The Grail Window – Sheffield Anthroposophical Society, 2010
The Grail Window was one of my last commissions of 2010. The idea was to create something that represented the stream of esoteric Christianity. I made a whole series of sketches – mostly based around the theme of the Rose Cross – but nothing really seemed to work. Then suddenly one day in the form of a very small paper collage, I combined Death and Resurrection with the Grail Motive, the Lunar Chalice with the Sun Orb. It’s often like that – you work very intensely on something, but because you are trapped within narrow concepts, a limited framework of ideas, nothing happens, creativity is stultified. Relax, let go and things happen. After approval I made a full-scale sketch and set to work. The cross element that had been fairly dominant in the sketch, faded into the background and two crossing Seraphic wings spread themselves across the surface. The centre, a contracted space, that had indicated the Crucified One, became a kind of ‘Eye’. I used very dark blue, grey and black for the ‘Chalice’ and fiery reds, pinks and whites for the resurrection Sun sphere. I employed the same triple laminate method I had used for the Seven Life Process Windows, fragments of coloured glass bonded onto a layer of 2mm glass, backed by a diffuser plate.
The Memorial Garden Windows, 2010
The Memorial Garden windows were made for William Morris House Camphill Community in 2010. Commissioned by Michael Laupe, the Community’s founder, they are set in deeply recessed windows of rough stone. Colours and shapes are loosely based on paintings by Michael’s mother.
The Sheffield Windows – Freeman College, 2008
The seven life processes are ‘dynamic’ activities within the ‘Life body’ or Etheric of man. They constitute a sustaining, growing, self-perpetuating flow of activity. These processes are: Breathing-Warming-Nutrition-Secretion-Maintenance-Growing and Propagation.
Johannes Steuck
Click here for the artist’s complete text on the Sheffield Windows
Mourne Grange Chapel Windows, 2006
There was one incident that took my work onto an entirely different level. A friend arrived with her sister, they sat gazing at the windows for a long time. Suddenly the sister said, ‘I never really had any connection to Anthroposophy, now I can begin to see there’s something in it’. Of course, this was flattering– but there was also something else– a sense of responsibility! My God, I could actually make something that could affect someone profoundly, I better get my act together.
Johannes Steuck
Click here for the artist’s full text on Mourne Grange Windows
The Zodiac Windows – Stourbridge, 2005
The windows represent a three-foldness of Cosmos, Elements and Man. As well as being an all-encompassing theme, it is an actual realisation of all the various skills and techniques that developed over the years.
Johannes Steuck
Click here for Johannes’ complete text on The Zodiac Windows
The Morton-in-the-Marsh lamps, 2001
The lanterns combine two directions in which I have taken stained glass over the years. Traditional leaded glass incorporating chunks of glass, semi-precious stones, beaten and poured metal surfaces and laminated glass using a mosaic technique. The first is more sculptural, using elements of jewellery, the second lends itself to a very free flowing linear style. The Morton lamps combine, for the first time, picture panels and lamps. The pictures show imaginative ‘ideals’ rather than actual representations.
Johannes Steuck
Click here for Johannes’ full description of the Morton-in-the-Marsh Lamps
