Around 2008, a retired couple in Charlottesville, VA, began collecting some of my work. They lived in a small condo with many art pieces accumulated over the years. After downsizing into their new home, their living space had become quite crowded.

One day, they contacted me, wanting to share an idea. We would like to have another one of your windows, but we don’t have another window.

As the three of us made our way around their living area, we all spotted a space along a wall that had potential. I had an idea, but I knew I would have to show them examples before any of it would make sense.

I ended up creating a “window” using all iridized glass. Most iridized glass is made in the factory when the sheet is still hot. After spraying with stannous chloride, the glass has a reflective metallic finish of different colors.

The three-dimensional pieces in the center are called turtlebacks. They are made of hot glass pressed in a mold. Tiffany made them in his factory, along with much of the glass he created for his windows, lampshades, and mosaics.