OFF THE CHARTRES

One of my mother's chosen artistic mediums was stained glass . She learned the art from my grandmother, whose intricate Tiffany-inspired lampshades brought color to every room in the house. I remember them staying up late, cutting, grinding, soldering, making beautiful beveled-glass windows, pyramids, and even a rendition of Monet's Waterlilies in glass. One Christmas, I decided to make a stained glass ornament for my Dad. I chose a sailboat design, toiled over choosing the glass, cutting and grinding it, wrapping the edges with foil, and soldering the pieces together. It was a far more labor-intensive process than I'd anticipated and the...