Featured Artist Mark McCall

Artist Mark McCall has always been fascinated by the emotional effect light has on space when it transmits through color. Visit his website to see more of his stained glass art.

 

 

I have always been fascinated by stained glass—light filtering through colored glass illuminates and softens space while textures on the glass bend light into ephemeral beams, almost always setting the tone of a space to one of peace and contemplation.

 

 

My stained glass art is an expression of the landscape—physical and emotional—surrounding me. I see things all around that influence, inspire and stimulate ideas in me.

 

 

Sometimes it is beauty in nature and sometimes it is a scripture in the Bible. Sometimes it is simply the piece of glass that I pick up.

 

 

One of my favorite things to do is use reclaimed materials (glass, wood and instruments), giving them a new and different life by adding the illuminating and reflective qualities of stained glass.

 

 

Many old stained glass windows in churches are composed of images that tell a story or convey a message. In the eastern world, learning is still accomplished using stories told through pictures and symbols. To me, stained glass is a natural medium to translate a story or message into visual imagery. Many of the pieces I have designed, in particular my spiritually themed panels, contain symbols and metaphors. I hope to convey, through my art, the feelings and emotions of the story behind these symbols.

 

 

Other than a basic fundamental stained glass class in 2002, my training has been experiential. When I was young, I loved to draw. In junior high school, art class was my favorite subject. In high school I took mechanical drawing, and loved the detail and precision of drafting.

 

My other strong interest, however, was science and I ended up in the field of dentistry. Art was put on the back burner as I established my life in the dental profession.

 

 

I returned to the world of art through stained glass in 2002. My studio is a detached garage, where I can go to get lost producing and creating a variety of stained glass items. As with many artists, the biggest obstacle I face is my need for perfection and the self-defeating thoughts that go along with that.

 

 

Pushing through and trying is, for me, part of the therapeutic, creative process. I am grateful to have so many people in my family that have influenced and encouraged me to expand my creative work, all of which has added dimension to my life through art.

 

 

I am very humbled and honored to be chosen as an Artsy Shark featured artist and wish to say thank you!

I want to acknowledge a special person—Sheryl Silberman—for helping me write this. Sheryl is my cousin, a friend, an artist and a poet.

 

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