Venue welcomes local stained glass artist

A local artist combines techniques to create stained-glass artwork, on display at the Venue Fine Art & Gifts this month.

The Venue was host to an opening reception for artist Glenn Kirsch Friday. His works will be on sale until the event ends Nov. 28.

Kirsch is a Bloomington native first introduced to  stained glass as a student at Bloomington North High School.

Creating stained glass was a hobby until he incorporated it into his work with M.T. Kirsch Construction.

After he began creating the glass, the demand for his creations grew, and Kirsch began designing for worship centers.

“Stained glass is glass that has been colored by adding metallic salts during its manufacture,” Kirsch said. “The colored glass is crafted into stained glass windows, in which small pieces of glass are arranged to form patterns or pictures, which are all held together by strips of lead and supported by a rigid frame.”

At the reception, Kirsch explained to guests the traditional process used to make these pieces.

He uses medieval techniques with layered metal oxide paints fired into glass. He also uses modern, temperature-controlled glass kilns and expansive colored pigment selections.

The pieces displayed were mostly stained glass windows with various images and designs.

Stained glass projects such as “Red,” “Dragonfly” and “Framed Fleur de lis” contained pictures of angels, crosses and dragonflies.

Kirsch said his inspiration comes without much thought.

“Some of the ideal symbolisms that are seen in these pieces just come to me occasionally when I am either driving or watching television,” Kirsch said.

Attendee Julie DelGuidice said she was in great marvel of each piece.

“With all the new century technology out today, you would think no one would resort to such a difficult process,” DelGuidice said. “It is unbelievable that people are still keeping the ancient tradition of making this glass that we grew up to witness in church alive.”