The Exhibitionists story just released online
A more in-depth, 6 & ½ min look at the craftsmanship that is going into restoring these historical works of art:
CBC Arts feature, “The Exhibitionists” w/ host Amanda Parris
The CBC Arts crew visited Eve Guinan’s studio multiple times over the past 3-4 weeks.
https://toronto.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=1656465
htmlhttps://nationalpost.com/pmn/entertainment-pmn/hidden-for-nearly-a-century-massey-halls-stained-glass-windows-find-new-life
Seasons Greetings from EGD Glass
EGD Glass wishes you a joyous holiday season and best wishes for 2019.
To mark the holiday season, EGD Glass is contributing to organizations in need of support – Doctors Without Borders, the Yonge Street Mission, Sistering and Covenant House
The image featured in this Christmas card is a detail from one of the 5 Baptistery windows at St. Thomas’s Anglican Church, Toronto. The restoration of the windows began with the removal in January of this year and the installation was completed in November 2018.
The windows were designed and fabricated by A. J. Davies, Bromsgrove Guild, England and installed circa 1922
EGD Glass have completed two major projects that have been keeping us busy in the studio and on site this year.
St Thomas’s Anglican Church, Huron Street,Toronto. The Baptistery windows were fully restored. The windows were commissioned by the congregation in memory of those that sacrificed their lives in World War 1. The windows were designed and made by A.J.Davies a renowned member of the Bromsgrove Guild (1922) and set into a purpose-built Baptistery designed by Eden Smith, sited on the south-east corner of St. Thomas’s, circa 1920. A special evening service on 11th November 2018 was held at St. Thomas’s to commemorated the centennial of the Armistice and rededicated of the restored Baptistery windows.
Photograph of Baptistery illuminated from the exterior for the evening ceremony.
Photography
of the EGD team attending the service and Rev’d. Mark Andrews, Incumbent of St. Thomas’s Church
Leading architectural heritage organization honors Eve Guinan with an award for her work.
In its presentation of the James D Stachan Award for Craftmanship, Architectural Conservancy Ontario wrote “For her long and distinguished career, an impressive body of work encompassing dozens of projects in communities across Ontario, and for her training of apprentices who intend to keep the craft of stained glass restoration alive.”
The James D Stachan Award for Craftmanship, named in memory of the late Jim Strachan, recognizes outstanding craftsmanship where the heritage of artisan craft and material is preserved.
Find some of Eve’s work here.
Panel before repair by EGD
As a final note to the restoration of the Macaulay Museum Church in Picton, the stained glass window in the vestibule was reinstated in August 2013.
The original panel was reportedly removed from a local church in Picton and installed in the vestibule, both the date and story have yet to be verified.
Panel after repair by EGD
The panel was in poor condition when EGD carried out the stained glass survey in 2010.
The restoration of the panel was not included in the 2010 – 11 refurbishment program. The ‘Friends of Macaulay Heritage Park’ volunteers took it upon themselves to find the funds to restore the window.
The restoration included maintaining as much of the original glass as possible, replicating the filigree stencilled pattern and acknowledging the key supporters of the restoration program.
Detail of restored window
Great Chancel Windows
By Tanya Baleta, Communications Coordinator at St. Paul’s Bloor Street
On the morning of April 22nd staff arrived at St. Paul’s Bloor Street to a shocking sight. One of the historic stained glass windows in the Chancel was broken – but by who or what was not known. The congregation took to our Facebook page to express shock and concern as we worked to find the best solution to conserve the window.
The great chancel windows are the centre piece of the south wall. They were dedicated by Canon Cody on November 27th, 1921 on the 8th anniversary of the dedication of the church. The three part window contains 136 figures representing biblical characters and occupies a total area of 688 square feet. It is one of the largest window groups in North America.
The lower panel was shattered.
They were dedicated by the congregation “To the Greater Glory of God and in Everlasting Remembrance of the Men of St. Paul’s who gave their lives in Defence of Justice, Liberty and Trust, A.D. 1914-1919.”
There were 74 men of the congregation who gave their lives in WWI and their names are inscribed on the marble structure beneath the windows.
Eve working on a new panel for the Great Chancel Window.
Eve Guinan of EDG Glass Studio, has been working with stained glass since she was 14. She has worked on conservation projects in the House of Commons, the Library of Parliament and a variety of historic churches in Toronto. She has been working to restore and conserve the stained glass at St. Paul’s since 1992.
“I was shocked when I saw it,” she said. “But what we think happened is that a raccoon got up there and decided to try to get in.”
The outside of the stained glass is covered by a titanium mesh, held in place by tension wire which is bolted to the stonework. It appears as though the raccoon pulled at the corner of the mesh and broke it. The sheer force of the tension snapping could have broken the window.
The original shards of glass will be put back together and given to the St. Paul’s archives, where they can be better protected.
Putting the remaining pieces back together.
Creating the replica is a long process, and complicated by the fact that Eve has to ensure the colours are a precise match. “It’s not me painting, using my own hand,” she said. “I have to copy what has already been done. The first step is selecting the right handmade glass, and then I paint.”
Once the glass is painted, it will be fired in a 1600 degree kiln for 24 hours. The glass must then be allowed to cool, before another layer of paint is applied. This process is repeated three or four times.
Once Eve is satisfied with the painting, she will lead and solder the panel. It will then be ready to be installed. The project is expected to take at least a month.
A close up of the broken panel.
“This is about the history and the heritage of the church, the community and Canadians who went to war,” said Eve. “What people don’t realize is that every stained glass window has an amazing story to it because of the family or parishioners who got the funds together to have them made. When you look at the windows you can read the stories in them – the history is all in the glass.”
