Have you ever come across one of those colorful hung ornaments with unique designs of flora or fruit? No, not Christmas ornaments. Those usually come in balls in a variety of colors. No, these ornaments are flatter in shape, usually refracting light off whatever light source around it. These are called stained glass window suncatchers.
You might be familiar with the concept if you’ve ever been inside older places of worship, such as cathedrals and monasteries of the Middle Ages. Back then, stained glass windows were used as both a form of decoration, but also to separate the outside world from your surroundings. Their semi-opaque nature allows light to seep through, colored of course, but only enough to illuminate.
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Stained glass suncatchers for windows
Stained glass window suncatchers are similar to stained glass windows in that they share the same function. They reflect light from one side, and reproduce it on the other side in whatever color and texture it’s made from. Unlike the windows, however, these suncatchers are mobile and aren’t necessarily designed to prevent one side from seeing into the other.
The suncatcher is made of two main parts. One is the main attraction, the colored glass, and its design. The other is the hook, with which you are able to hang your suncatcher wherever there is sunlight to be refracted. The process of making suncatchers is not especially hard, however, it does take skill to get the right measurements and solder together the pieces safely. When it comes to colors, artists have the choice of either using pre-made colored glass, or, for more professional artists with the right equipment, they can fuse colors and glass together using metallic salts. The result is a beautifully textured glass that gives character to any room it lives in.
Suncatchers can come in a variety of different designs and shapes; many of them are home-made, meaning you could request your own if the service is available. For starters, smaller sizes can have flora, snowflakes, or animals in differing colors. These are great for places in the house where you don’t want the colors to wash over the entire space. Perhaps over the kitchen sink, or by a bathroom window. Larger designs are more complex but can tell a short story. A child and their parent playing in the snow, a landscape shot of trees in the fall with leaves on the ground, the yin and yang of the moon and sun together. You could even ask for an abstract design, too. Geometrical shapes, dotted landscapes, arched waves; the possibilities are endless!
Part of their charm is in their function to illuminate and add color to your home. Suncatchers don’t need to be a reflection of life. They can simply be an aesthetically pleasing decoration for your home. They’re a welcome addition to your interior decor, and often have a calming effect on an individual. They’re considered a piece of art, which is why they come in so many different shapes and sizes https://glassartstories.com/collections/other-window-hangins. Did you know you could have stained glass suncatcher bowls? It’s true. Much like the famed glass blowers of Venice, you could have any design you want, as long as you can imagine it.