Posts – Wayne Cain

Commissions

July 6, 2025

I find it interesting the perception a committee or single patron has of me as an artist when we first begin conceptualizing their project. I sense considerable pressure to help them create something along the lines of the Mona Lisa or the Gardens of Monet, which would gain aesthetic appreciation and value over time. Of course, in the end, it comes down to discovering something that they like. Something that represents their beliefs and fulfills their responsibility to define them for generations to come. Twenty-five years ago, when St. Peter Baptist Church in Glen Allen, Virginia, and I was

Self

June 22, 2025

Self Twenty-five years ago, I collaborated with St. Peter Baptist Church in Glen Allen, Virginia, on the construction of their new sanctuary. Our relationship started with meetings to determine design and cost. There were around 12 representatives from the church and me. By this time, I had been working with churches for twenty-seven years and knew the best position for me was to sit quietly and answer any questions with as broad an answer as I thought I could get away with. Having the number and sizes of the proposed windows was a great start, but design and materials

Self

June 15, 2025

Dear Dad, Looking back over my life, I realize how much I learned from you. You are the quietest man I have ever known, certainly the most stoic. You rarely explained what you were doing, often even when I asked questions. Even though we seldom talked much, I learned to follow your movement. You possessed an uncanny ability to look at a problem and knew how to approach fixing it. It was labeled common sense back then; you were known as the neighbor who could fix just about anything. I learned from you something I use every day. I

Self

June 14, 2025

Freeing myself from captivity is a recurring theme in my life. I knew by the second grade that not only was I unhappy, but the structure forced upon me would not serve the life I wanted to live. I wasonly one person, and I knew that I could take care of myself. I considered this intrusion into my life an insult to my person. I found my place in art. There were little to no rules, and I could use my imagination, which I had honed, to protect myself from the mediocrity of institutions. One of the first things

Creativity

June 8, 2025

One of the more interesting aspects of being self-directed is that I often don’t know when to stop. This is a laylight in progress for a home outside of Washington, DC. A laylight is an indoor skylight that allows for artificial lighting. As I work through this maze of uncertainty, I’m constantly laying the window flat to arrange the leaves before attaching them with UV adhesive and then repositioning the window in a vertical position for evaluation. My shop isn’t tall enough for me to position it horizontally for viewing. As I build the forest tree tops by adding

Commissions

June 4, 2025

Last Sunday, I visited one of the windows I created a couple of years ago. My patron is requesting a companion piece. After completion of almost every window I create, I find areas that I wish I had spent more time on, but not this one. Standing there on a short step ladder, I can inspect every line and color as if I were holding the window in my hands; I could not find anything that I would change. I don’t recall this ever happening before in my fifty-three years of exploring my craft. As I grow older and

Creativity

June 1, 2025

There are times I’m not sure what’s going on. Daniel and I worked together on this window. That may be part of the reason—two artists playing chess with an idea, challenging each other by moving lines and selecting colors. It’s different when working with a patron. The patron has a big idea; the artist works with the subtleties, aware of the vast number of options for line and how different colors affect one another. Put two artists together sharing insights, and both need to be ready for just about anything to happen, intellectually and emotionally. It has taken me

Artist/Craftsman

May 29, 2025

Yale University has some of the finest stained glass I have ever seen. Large windows with blown glass in subtle colors masterfully arranged: beautifully painted medallions and prominent figures presented as architectural features and hidden jewels. Corridors lined with stunning windows that one can study up close. In one long corridor with art glass windows from one end to the other, I discovered solder sculpturing. Cutting a thin piece of copper to shape, and with a soldering iron in one hand and a roll of solder in the other, I was able to replicate the style for one of

Design

May 25, 2025

This is one of the glass roses we have developed for the foreground of one of our projects. We are far enough along that we have the basic shape and color. We are now working on variations to give our glass garden a natural feeling. Our goal is every stage, from buds to mature flowers, not necessarily in perfect timing with nature but interesting to the viewer. To find the needed colors, we search our inventory, research our suppliers online, and often visit factory and supplier warehouses where we can rummage through crates of glass. Combining our searches for

Commissions

May 22, 2025

Forty years ago, my partner Gerry Powers and I were awarded a commission to create the focal point for the new 6th Street Market Place in downtown Richmond, Virginia. Jerry designed the project, and I built the two ten-foot diameter stained glass windows. Ten-foot windows would not fit through my shop doors, so I built the windows in sections and assembled them on a large table outside. To reach the center, I built a moveable catwalk, an awkward way to work. For strength, I ordered a round three-inch steel tube to house the windows. Inside the ring, I soldered

Self

May 19, 2025

There are times over my career when I would feel quite sad. Not so much now, but there have been times when I thought I would give up on my quest to be a glass artist. There was one time I came close, almost sold everything, to move to the Outer Banks of North Carolina to work as a carpenter, bartender, or something similar. As with most things, I wanted answers right away, which made me quite harsh on myself. Grasping at almost every idea that entered my mind, I missed the subtle cues of my emotions, rubbed raw,

Shop

May 17, 2025

It’s about more than the art. I use the same creativity running my business as I do my art. I work intuitively. I don’t have an hourly rate, ask for the price of materials, or record the time I spend on my projects—I never have. There is something freeing about not having to deal with all that. I have reinvented the business portion of my life to flow from my conscious to my subconscious and back again. It works most of the time, freeing me from numbers and letters, which my mind has difficulty with, and giving me more

Self

May 11, 2025

In my thirties and forties, I knew I was too focused on my art to devote the time needed to have a family. Over the years, a gradual change took place, and at forty-six, I found myself married to the most wonderful mother one can imagine—kind, enormously patient, and intuitive with children. From this wonderful person, I have learned much about what is important in life and feel so grateful to have been “adopted” by this wonderful family.

Our Daughter, Emily.

May 11, 2025

Our daughter Emily.The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. “I’m over the moon to share that my piece “Study IV, Southside” was recently accquired by the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts @vmfamuseum!! so pumped to have this cyanotype find a home at a museum that I’ve been visiting since I was a kid. extra stoked that it’s a photograph of the James River. it feels surreal! 💙 On my most cloudy days, as a self-taught artist, it can feel like an uphill battle to get recognition or opportunities without an art degree, as if I’m inherently unqualified because

Design

May 9, 2025

I created this abstract design with leftover flame-worked pieces from a large project. After working with hundreds of pieces, I became familiar with the shapes and colors and how they are attached. Many years ago, I learned that the first third of a project is the most intense and uncertain. Afterward, I’m in the comfort zone, which some call flow. This is the rollercoaster so many artists talk about. From the feeling of inadequacy, possibly an imposter, to euphoria.

Shop

May 7, 2025

At the beginning of my career, I thought that the more processes I developed in my studio, the more financially secure I would be. In many ways, this has proven true. Starting out making suncatchers, stained glass lampshades, and stained glass windows took years of uncertainty and financial challenges. Then, restoring sacred stained glass windows, primarily for churches without the resources to hire commercial companies. Acquiring an original set of Henry Lang Beveling machinery broadened my offerings after two years of trial and error practice before I had samples I was willing to show. Next, fusing, silvering, carving, and

Marketing

May 4, 2025

I have noticed over the years that patrons observe more than my work. There is often an unspoken connection, usually starting when one visits my website. People have told me they have visited many other artists’ sites and decided they would like to work with me. Next, we move into the communication phase. Just hearing and reading from another is enlightening. With only words, both sides get a glimpse into the other. They will often visit. Although my shop is only fourteen hundred square feet, with fifty-two years of accumulation, it usually takes on an air of Where’s Waldo.

Design

April 29, 2025

One of my cutting tables is about four feet from a South-West window. This is the window where I place our glass for color selection. Toward the end of the day, the sun’s light intensifies around our work in progress. The colors we have been studying suddenly take on a brightness that causes me to sit and enjoy the few minutes the effect will last. My son, Daniel, and I created this window under such circumstances. After installing it, I was fortunate to capture the effect again on camera.

Design

April 24, 2025

I was drawn to Rembrandt’s paintings the first time I saw them because of their dramatic use of light and shadow. I found it an interesting alternative when other artists sought a balance of light in their paintings. I wanted to learn from his style and studied how to use it in my art glass. Around twenty years ago, I had this wonderful patron with whom I created seven windows for his home. As a commissioned artist, I engage my patron in a conversation, a collaboration. I want the finished piece to be meaningful to them, at least in

Self

April 21, 2025

I have learned over the years that the best investment I can make is investing in myself. Never having much money at any given time, I would use any extra to treat myself to a well-deserved experience like eating out, taking a few days off, or both. As I worked on my projects, I always put in extra effort, considering it an investment in myself and my marketing plan. I was simultaneously building my skills and reputation, hoping to recoup my investment in future commissions. Over the years, I began to see the quality of my commissions and compensation

Design

April 17, 2025

I created this mural for Mt. Zion First African Baptist Church in Charlottesville, Virginia, around twenty years ago. It is in the pulpit directly behind the minister. My art often takes on a different look, from how it looks when created in my shop to how it looks after installation. I compensate for this by having glass on all four sides of my shop to replicate the light the glass will receive once in place. After installing this piece, I was pleasantly surprised to see the lights in the chandeliers playing on the gold mirror as I moved around

Design

April 13, 2025

As I grow older, I am more attracted to the subtlety of art and life. This is a study I created many years ago. Like many approaches, I grew weary of intense colors and their impact on my art. I no longer needed or found the value in intense stimulation; I felt distracted from what was important. I now look deeper into the beautiful woodlands as I drive through my beloved Central Virginia. The redbud and dogwoods are in full bloom now, reflecting light that filters through the old-growth forest around them. This attracts my aesthetic sensibilities more than

Creativity

April 11, 2025

Remember the movie The Dirty Dozen? There are only six of us, but I often chuckle when, at times, I stop and observe what’s happening around me. The creativity involved in creating original art glass windows is intense and demanding. A simple move in one direction calls for an almost instant decision, almost always based on intuition. I’ve long wanted to live my work life rhythmically, and I believe I have now achieved this state of mind, perhaps the highest form of self-actualization. I’m looking forward to the years ahead and to sharing this experience with the wonderful people

Designing

April 2, 2025

This is a section from twelve kitchen cabinet doors I created around twelve years ago. It is such a joy to work playfully, to move pieces of glass from their historically appointed positions to where they themselves seem to be having fun. Unrestrained angles for zinc caming and pieces of beveled glass that have entirely escaped being restrained by metal strips, wandering off independently. The freedom of thought is the mother of such shenanigans, the essence of art.

Restoration

March 31, 2025

Several years ago, we worked with a couple creating a chapel for the Catholic Diocese on Ocracoke Island, North Carolina. They had purchased a stained-glass window, probably made in the 1950s, that they wanted to install above the altar. After lifting it into place for the first time, they noticed Mary’s face and hands were not up to the aesthetic level of the rest of the window. They later learned the original face and hands had been removed and replaced by a lesser artist. They contacted my son Daniel and me to see if we could replace the mismatched

Designing

March 27, 2025

It’s not always easy to find a workspace. I like things out where I can see them. Tools, drawings, glass, works in progress—they all fulfill my need for accessibility. Taking time to look for something is wasted time. I don’t like putting things back if I’m going to use them again for the same project. I want to be able to just reach out and instantly have them in hand. This often leaves my workspace, surrounded by the objects I’m using, becoming progressively smaller, requiring me to nudge them out of the way so I can work on the

Design

March 25, 2025

Around forty years ago, a friend who had just bought a new home contacted me about creating a window for him. “I want to sit beside this window with one of your creations in my rocking chair while I read my newspaper.” Well, he got his wish. After all these years, I never know where the next commission will come from. It’s kind of a scary way to live.

Shop

March 21, 2025

You may have wondered what the inner workings of a 1915 Henry Lang beveling machine look like. Well, ponder no more. This is the machine we rough-grind our bevels with. With a bit of 80 -100 aluminum grit and a lot of focused muscle, we stand there for hours, changing the angle on the edge of the clear glass from 90 degrees to around 20. Water acts as a lubricant, so we wear rubber boots and aprons and always use warm water, hoping to postpone the onset of arthritis. As you can see, the parts are simple and sturdy,

Design

March 19, 2025

Texture is an integral part of our work. When natural light fades, before artificial light takes over, there is a time when light surrounds and penetrates our flameworking. I think of it as photographers do the “golden hour,” the hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset when soft light and warm tones bring out the best in our work. The texture also invites one to caress the work, seeking to discover a deeper understanding of our art.

Design

March 17, 2025

I created this window for an Irishman’s home many years ago. Happy St Patrick’s Day, everyone.

Design

March 16, 2025

Winter scene of a wisteria vine in the impressionist style. I’m fond of whiplash designs, mainly when they depict nature in a mature, perhaps near-death state. Add the element of strong winds through the use of reamy mouth-blown glass from Germany, and one can begin to feel the intention of this window back to when it was an idea, working its way through a series of drawings. Yesterday, we installed this piece in a barn door high on a hill above the James River. In a place known for high winds, it was the perfect blending of art and

Self

March 8, 2025

When I read, I struggle to remember what I have read. I’m aware that much of this comes from the confusion between my left and right brain, which results from being forced to use my right hand instead of my left. This switching also affects my ability to concentrate and focus and, to a large extent, my memory. I’ve learned to adapt. Not only have I learned to adapt, but there are times when I wonder if I’m not better off. Not being able to comprehend as quickly as others, I learned not so much from the words of

Self

March 6, 2025

I’ve met some interesting people, often because of the projects I’ve worked on over the years. This is Josh Greenwood, blacksmith extraordinaire. Among many other accomplishments, he built gates for the National Cathedral, taught blacksmithing courses around the country, developed two hydropower plants, and spoke four languages. I met Josh when we were both around thirty and creating art for the new Tobacco Company Club. I have always found it interesting how people connect. For Josh and I, the whole spectrum of persona, work, and the ability to communicate instantly drew us into a friendship. I also admired his

Shop

March 3, 2025

I prefer to be influential rather than in control of my studio. In my shop, everyone has the power of influence. There are six of us with quite a diversity of life experiences. Taking advantage of this, I step into the background and observe. We all know we continually seek better and easier ways to achieve our goals. Having six minds working on this is better than one. We understand the rules of creativity; negative thinking kills creativity, while a mind free of criticism enriches it. We don’t have a path but a concept to explore. Each individual employing

Design

February 27, 2025

This was one of my first serious attempts at creating three-dimensional windows. Starting with blown clear glass from Germany to create the effect of wind around the branches, I then began to shape and attach wire branches to enhance the movement’s impact. Attaching our flamed worked petals in the same flowing manner, I begin to build the most life-like portrait of nature I’m capable of.

Restoration

February 25, 2025

I restored this window in a rental property in Richmond, Virginia, around twenty-five years ago. I remember how happy I was the first time I saw it, and it continues to make me smile after all these years. This is the only window I have ever seen that has affected me emotionally in this way. It’s just so clever and thoughtful.

Self

February 21, 2025

Many years ago, Steve Jobs gave an interview describing what it was like to manage Apple. It’s like one is the captain of a large ship; there is a massive hole in the bow, water is beginning to come in, and I’m doing everything I can to make it to shore before we sink. Perfect description. I have felt that way many times. So many details demand attention and take up so much of my day that creating art is almost in the catch-as-catch-can category. My mind is constantly churning. I have pads of paper around me with which

Self

February 19, 2025

Seven years ago, a university professor visited me with his album cover of the Beach Boys’ Wild Honey and asked me to create a transom window for his listening room using the design on the cover as inspiration. Our relationship started as usual: introductions, a tour of my studio, and then finding comfortable seating in my office to share our thoughts about his project. I’m fortunate that interesting people find me to work with. I owe this to the internet, where one can tell one’s story, and people from all over can choose who they want to work with.

Creativity

February 16, 2025

I began to teach myself how to draw in my mid-thirties. A book published in 1989, Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain, by Betty Edwards, was a great inspiration. Betty had a warmth about her that she so beautifully portrayed in her writing. She described techniques with her drawings and presented quotes from other artists in such an organized way that I could open her book up almost anywhere and learn. My favorite part was when she talked about how helpful it is if one can feel the object, and who could feel it better than the

Self

February 14, 2025

As a young man, I felt inadequate in life. I never did well in school. I felt like I was in this large holding pen until I was old enough to go out alone. I had a sense of self. I viewed my life quite differently than Dick and Jane saw theirs and became resentful of how I was forced to live in their world. I was thirty-two when I decided I needed a change. I moved to the country, arranged my life so I only had to work three to four months out of the year, and started

Self

February 12, 2025

I created this center section for a beveled glass window in a home in Richmond, Virginia, around forty years ago. I look back on this accomplishment and feel a sense of pride, partly because it was well-managed and still serves me well as an example of what I was capable of back then. I remember the emotional struggle as I worked through the challenges of creating and building such a piece. Starting with a piece of paper and a couple of number 2s, working and reworking ideas is challenging, especially when the outcome is up to me, with no

Self

February 10, 2025

From day one, I knew I would not make much as an artist/craftsman and that there was a good chance I would not be able to make it my occupation. I’ve been told I have a gift. If I do, it’s an overabundance of perseverance. Cutting glass is essential in my art; one’s skill and productivity determine one’s livelihood. Stained glass is an inconsistent material, not only in one sheet but also throughout the sheet, as the various colors, in varying amounts, take their place. Running a small metal wheel around my pattern takes much skill and concentration. If

Project

February 6, 2025

Four years ago, a single mom and her two teenage sons contacted me about collaborating with them on a window for the new home they were building. The ideas were theirs; I just helped with color and construction. I’ve thought about what to write about this, but the photo says it all.

Self

February 4, 2025

I am so overwhelmed with projects that I have been considering how to become more efficient. With so much going on, I move around throughout the day, from my drawing table to the area where I study glass samples, visiting each table where there are ongoing projects, sharing ideas with the artisans who assist me, and keeping records and communicating. Moving around benefits me the most. If unsure how to proceed, I’ll study the information before me, believing it will pass into my subconscious. As I move around throughout the day, studying how to move this mass of work

Design

February 2, 2025

Almost always, art glass windows are photographed straight on. As we create them, we try to remember to photograph them in their many stages of development. This practice came about because I believed that one day, I would tell my story with the aid of visuals. This is one of my favorite photographs. When I was close to finishing this window, I captured it in perfect lighting at the end of the day. Images like this engage my imagination more than a portrait approach, leading to more creative work in the future.

Design

February 1, 2025

There have been times when I thought our sculptured soldering looked dull and uninteresting. I’ve tried different patinas, like the one that turns solder green, and placed some on the North side to resemble moss. That works in some cases, but for the most part, I just wasn’t satisfied. Brushing Shellac or Polyurethane on solder worked well for some projects as it picked up the reflective light, which balanced well with the stained glass surfaces.

Design

January 29, 2025

I created this skylight around 2005 for a three-story home in Richmond, Virginia. It was a beautiful home in the Fan District built around 1890. This skylight provided light for the three-story staircase with exceptional woodwork, raised paneling, spindles, handrails, and oak floorboards on the steps—large rooms with commanding ceiling fixtures hanging from high ceilings surrounded by beautiful double-hung windows. The patina and craftsman’s markings from hand-held tools make me wonder what my life would have been like if I had lived during the construction of this magnificent home. Skylights like this are subject to shadows as the sun

Design

January 28, 2025

You may recall me saying that I am often halfway through a project before I cut the first piece of glass. Well, this is one of the things I’m doing here, along with designing, getting approvals, making patterns, and finding glass and other materials we’ll need. For this project, I’m selecting the background color for a night sky for a laylight, an indoor skylight, and a lighting fixture representing the moon passing overhead. Sometimes, I think of other artists sitting in front of their work, thinking about how to proceed. Here, I’m thinking of Mark Rothko. It doesn’t take

Self

January 25, 2025

Almost every evening, as I open the door to leave my shop, I turn around and take one last look. I am overcome by a wave of satisfaction almost every time. Here, I create not only my art but also my own work culture. As a young man, I dreamed of such a place. Looking back forty-two years after working ten years in my studio in downtown Richmond, Virginia, I can fully appreciate the courage it took to move sixty miles up the James River to Bremo Bluff, start renovating a 1906 farmhouse and jacking up an old buggy

Project

January 22, 2025

In 2013, my son Daniel and I created two rose windows for St. Thomas Aquinas Priory in Charlottesville, Virginia. The Dominican Friars at the Priory pray in the chapel beneath these two windows five times daily. Each symbol instructs the faithful and inspires prayer, which hearkens back to the purpose of stained glass in ancient times. Each painted piece was fired multiple times and painted using antique processes and techniques. The Dominicans are an old order, and we were pleased to create what they wanted using traditional materials and methods. At twenty-nine years old, I am most proud of

Creating and Restoring Art Glass since 1972.