleaned a final time by rubbing the panel with sawdust to remove any oils from the caulk and to polish the glass. Large panels (those over 16 inches wide) require a final step of reinforcement using a 1/2-inch steel bar that is soldered directly to the back of the panel, providing structural support. The visual impact of Tyree’s exquisite glass panels is that of wonderfully rich colors and delightful textures.
Guests
Tyree MacFarland
Stained Glass Artist
Helios Artglassworks and Gallery
Nashville, TN
Phone: 615-297-5676
Website:
heliosnashville.com
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