Two-Panel Colored Glass Tile Mosaic “Quilt”: Seasons

Dimensions: Height 19 inches, Width 22.25 inches, Thickness 1.25 inches, Weight 8.5 pounds. Do you love stained glass, like I do? Well this is essentially a faux stained-glass window, made from precut squares of glass tile, glued to two panes of glass in an old window frame, with black grout taking the place of lead. The components combine in a way that, in my view, looks like really old stained glass, with bubbles and other imperfections. I named this piece “Seasons” because the colors I chose for the two panels reflect different times of the year: the left panel is meant to evoke fall and winter; the right panel, spring and summer. Two D-rings are attached to the top of the frame, so you can use a string, chain or wire to connect them in an A-shape and hang the piece from a nail or hook in front of a window where lots of sunlight comes in. Or you can just sit it on the sill and lean it against the window. Because they are metallic vitreous glass tiles, this piece looks pretty good even when light isn’t shining through from behind; light in front of it will highlight the sparkly gold streaks on the front of each tile. $250. Click here to purchase.

The Story

I found an old window in a dumpster outside a house undergoing renovations in my Glover Park neighborhood of DC. It was in good shape. (At the same time I found a piece of a beam that I used in a sculptural wood piece. Upcycling bonanza!) Having made some faux stained glass art before using old picture frames, I thought the window had similar potential. I used chemicals to strip off the paint. It turns out the same process softens the hard, old glazing putty that holds the glass in place, making it much easier to remove the two panes. I used a circular saw to trim away the curves on the two sides and a belt sander to remove some material from the top edge. I did some additional sanding all around to smooth all the surfaces and remove some remaining paint. I stained the frame a dark brown (Minwax “Espresso,” I think), slightly sanded several edges to give it a more antique look, and then finished it with a couple of coats of Minwax water-based clear satin Polycrylic. After cleaning up the glass, I glued on all the tiles and finished the two panes with unsanded black grout. I installed the panes into the frame with glazier points. The five similar pieces I had made before this one all used combinations of squares and rectangles for the basic design. For this piece I went in a different, new direction, creating the diamond patterns. But I think it still retains the look of a quilt made from many individual small squares—probably even more so than a traditional stained-glass window. It’s a distinctive look that I hope others like, too.

Related Items: Colored Glass Tile Mosaic “Quilts” #1-4, Colored Glass Tile Mosaic “Quilts” #5-10.