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The Art Glass of AUMC
Introduction
Brilliant jewels of light, the art glass windows of Arapaho United Methodist Church portray a series of related messages. The colorful windows are founded on scripture from both the Old and New Testaments. Artistic interpretation unifies multiple passages, which contribute to the central message of each window. The windows can be viewed as a cycle, a series of stories with one message leading to the next.
Starting with a promise from God relayed by an Old Testament prophet, then moving to the birth of Jesus, through the stories and teachings of the Bible, to the sacrifice of the crucifixion and the joy of resurrection, the windows lead to peace and reconciliation of all God's humanity. Within the series we see the transition from mankind lost in the shadow of original sin, alienated from God and without hope, to humanity transformed through God's infinite love and wisdom, and restored to new life in Christ.
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The Promise - A Gift of Hope
The first window, The Promise, depicts the restoration of hope through Old Testament prophecy. The prophet Isaiah, some 2700 years ago, is looking at his nation, a landscape destroyed, deforested and burned by the Assyrians. But Isaiah sees with different eyes, for his vision is powered by the promises of God. Isaiah's words paint a picture of hope:
A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, And a branch shall grow out of his roots.
Jesse is the father of David and the reference is to a messiah in the line of David. The central focus of the art glass window is the symbol of the tree stump with the branch growing out of the roots. In the metaphor, the root is a reference to the Davidic genealogy, the sprout is Mary, and Christ is the flower.
As you look at the Promise window, note in the upper left corner a divine hand with a burning coal, used for purification. The purple and red behind the hand are abstractions of wings. In the lower left panel is the Promise of the Christ child, the star of nativity shining down on the town of Bethlehem, city of David. Isaiah is placed before a stone wall; the flowers of red and blue are additional references to Christ.
And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.
Isaiah 40:5
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Fulfillment - A Gift of Wonder
Isaiah also said 'and a little child shall lead them.' In the second window the Fulfillment of the promise stirs a sense of wonder and humility at the miracle of Christ's birth. The art glass window features Mary holding the infant Jesus. Mary, mother of Jesus, is almost always portrayed wearing blue. The window also depicts three of the wise men in the royal symbols of a crown, the color red, and a 'treasure chest.' Behind the wise men are two camels, the mode of long-distance travel. Note that the rear camel is portrayed in negative space. The light of the guiding star illuminates mother and child.
In the upper left corner of the window is the star of nativity. Its rays of light illustrate the design element of triangulation, with the balancing of the bright glass against the darker glass. The arched wall, which starts in this panel as a yellow line and continues in the lower right panel as a rose-colored line, is a suggestion of a stable.
The fulfillment of God's promise is captured in the traditional pictorial images, which flow from the New Testament. The underlying message of the window rests on the profound meaning of Christ's physical presence among all people.
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father.
John 1:14
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Teachings - A Gift of Truth and Understanding.jpg)
The scene in the Teachings window is inspired by the familiar story of the Prodigal Son. While countless other passages could have been selected, this story was chosen for the special poignancy of its concluding verse: 'It was fitting to make merry and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.' Christians find within the Bible the historical roots of their faith, the drama of humanity searching for purpose and meaning in their lives, and, most importantly, a source of truth and understanding. The Teachings window represents the history, prophecy, examples, advice, laws, hymns, and poetry of the sacred writings that document God's relationship with humanity.
The window shows the father reaching out to his son. Note that the father is dressed in orange, a color signifying warmth, and the son is dressed in tattered clothing. You can see the outline of his ribs. A third man, the brother, is watching and listening. In the top panel the scripture reference, Luke 15, 11:32, radiates enlightenment. A blue stone arch suggests the home. It is interesting to note that an early sketch of this window by the artist shows the figure of an approving mother rather than the brother. The brother was used instead to show contrast in the reception of the returning son.
Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me.'
John 14:6
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Crucifixion - A Gift of Love
The Crucifixion window demonstrates God's supreme <u>love</u> through Christ's sacrifice on the cross for our sins. This window shows Jesus wearing a crown of thorns and nailed to a cross. Standing by is his mother Mary (dressed in blue) and his friend and disciple John 'the beloved.' At the foot of the cross, a woman appears to be praying or perhaps weeping or maybe both. In the bottom right panel, two soldiers are dividing the purple robe they had mockingly placed upon Jesus earlier. A third man, perhaps the centurion who proclaimed, 'Truly this is the son of God,' is watching.
Note how dark this window is compared to the others, portraying the increasing darkness at the approach of the sixth hour. The upper left panel shows the blue heavens being rent by lightening and the inscription INRI (meaning Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews). In the upper right panel a chalice containing the communion elements seems to be descending from heaven.
The scene depicted in the Crucifixion window derives from multiple passages within the New Testament. In Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are passages that refer to the women, soldiers casting lots for Christ's garments, other spectators, and the gathering darkness.
For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.
John 3:16
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Resurrection - A Gift of Freedom
The Resurrection window draws our attention to the most significant aspect of our Christian faith. Through Christ's sacrifice, we partake in His immortality, and enter a realm where death merely marks our passage to another phase of existence. The message is assurance of freedom from suffering, doubt, and mortality.
Christ's resurrection is the event that culminates in the triumph of hope over despair, of spirit over flesh, and of life over death. 'Lo, I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.' I Cor 15:52, 53.
The exhilaration we feel in Christ's victory over suffering and death gives us a sense of freedom unlike that which any other earthly interpretation may offer. The butterfly is the symbol of freedom, and also of transformation and metamorphosis. The triangle of light gives a most dramatic edge to this window. Note the details of the wounds in Christ's hands and feet. The tree and leaves in the lower right panel symbolize new life in Christ. In the lower left panel are three crosses. The archway of stone is the tomb. The three women in the foreground and the open tomb are documented in Mark.
For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.
I Corinthians 15:22
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Reconciliation - A Gift of Joy and Peace
The sixth window represents Reconciliation. God did not abandon humanity. God's infinite love and mercy was made incarnate through Jesus Christ, and continues to reach out to us through the Holy Spirit. We experience joypeace as we partake in Christ's triumph over sin and death, and reconciliation with our Creator. In this window we also see the challenge of Christianity to spread the message throughout the world.
In the window's upper panel is the rainbow, representing a promise from God. The arch of the rainbow is repeated in the bottom panel, where it represents the curvature of the world, meaning all of humanity. The expanse of humanity is shown in different cultures portrayed--the kilt and tam, the exotic headdress and pants, the Oriental hat. The dove is the spreading of Christ's peace throughout the world.
Christ is shown in a gesture of reconciliation. The wounds in his hands are evident. Note that the reconciled people of the world are connected; their hands are joined. This window shows the reconciliation promised through the prophet Isaiah in the first window of the series. The message in this window 'I Live' can also be read 'I Love.'
All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation.
II Corinthians 5:18
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More on the Art Glass
The windows at Arapaho United Methodist Church are actually faceted glass rather than stained glass.
A stained glass window is made of pieces of glass, held together by lead. In stained glass, the painter applies patterns in halftone mattes to control the light and bring all the colors into closer harmony. These painted pieces are fired in the kiln at least once and perhaps several times to fuse the paint and glass.
A faceted glass panel is made of pieces of dalle glass embedded in a matrix of concrete, epoxy, or plastic. The dalle glass used in faceted windows is about one inch thick. This thickness makes the control of light by texture painting unnecessary. The finished window is assured a purity of color and jewel-like quality.
The thickness of the art glass makes it essential to hold the pieces together with a poured matrix, rather than with lead strips. This matrix is usually either concrete or epoxy resin and can be as slender as a hairline or as thick as several feet. The matrix becomes part of the art, part of the window's design. Design possibilities for faceted windows are numerous, from small openings to entire wall surfaces.
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About the Artist - John Kebrie
The beautiful art glass windows of Arapaho United Methodist Church were made by John Kebrle of Kebrle Stained Glass Studio, Bachman Lake, Dallas. Mr. Kebrle comes from a family of stained glass artists. Both his father and grandfather were stained glass artists in Czechoslovakia. Mr. Kebrle's father immigrated to America in 1913, establishing the family stained-glass business in Dallas in 1920. He trained his son who took over the business in 1948.
Mr. Kebrle was educated at SMU and at the Dallas Art Institute. He has received national recognition for his talent and expertise. Among his more ambitious projects are the 100 windows at the First Methodist Church in Houston.
In designing stained-glass art, Mr. Kebrle depends on an inherent knowledge of color, how it portrays his subject, and how it affects the viewer. Note how color is used in the windows of Arapaho United Methodist Church. "No matter what the subject, the observer initially responds to the colors," he says. "Red appeals to most because of its elementary qualities of strength and visibility. It appeals to basic instincts. Orange has great warmth, and yellow suggests sunlight. Green is the color of nature and life, and combined with blue it suggests air, water, and peace. Purple suggests darkness and seriousness, while red-violet indicates richness, and, in some cultures, royalty. Colors affect each other, and color affects us all, consciously or subconsciously."
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