Colored Glass Tile Mosaic “Quilt” #5

Dimensions: Height 26.5 inches, Width 20.5 inches, Weight 6 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 a pane of glass, 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. Two D-rings are attached to the top edge so you can use a string or wire to connect the two in an A-shape and hang 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. $225. Click here to purchase.

The Story

Occasionally I find old wooden picture frames. When the glass is intact, that’s even better, though if necessary, that can be purchased. Typically, as in this case, the frames need to be sanded and restained and reinforced for strength and structural integrity. When I realized that I could get a variety of see-through glass tile and—most importantly—glue that would dry clear (from my favorite outlet, Maryland Mosaics, outside of Baltimore), it dawned on me that I could make something like a faux stained-glass window. (I’ve always loved real stained glass; maybe I’ll learn that craft someday.) The small square tiles don’t lend themselves to creating fancy scenes or depicting real objects, but abstract art is possible; clustering them in different sized squares and rectangles mimics the look of a quilt. Black grout takes the place of the lead in actual stained-glass windows. I discovered that the grooves on the back of the tiles and the air bubbles that form in the glue under the tiles make the tiles look like really, really old stained glass, which was made in small pieces and had similar imperfections. Also, some of the grout gets under some edges, making the squares look a little rounded. It’s a distinctive look that I hope others like, too.

Related Items: Colored Glass Tile Mosaic “Quilts” #1-4, Beautified Leaded Glass Window.