Anna Conti talking about stained glass windows

This month's meeting was given over Zoom by Anna Conti, a stained glass specialist. Although she has done church glass she prefers domestic and pub architecture as they require more personal designs.

She began her interest at an early age but after university she found it hard to find a job, but incidentally saw some modern stained glass at Wolverhampton. Her first job was for Richard Branson. She learnt how to fit a window when fitting one of her early windows.

After maternity leave she went on to do some television work.

Anna showed us a book of traditional Victorian and Edwardian window patterns when many houses used them in front doors and landing windows. The Victorians had darker glass and were of a limited colour range, whereas the Edwardian designs were lighter and more adventurous in colours.

With her clients, they agree a design and colour scheme and she loves using textured glass which gives useful contrasting effects.

We were then treated to a demonstration on how to make a simple glass panel followed by examples of her work. She also explained how the lead can be used in its own right as part of the design. We saw 3-D items like lampshades and how she uses offcuts to great effect.

The talk finished with examples of work by Frank Lloyd-Wright, Rennie Mackintosh and John Piper at Coventry Cathedral.

Diane Bell