By Keith Taylor
None of those who attended Claudia Phipps’ talk at The Lee Old Church on Sunday 27th September will ever look at a stained glass window in the same way again.
As a novice stained-glass picture maker I quickly realised just how basic my knowledge was and we were all overwhelmed to see what an expert can achieve.
An eye for design plus technical skill in such things as glass blowing, glass cutting and etching are only two dimensions of this art form. Computer skills, fusing glass in furnaces, drilling glass and even using now antiquated acid baths all feature.
Anyone listening to Claudia’s explanation of how she formulates her ideas and brings them together to create a new piece would certainly realise the importance of her relationship with the world around her.
The connection between this and our emotional and spiritual lives was made all the more poignant as many of her pieces are made for hospitals and hospices, sometimes even before she has any agreement for payment.
Love and inspiration are obviously huge factors for Claudia in realising such beautiful concepts.
This was a big expansive talk, delivered with calm confidence, lively enthusiasm and beautiful slides of work that most of us would be proud to own. Many of us will be beating a path to the church in St Leonards to see Claudia’s commissioned work: it’s beautiful.
This was a remarkable evening delivered by a remarkable young woman.