As if we weren’t excited enough already for our new home in Sullivant Hall, glass artisan Wayne Cain just shared with us some remarkable photos of the art glass that his studio is creating based on Billy Ireland’s cartoons from The Passing Show. These two breathtaking pieces will be the crown jewels of our building’s design, displayed to the public from the two main entrances to the building. The larger of the two will separate our main lobby from the reading room, while the other will be back-lit in the rotunda of the building’s east entrance from High Street.
The images in the album below are accompanied by descriptions from the Facebook page for Cain Inc. Architectural Art, where you can learn more about the project and keep up with it’s progress. Click on the photos to enlarge and scroll through the process.
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- “These custom windows include original cartoons from the work of Billy Ireland placed in windows of our contemporary style. After the designs are completed and approved, we blow them up to actual size and check to make sure all the lines are correct, measurements accurate.”
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- “The wooden frames help us gain an understanding of how the borders will, and we cut small strips of wood to help determine the sizes of bronze and steel to use throughout the window.”
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- “After preliminary placing the strips, we move the frames into a position similar to the one they will be installed into. Tweaks to metal thickness are done, and by “living” with the designs we are better able to have an understanding of how particular lines and cartoons will impact the rest of the window.”
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- “Glass is preliminary chosen, and samples sent to the various parties involved in decision making. Each sample is labeled with paint and fired to test how the glass behaves in the kiln.”
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- “While awaiting the final word on glass samples, we waste not a moment and weld the steel frames. We are fortunate that, as craftsmen, our skill set is not limited to glass. Here, Wayne makes sure the frame is perfectly square and secure.”
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- “Welding a corner joint.”
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- “The window will be built in sections to allow for transportation and strength. Solid steel bars are used for securing the window sections to the frame. Again, everything is checked and double checked.”
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- “As we get closer to making final glass decisions, more samples are cut.”
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- “These samples were painted with cartoons, allowing the decision makes to see how the lines interact with the glass. The reason we received this commission is because, like Billy Ireland, we are self-taught artists who do everything by hand. Each line on the glass was painted by hand.”
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- “We sent these custom stands to a few individuals so that they could put our samples next to each other and see how the different types of glass fit together. The glass was chosen to look like old paper. “
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- ” These aren’t just black and white cartoons, most will have some color. Each color must be test fired on the glass to insure it is a perfect match for the original cartoons.”
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- ” First round of enamel firing.”
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- “Second color application. Each piece that receives color will be prepared similarly.”
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- “The color samples ready to head out the door [to The Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum]. “
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- “Once the decisions are made, we cut glass in earnest.”
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- “The glass for this project was difficult to find, and one of the manufactures we rely upon for rich parchment colored glass has since closed its doors. We tracked down all we could find, and choose only the best sections of the glass sheets for the project.”
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- “The initial outline is done is a stark black, and is the first to be fired because of it’s high fusing temperature.”
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- “In the kiln, awaiting the bake.”
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- “After surviving the kiln, it is placed in the window for inspection.”
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- “Piece by piece, line by line, the outlines are completed and placed in their appropriate spot.”
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- “Time for some color.”
Huge thank you to Cain Inc. for all of their hard work on these unique, benchmark pieces! We can’t wait to show them off this Fall.
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