Kessler Studios Stained Glass & Mosaics- DeWald Chapel

DeWald Chapel - Mt. Union College
(Artwork #110a)
Alliance, Ohio

Size: Overall commission was 1300 square feet of art glass. South window (shown above): 14' x 35' overall.

The windows were designed to offer a liturgical ambiance that would be inspiring for persons of any religious affiliation. Although the designs reflect Christian themes, they are subtle in their presentation. This window, and the North facing one (also 14' x 35' but not shown), incorporate a cross within the upper circle as well as integrating the architectural lines of the window frames.

The artists sought to bring the beauty of mouthblown "antique" glasses to the artwork, yet stop the eye at the plane of the glass surface. The answer was to use opals and opak glass from the Lamberts Glass Company in Europe. The Kesslers carefully selected the colors desired and supervised the production of the glass at the factory in Germany.

The resulting artwork softens the exterior view while creating a rich visual presence. Opals & opaks accentuate the shading quality of antique glass and help reduce glare. This South set of windows also uses some white and clear glasses to help create the sense of the colored glass floating in the space.