Meyda Tiffany Lighting is sponsoring “In Company with Angels: Seven Rediscovered Tiffany Windows,” an exhibition of stained-glass angels created in 1902 in the renowned studios of one of the most illustrious designers of the early 20th century, Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848-1933). The exhibit opened recently in the Museum of Art, at the Munson-Williams Proctor Arts Institute in Utica, New York, and will run through Jan. 4, 2015.
For more information about the exhibition, visit http://www.mwpai.org/view
Made to grace a Swedenborgian church in Cincinnati, Ohio, the rare windows were displaced when the church was razed in 1964 for highway construction. Stored in crates, the eight-foot-tall windows were moved from Ohio to Pennsylvania and remained in parishioners’ garages, basements and a barn for nearly 40 years. A newly assigned minister opened the mysterious unmarked crates in 2001. Stunned by what she discovered, she called a stained-glass expert who recognized Tiffany’s characteristic opalescent glass, designs and techniques, despite decades of grime. Church archives confirmed the attribution, and restoration of the angel windows began in 2004. Cleaning of the last window revealed Tiffany’s signature and In Company with Angels, Inc., a nonprofit organization, was formed to preserve and exhibit the windows. Given that an estimated 50 per cent of Tiffany studios’ church-window production does not survive, rediscoveries – especially of a series such as the Seven Angels – is a significant event in the history of American glass.
The eight-foot-tall windows feature the hallmark of Tiffany’s artworks, opulent jewel-toned and richly coloured iridescent glass, called Favrile. Tiffany and his designers created unparalleled dramatic visual effects through the use of colour and light, in a variety of materials. In addition to the back-lit windows, the exhibition will feature a range of decorative arts created in Tiffany’s studios – colourful lamps, vases, ceramics, enamels, metalwork and furniture – drawn from the museum’s permanent collection and select loans. A special display will illustrate how intricate stained-glass masterpieces are created.
The Swedenborgian faith is a Christian tradition, based on the writings of 18th-century scientist and mystic Emanuel Swedenborg. A central theme of the Swedenborgian denomination teaches that the purpose of human life is to prepare to live as angels in heaven. It also holds that angels are present and contribute to daily life on earth. A person is in company with angels, though unaware, thus the relevance of the seven stained-glass windows
ALL ABOUT MEYDA TIFFANY LIGHTING
Meyda Tiffany Lighting is the nation’s leading manufacturer and designer of custom and decorative lighting and Tiffany lamps. Founded in 1974, the firm’s roots date back to the early 1900s supplying Tiffany Studios with lighting original products, including the original Coca-Cola stained-glass fixtures. With years of designing and manufacturing expertise, Meyda has developed innovations, technologies and value engineering that transcend architectural lighting for any budget or economy.
Meyda offers a diverse group of designers and engineers that create custom fixtures, lamps, windows and accessories to meet the exact specifications of any residential or commercial project. A variety of lighting diffusers include stained-glass Tiffanys, mica, fabric, fused glass, sand-carved glass, blown-glass and acrylic. Fabricators work with steel, iron, aluminum, bronze, brass and copper, while employing a variety of craftsmanship techniques including forging, welding, forming, plasma cutting and soldering. The company’s extensive palette of finishes features many textures and colours achieved by employing gilding, hand painting, power coating and electroplating. Conventional and energy efficient lamping solutions are available, including LEDs, compact fluorescents, incandescents and more.
For more info about Meyda Lighting, visit http://www.meyda.com/newsite/index.asp