Advice for artists

The blending of the work with its surroundings is always a commitment of the artist. Stained glass can complete interiors and fill spaces with new textures of light and colour. It is an imaginative and elegant alternative to other decorative resources. The compositional and colour richness of leaded glass techniques are unlimited and, at the same time, inimitable, impossible to achieve with any other technique. Among many others, the stained glass windows for the Temple of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona by Joan Vila-Grau, and the stained glass window for the Carmelites of San José in Tarragona, designed by Pilar de Ahumada, are some of the new projects carried out.

Collaborations with stained glass artists

Darius Vilàs, Ramon Rogent, Ramón Calzina, Roca Sastre, Will Faber, Viladecans, Grau Garriga, Subirachs, Vila-Grau, Hernández Pijoan, Ràfols Casamada, Tano Pisano, Perico Pastor, Marta Blasco, Andrea Ortega, Jaume Cases, Jaume Cuadrench and the architects Pericas, Jujol, Puig Boada, Rubió i Bellver among many others are some of the architects and artists with whom we have collaborated.

The studio collaborates with artists to develop their projects. At the root of the company is a commitment to innovation and research into new ideas and uses of stained glass. J.M. Bonet is the hand that guides the artist in the translation of paper sketches to the final stained glass windows that will illuminate the temples. The stained glass windows transform the raw light into complex spectra that fluctuate throughout the day in changing hues. These are the intentional fruit of the work that the team composed of the artist and the master glazier have developed.

Artistic stained glass construction

Artistic stained glass is a speciality in which few artists are trained. On the other hand, many artists are often commissioned to design stained glass windows. Stained glass is a specific field in which the materials, glass, grisaille, enamel are often unknown to the creator. Sometimes it is even designed without having a clear idea of how it will be made or what materials will be used.

In order to dispel all these doubts the workshop works side by side with the artist presenting materials and methods, making samples to bring the artist or designer closer to the final aspect of the finished project. In the case of stained glass the art and design on paper must be translated and transferred to the glass artwork without losing the character, spirit and intention of the initial project. Artistic consultancy has given spectacular results in the creation of large works of art, in private collections, in temples and public spaces.

Stained glass consultancy process

Stained glass consulting requires knowledge of the space and the artist’s intention. The artist must know and see firsthand the properties of the materials, from the intensity and depth of the colours of the glass, unmatched by any other material, to the more mechanical properties. Stained glass has unique properties and the design and project must extract all the virtues of the material while avoiding all the drawbacks. It is common to see mistakes in composition, execution and poor choice of glass that could have been easily solved with a few basic recommendations.

Stained glass windows are works of art that once built will remain for a very long time in the space where they were built, so it is worth having a good artistic advisor with proven solvency to advise on the pros and cons of each decision. It is a very satisfying process of dialogue and learning for both the artist and the glazier.

Consultancy for conservation projects

In this area, we provide the client with the ability to correct possible deterioration by working directly on the deteriorated windows as well as with advisory/consultancy services for heritage managers, architects, restorers in the drafting of conservation-restoration projects to know the state of conservation of their stained glass windows and the future stages and costs of their restoration.

J.M. Bonet’s conservators visit the building and generate complete reports documenting the deterioration and proposing long-term conservation strategies and the estimated costs of the different proposals. J.M. Bonet’s technicians are in charge of the conservation strategies for the stained glass windows of several listed buildings.