GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Aloha McNeil has long been fascinated by the art of combining color and the transparency of glass. This piece was inspired by the work of painter Robert Lyn Nelson.
Gifts of glass
Making creative ornaments
and gifts from stained glass
is easy and cheap
Halloween has yet to arrive, but do-it-yourselfers are already thinking ahead to Christmas. They know that the best route to an economical, and thoughtful, holiday season is to create personalized gifts from their own hearts and hands.
But sometimes creating the perfect gift calls for learning a new skill, and the next few months provide ample time to learn and perfect techniques before Dec. 25 comes around.
One colorful medium offering ornamental to utilitarian options is stained glass, a craft, according to artist Rick Kennedy, that anyone can do. A willingness to learn, some patience, and a minimum investment in tools and supplies are all it takes, he said.
"I get tired of hearing people say it is such a difficult art form," he said. "It's really easy."
He should know because he's taught kids to 80-year-olds. "Kids are the fastest learners," he said.
Kennedy has been working with stained glass for 30 years. A retired doctor, he now spends his days at Aloha Stained Glass in Kailua helping students learn the art of creating decorative glass pieces. The business was set up strictly for teaching, he said. "We did not open the store to make a fortune. I come to work and play everyday. I have a ball," he said.
New students can complete a small piece in less than a day, and the lure is understandable. Stained glass is festive and pretty to look at. From simple tree ornaments, it doesn't take much to make the leap to window-size pieces, and, as Kennedy says, "It's a lot cheaper to make it yourself than to buy it."
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Rick Kennedy and his student, Dana Anderson, above, examine the types of glass available for their handmade pieces.
Glass costs an average of $12 to $15 per square foot. But those who purchase a finished piece by an artist can expect to pay $150 per square foot, for labor and the artist's cachet.
Once you learn the basics, Kennedy said the only difference between creating a small or large piece is the time involved, and even then, glass work allows maximum flexibility. "You can pick it up or put it down anytime. It doesn't spoil or fade," he explained.
It's easy for students to get hooked, once they see their finished pieces. Kennedy said it helps that no one at Aloha Stained Glass interferes with a student's creativity. "We have learned so many cool things from our students," he said.
"We encourage people to experiment. It's only glass and if you ruin it, it's no big deal. Sometimes you only lose about 20 cents."
Those who imagine the intricacy of cathedral-style imagery need not worry about starting at the top. "Garden stepping stones are a great way to use scrap glass," Kennedy said. In addition, one-day classes offer an opportunity to create items such as night lights, sun catchers, mosaic garden bricks, bottles, vases and drinking glasses.
Two-day training sessions cover stained glass clocks and picture frames. Six session classes teach use of copper foil and lead came, how to create South Seas lamps and other advanced techniques.
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Strips of copper are used to secure glass pieces in a turtle design.
Those who tried the art form before and were disappointed with the results will find materials today have better textures, richer color and are safer to use, Kennedy says. "Everything is so clean now. Before, things were pretty nasty."
The copper foil method is used in stained glass constructions that evolved from techniques developed by Louis Comfort Tiffany. Copper tape with an adhesive backing is applied to the edges of the glass pieces and soldered together to form a panel. A leaded glass piece is created using lead came, a piece of lead channel that holds the glass pieces together to form a panel.
Tools have also improved over the years. "Glass is much easier to cut. The saws cut glass beyond our expertise. Old style cutters were dipped in oil and ran over the glass," he explained. "You can buy all the tools you need for about $160 to $175."
Another misleading notion that steers students away from the art form is the possibility of getting injured, said Kennedy.
"You don't get cut a lot," he said. "It's a user-friendly art form. If people are worried, they can use money counter rubber fingers." And, upper body strength is not needed, he added.
The hardest aspect of stained glass art is choosing the glass, said Kennedy. "We have the largest selection of glass in the Pacific. As an example, they carry 60 shades of green alone. One lady came in at 9 a.m. and brings her lunch. She took five hours to choose her glass."
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Aloha Stained Glass sells aloha shirts made of glass.
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Do it yourself
The Association for Family and Community Education offers free one-hour classes in making simple and economical gift items such as pot holders, country angels and reindeer ornaments. Call 247-0421. The schedule:Tomorrow: Kilauea Recreation Center, 4109 Kilauea Ave., from 10 to 11 a.m.
Saturday: Kahuku United Methodist Church, 56-505 Kamehameha Highway, from 10 to 11 a.m.
Oct. 21: Kailua Elementary School, from 7 to 8 p.m.
Oct. 29: Windward Community College, Hale Akoakoa Room 101; from 7 to 8 p.m.
Nov. 7: Wahiawa Public Library, from 7 to 8 p.m.
Nov. 17: Pearl City Public Library, from 7 to 8 p.m.
Nov. 18: Ewa Beach Public and School Library, from 10 to 11 a.m.
Other classes
Flora-Dec, 373 N. Nimitz Highway (537-6194). Supplies are included in the cost.Christmas Corsages: from 10 a.m. to noon, Oct. 14 and 23; $14.95
Decoupage Dessert Plates: Two-day class, from 5 to 8 p.m. Oct. 22 and 29; $39.95
Flowers Forever Framed: Deco clay shadow boxes, from 9:30 to 11:30 p.m. Oct. 25; $48.95
Wreathes: from 10 a.m. to noon Oct. 28; $44.95
Halloween Egg Class: With Eileen Tokita, the "Egg Lady," from 9 a.m. to noon Oct. 18; $27.95
Halloween Make-Take Crafts: from noon to 1:30 p.m. Oct. 30. FreeDemonstrations are also offered at all Ben Franklin locations.
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This stained glass piece, by Rick Kennedy of Aloha Stained Glass, is an example of a piece even a beginner could do, Kennedy says.
Lessons in glass
Aloha Stained Glass is located at 130 Kailua Road. Classes are also offered at Hickam and in Kaneohe. Fees are $40 to $600 (including all supplies), depending on the project.Rick Kennedy also heads a stained glass club whose members help with community projects and teach specialized classes.
For information or registration, call 262-6600.
Other classes
Hawaii Stained Glass, 280 Oneawa St., Kailua; 263-8600
Menehune Stained Glass, 912 Kilani Ave., Wahiawa; 622-2686
Pacific Stained Glass, 1247 Kailua Road, Kailua; 262-7771
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