Posts – Wayne Cain

Potatoes

October 29, 2024

Potatoes grow well in our zip code. Living in the country, we can purchase a pickup truckload of aged manure for $5.00. Add in all the leaves, straw, grass, and leftover plant matter, and after 35 years, our garden is like potting soil. Every year, we plant 3 to 4 rows of potatoes. We dig a hole, stuff a handful of straw in the bottom, place the cut portion of a potato with an “eye” in the hole, and cover it up. Then, the magic begins. Moisture, air, nutrients, and sunlight stimulate the embryo. The mixture is slightly different

Art Deco

October 29, 2024

Around 1980, Jerry Powers and I worked on a restaurant called 5th Avenue in Richmond, Virginia. Jerry designed and I built the windows. The restaurant owner wanted an Art Deco theme in a row of windows that ran along the wall parallel to the bar, with tables between the two. We constructed the windows using various textures of clear glass held together with zinc came. We like zinc because it gives us straight lines and strength and allows us to hide reinforcing bars along the zinc. Occasionally, we get a pleasant surprise after installing our work as our windows

Self

October 26, 2024

My adjustment to our world was painful because of my left-brain—right-brain switch; I have evolved into a very inward person. My self-development, which I have taken responsibility for, has evolved from reading, observing, and thinking. I’m especially aware of how extraordinary life is, as we have evolved on the only known planet that can sustain it. We are here for a short time, and the quality of that time is mainly in our hands. And that there are others in this world who would like a piece of my life for their gain. There are times when I lie

Rosettes

October 25, 2024

It’s not unusual for leaded glass in a residential entryway to have rosettes over the solder joints as a decorative feature. When restoring a window, we often replace the old lead with new. Unless it has a protective covering, lead is typically replaced every hundred years. If the window has rosettes, we’ll replace them as well. To replace rosettes, I find the best original one and make a mold with a heat-resistant material. Then, it’s a simple matter of heating scrap lead to its melting point, and pouring it into the mold. Sounds easy enough, but the trick is

Bevels

October 25, 2024

I created this window for a beautiful Richmond, Virginia, home around 2005. Always searching for new design possibilities for my beveling techniques, I decided to design this window to follow the lines of the home’s architecture. The owner requested that the window provide a certain level of privacy, so I glue-chipped and beveled clear 1/4-inch glass for the background and beveled 3/8″ glass for the accents. This window was on the second floor along a hallway leading to some bedrooms. As one climbed the stairs and turned the corner, it came alive as a jewel in the semi-dark area.

Artist

October 22, 2024

This is not Norman Rockwell. Most mornings, I peddle my stationary recumbent bike for about thirty minutes. Right above the controls is a place for my iPad, which helps the time pass quickly. I listen to a lot of music, but I also like documentaries about artists. Many artists work alone, some in small groups, and some with their assistants. We’re a closely-knit group with much familiarity and support. In recent years, I have found that I need more diversity, not only from my peers but also from artists of the past. There’s something special about understanding the history

Career Day

October 21, 2024

I have always enjoyed Career Day. I’m usually included as an alternative choice for the students who are most likely not to go past high school or even graduate. “You don’t have to go to college to do what Mr. Cain does.” And that’s true. I wear this distinction with honor. You may recall from previous snippets that I spent most of my formative years asleep and daydreaming in the back of the class. One of my favorite pastimes was designing a canoe factory. Taking flat sheets of metal through the various stages to form what was a fine

Flameworking

October 21, 2024

When I first started cutting 1/4″ strips off of sheets of stained glass and working them over a flame, I became fascinated by how translucent the glass became. This was precisely what I had been looking for for years. I immediately began cutting strips off of sheets of glass around the shop, experimenting with a wide range of colors. Some glass would change color, and some would almost go clear. I soon built a rack in my office to organize my experiments. Sometimes, realizing the potential in a new idea is enough to “light the fire!” My first project

Teenager

October 20, 2024

I was not a happy teenager. Tired of having my life micro-managed, I began to withdraw. I wasn’t the type to cause trouble; I never saw it as a productive way to solve problems. I resigned that in a few years, I would be on my own and could live my life as I wanted. As our children began to experience their teen years, I started to look for creative ways that would have made my teen years more pleasant and productive, hoping to pass them along to our children. Taking them to work with me was a significant

Curved Bevels

October 20, 2024

Around 1985, I was asked if I would like to make two curved bevel glass panels for a custom cabinet in Richmond, Virginia. Taking on a new process is always a challenge. If I were fortunate, I may break even. At best, I figured someone was paying for me to learn. I would first need to curve the 3/16 clear glass in my old pottery kiln. This was before electronic controls. I used a small ceramic strip between a three-prong switch that triggered when the heat melted the ceramic strip. I then made a stainless steel jig with the

Collaboration

October 19, 2024

In 2004, I collaborated with Sean Flaherty to create this icon for St. Thomas Aquinas’s Chapel in Charlottesville, Virginia. I did the craftsmanship; Sean did the painting. I tried painting early in my career and learned that I didn’t think I would ever be good at it. Painting is a complex craft. It involves choosing colors and brushes, mixing the medium, coordinating firing temperatures, in this case, acid etching, and having an innate ability to see and create. It is also very time-consuming; there isn’t much time for anything else. Sean was one of the best and had my

School

October 18, 2024

I realized something was wrong from my first days in the first grade. I had trouble understanding what was going on. The instructions were unclear, reading was laborious, and letters and numbers kept jumping around. In some way, I didn’t know if I was sane in an insane world or insane in a sane world. I learned that if I sat in the back of the class and didn’t participate, most adults would leave me alone; this protected me from the devastating barrage of failing grades. It also allowed me to live in my little world of daydreaming, filled

Design

October 17, 2024

Sometimes, when building a window, I wonder if I should stop short of my original idea. When I build a window like this one using my flame working, I always start with the back glass to attach my pieces to. I think of it as my canvas. This allows me to move pieces around before using the UV adhesive to attach them. After I have attached several sections, I can lift the window to see its development. This photograph was taken when I used the field around my shop to complete the window. It wouldn’t necessarily work in its

My Journey

October 15, 2024

When I started my journey into being an artist/craftsman in 1972, I had a landline, library access, and a college degree in Sociology and forestry. My only financial resources were money from painting houses, which was how I paid for college. Oh, and I still had my old VW bus. But most importantly, I had me. I have always been strong-willed, with what is today referred to as grit. As my skills developed, I began to receive commissions from well-off people. This was quite a change from the environment I grew up in. Some saw a way to embellish

Relationships

October 15, 2024

When I was in college in Nacogdoches, Texas, I decided I wanted to live half of my life in the city and half in the country, half single and half married. This is the married county half. I like people. Meeting someone new was exciting and usually led to new experiences and insight into the human experience. It gave me an education about humanity that I couldn’t find elsewhere. It also helped me to learn more about myself. Watching people’s expressions and body language can often be more insightful than words. Observing how others organized and lived their lives

Sacred

October 13, 2024

This window was created last year for the transom over the entrance doors to Stella Maris Catholic Chapel in Ocracoke, North Carolina. Stella Maris translates to Star of the Sea. In the beginning, we and our patron explored many possibilities. Drawings, glass samples, and quick mock-ups became routine for several months. Reflecting on my younger days, I realize that I might have found the process of ‘jumping through all these hoops’ frustrating. However, experiences like this have taught me that such challenges often lead to our best work. There are five stages in beveling. Rough grind with coarse grit,

Tools

October 12, 2024

Have you ever been curious about people who rarely throw anything away and scabage for things that may be useful in the future? They usually have a plan or belief in their destiny. I’m that way with my 1915 beveling equipment. It has five large wheels on cast iron bases and numerous attachments for special angles and effects. While most bevelers have adapted to the new diamond wheels, which are faster but give the glass a machine look, I stay true to the old wheels and grits and polishing compounds for a proper authentic look in my work. This

Memorial

October 11, 2024

I collaborated with Missy Scott on this window around 2004 for Grace Episcopal Church here in Bremo Bluff, Virginia. We created this window for a gentleman in memory of his wife. Missy and I worked together on the design; she painted, and I did the craftwork. I’ve only created a few memorial windows in my life. They are very touching moments that only require me to listen. The donor comes prepared with many memories; my job is to execute them in glass. The couple were local farmers. Genuine people whom one likes from the first time you meet them.

Beveling

October 10, 2024

Most beveling is on 3/16″ or 1/4″ glass with a 1/2″ bevel. I have beveled “miles and miles” this way for my projects and custom beveling for other studios. I promised myself back in college that I would never go through life doing repetitive work, or, as we called it back then, being a “clog in the wheel.” Being true to myself, I began beveling different thicknesses and colors of glass, pushing my skills with different angles. Soon, it seemed natural to work this way, creatively. I arranged them in a carrying case 18″x 24″ and displayed each piece

Color

October 9, 2024

One of the things I enjoy so much about my work is color. Some glass artists say that glass is moody. It changes with the light throughout the day, influenced by the colors around it. It can also be both reflective and expressive. This study combines both—a partial window in front of vegetation. The lines blurred intoabstraction, creating a kaleidoscope effect. But more importantly, I find it interesting as I wrestle with the composition and its interplay of color, giving me a new visual experience.

Feel

October 9, 2024

One of an artist/craftsman’s most critical assets is feeling the material one is working with. I do not know of a way to teach another how to make a leaf from melting glass. I am aware one can stand over someone and direct them, but it is not until the maker takes the responsibility of thinking and feeling material that they will be able to achieve the many nuances needed to create an ongoing series of objects, each one unique unto itself. Many of my greatest joys in life have been achieving this flow in myself and seeing the

Reading

October 8, 2024

When I moved to Bremo Bluff forty-two years ago, I promised to devote considerable time to Reading. I have always liked the idea of carrying on a “conversation” with an author who otherwise I wouldn’t have the opportunity to because of unavailability or the difference in our life span. I started by reading books cover to cover. I soon learned that most books contained several good ideas and evidence to support them but were time-consuming. After acquiring a new book, I began exploring the index and table of contents to find information relevant to my interests. This approach worked

Light

October 8, 2024

We created this window for an indoor space in a home in Bremo Bluff around 2022. We took the bottom photograph outside the studio to document it in natural light, while the one above was in reflective light. I’m especially pleased with the moon in the upper window. Its color works so well with the reflective light on the petals. The bottom moon is reminiscent of a ghost moon. Extending the branches with copper wire that we soldered over to resemble natural branches allowed us to extend the blossoms for a three-dimensional effect. I always recommend a dimmer switch

Stained Glass

October 7, 2024

I created this window for a couple’s home in Oregon in 2018. It was for a landing window on the second floor. The glass is Lamberts, blown in Germany. I like how the reamy glass gives motion to the window, depicting wind blowing through the branches, detaching leaves, and carrying them to faraway places. I separated the spaces between the branches to give the window character and depth. To support the window, I layered various lengths of finishing nails in the spaces where the branches go before solder sculpturing. I enjoy making windows like this. Free form is much

Music

October 7, 2024

Around eight years ago, one of the provosts at Virginia Commonwealth University asked me to speak to a graduate class in advertising about creativity. Toward the end of my talk, I was asked if music helps to make people creative. I said no. I would like to correct this notion now. When I’m working, I find listening to music distracting. Every morning, when pedaling my stationary recumbent bike, I hear a lot of music. I’m especially fond of Dave Mathews’s tune Jimi Thing. I greatly respect Dave’s creativity in his music and his incorporation of other creative musicians into

Glue Chipping

October 7, 2024

One way I separate commercial products from works of art is to research old glass-working techniques. Glue chipping is one of my favorites. First, we sandblast a piece of glass. Then, we build a “dam” by wrapping masking tape around the edges so that the warm glue won’t run off the edges when we lay it flat. We then heat horsehide glue in a double boiler and pour it over the level glass. As the glue dries, it attaches itself to the rough sandblasted surface. The glue begins to shrink and curl upon further drying, peeling glass chips. Under

Mindset

October 5, 2024

I moved from Richmond, Virginia, to Bremo Bluff, Virginia, in 1981, when I was thirty-two years old. I didn’t realize it then, but this was the turning point in my life, from putting all my efforts into creating a commercial business to creating an artist studio. I found a 1906 farmhouse on seven acres that seriously needed repair. It had a falling-down “buggie” barn that I jacked back up and made into my studio. By living off of referrals, I reduced my time to make a living to four months a year. The other eight months I devoted to

Religious

October 4, 2024

This was my first church—Amelia Presbyterian in Amelia, Virginia, completed around 1978. At this time, I was working with an artist, John Dale. John was the artist, and I made the windows. I was twenty-seven years old, strong, and perseverant. By this time, I knew this would be my life’s work and that if I were to survive, I would have to start thinking as a craftsman and a businessman. I was also challenged by learning to work with another creative individual. There were many problems to solve, most in unfamiliar areas. Working on such a large scale made

Children

October 3, 2024

All of our children worked in my shop at one time or another. They all had business cards and were paid by the hour. This is Matthew, our middle child. This photo was taken around twenty years ago. My father took me to work with him occasionally, and I still have fond memories. It was nice spending time with them outside of our home environment. I also saw the value in sharing with them what I did for a living and exposing them to the work environment. The idea of being paid according to one’s ability to create was

Bevels

October 3, 2024

An old business partner, Jerry Powers, and I created the lighting fixture for a patron around 1984. Our roles were distinct yet equally important in this project. I beveled the 3/8-inch glass and assembled the fixture, while Jerry brought her artistic touch by designing and carving the glass. The carved design was ‘borrowed’ from an oriental rug beneath it. The object is five-sided. I don’t recall why, but it never seemed quite right—visually, it looked lopsided. But another side of me thinks that’s what makes it interesting. The shape keeps drawing me in by my imitation.

Beveling

October 2, 2024

I created this window around 1990 for neighbors who liked me and my work. I beveled the glass on my 1915 Henry Lang machinery. Holding these small pieces against the force of a 30-inch iron and stone wheels turning at 200 rpm is one reason I have strong craftsman’s hands. Curved fingers also developed as I held the glass against the force of turning wheels. The background is blown glass from Germany. I wanted to separate the bevels from the background. It’s hard to see here, but the soft striations of the blown glass were a nice contrast to

Us

September 30, 2024

If we didn’t have a portfolio, I’ve often thought people would think we sold firewood. We live within five miles of each other. The primary commerce is Family Dollar and Dollar General, which duke it out daily. We are more accustomed to fire pits than restaurants, and our dress code would make casual Friday look like prom night. Our commissions mostly come from the other end of the spectrum. We’ve been together for over eight years, and during that time, I have noticed very little change in our personalities. With all of the beautiful commissions we’ve created together, we

St. Andrews Episcopal Church

September 29, 2024

Saint Andrews Episcopal Church in Burke, Virginia, contacted me three years ago. They had a donor who wished to gift the church a stained glass window, a significant contribution to their upcoming fifty anniversary and in remembrance of the donor’s daughter. When I arrived, I first noticed that every exterior window in the church contained stained glass windows. These were contemporary windows with vibrant colors, mostly depicting the evolution of the world and the Christian faith. During the first meeting, the artist, donor, and stained glass committee engage in a thorough evaluation process. I believe that everyone involved is

Perspective

September 27, 2024

When in doubt, try the opposite. Traditionally, one would bevel the accent pieces and leave the background uneventful. Trying the opposite, I beveled the background and used rippled stained glass for the accents. The combination resulted in a soft, glowing window, where the light played a crucial role in enhancing the beauty of the glass as it shimmers off the background and the foreground. This subtle uniqueness is what makes art glass such a beautiful architectural accent.

Designing

September 27, 2024

This is a sketch of one of our current projects. I want to create a sense of what it’s like to stand at one of the overlooks on Skyline Drive overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains. It’s a windy Fall evening, and the leaves are beginning to fall. A bright full moon fades the Fall colors of the leaves in front of it, while the rest are various shades of red and orange. The trees express the harsh life of growing high on the mountain ridge. Their roots squeeze between boulders for nourishment and then cling to them during harsh

Silvering

September 25, 2024

I created this mirror for a home in Richmond, Virginia, around 35 years ago. In the 1990s, I bought a resilvering company. People would bring us their old mirrors with faded or peeling silver, and we would strip them down to the transparent glass, polish the backs, and spray silver nitrate onto them. After drying, we painted two coats of backing. What is so challenging about silvering mirrors is that there can be almost no contaminants. One small spec and everything you’ve done has to be removed and started over again. One day, I had the idea that if

Heraldry

September 25, 2024

What’s a Virginian without a coat of arms? I created this heraldry for the front door of a home in the Fan District in Richmond, Virginia, around 25 years ago. One can not change heraldry but only embellish it with the finest materials, stunning colors, and, of course, craftsmanship. I used blown glass from Lamberts in Germany. It has the deepest, richest colors and that marvel, flash glass. Flash glass is two layers of glass of various colors in one sheet. The beauty of it is that one can acid-etch or sandblast one layer to expose the other. This

Concept

September 25, 2024

A sketch for an upcoming project in Bremo Bluff, Virginia. This is how it begins: two people collaborate. One desires an object, and the other wishes to create it. I find it interesting how diverse people work together to create something unique. I think of it as a highly developed right-brain person interacting with a highly developed left-brain person, both looking to fill the void in themselves. If both people are emotionally mature, a sense of wonder takes over; enlightenment fuels the energy curiosity demands. As understanding grows, emotions replace words.

Grace Episcopal Church

September 24, 2024

Around thirty years ago, I created this window for Grace Episcopal Church in Bremo Bluff, Virginia. It is one of my favorites. In my never-ending pursuits of always trying to bring something new to my art, I studied old jewelry designs for the borders. The cross was a given. Then all II had to do was tie the two together. I glue-chipped the background to keep the design all on one plane. After installation, we installed a chandelier behind the window. As one walked around the sanctuary, the lights danced around on the bevels, giving the window, as one

Drawing

September 22, 2024

Sitting at the kitchen table on a Sunday evening, sketching an idea for a project, I remember that abstracting an idea into words loses much of its meaning. Watching my sketch evolve, I realized expressing what was happening would be almost impossible. Is it true that a picture is worth a thousand words, maybe two? Why haven’t we been encouraged to express our ideas with the addition of simple sketches? Why aren’t directions expressed in flowcharts? Would this simple addition to our lives enrich our relationships?

Collecting

September 22, 2024

I like to motor in my 2001 Miata when I have some spare time. Visiting antique shops is high on my list as I travel through the countryside of central Virginia. Since we have all the furniture we’ll ever need, I focus on “collectibles,” usually in the $5 to $35 range. I have found some beautiful objects that have great form and color. Some are handmade, and others are early production pieces. What I enjoy the most is that I can sit in my study and hold the pieces, studying them up close.Museums tend to frown upon this practice.

Beveled Glass Door and Transom

September 21, 2024

Around 1996, I made the beveled glass door and transom for a couple in the Church Hill area of Richmond, Virginia. If you look closely, the bevel widens from the center to the borders, creating a variable bevel. I used 3/8-inch glass instead of the traditional 1/4-inch to match the heavy historical door and molding. There are places in Richmond where one can find beveling on 3/8-inch glass, but I have never seen variable bevels before. I’m sure I didn’t charge them extra for all the time that went into this project, but I chalked it up as a

Carving

September 21, 2024

The requests for carving are sporadic. I probably haven’t completed five projects in the last fifty-two years. This is a sample I keep around to show what we are capable of. I wasn’t pleased with it, so I remade another for the project I was working on. I now use it to show prospects what one of our rejects looks like.It has turned out to be a very viable marketing approach.

Fusing

September 21, 2024

Around 1989, I created this fused piece for a couple in Duck, on the outer banks of North Carolina. It was for a couple of kitchen doors on the third floor of their beach home. I had never created a fused project before. Fusing requires using formulated glass so all the colors are compatible. After cutting to my slightly oversized pattern, I overlapped the cut lines and fired to around 1150 degrees in my old pottery kiln. After installation, we discovered that as the sun moved across the room, the light would hang on the cut lines for a

Flameworked Flowers

September 21, 2024

I created this window of Kew roses for a couple in Southwest Virginia around 2019. Made of many small pieces, we create from a 1/4-inch strip of stained glass over a flame. It wasn’t easy to hold such tiny pieces while the UV adhesive cured under intense light.My son Daniel was working with us then and came up with the idea of positioning them in Play-Doh to hold them in place for gluing and then attaching them to the background glass.

Artist/Craftsman

September 20, 2024

A few years into my craft, I was settling into my life’s work. I discovered the concept of the artist/craftsman, where one develops an idea, expresses it on paper, and then creates the object. This idea I was involved in from the beginning to the endcaptured my interest. Although I collaborate with a patron, I am responsible for 96% of the outcome. As I follow my commissions, I constantly reevaluate color and line development. This happens throughout the day, the next day, and even after installation. “Am I a helicopter artist?” Am I “overthinking the project?” The problem, as

Flameworking Evolution

September 20, 2024

I believe this window represents the perfect evolution of the creative process. When I work, I focus on every move I make, trying to refine my craftsmanship and critical eye for color. It becomes a balancing act of moving swiftly to bring a fresh, natural look to the piece while meeting the demands of construction. These aren’t necessarily opposingforces; they take time to learn to work together. And that’s what I like. The more thought I put into a project, the better it becomes, and each project after it.

Beveling

September 19, 2024

I created these two side lights for the home of a White Hall, Virginia, couple who owned a beautiful vineyard in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Another beveling technique I developed around that time was to bevel steep, short bevels to give the illusion of ice on vines. As one moves around the room, some bevels begin to reflect light while others fade away. I consider this style to be my kinetic art. All of the pieces of glass are held together by solder sculpturing the vines. I darkened the solder with copper sulfate to bring out

When I Started Beveling

September 19, 2024

When I started beveling, the only historical design influence I could find was traditional. For years, I worked within these parameters, beveling miles of 1/2-inch bevels on 1/4-inch glass. Boredom began to take its toll. Looking around for other glass to bevel, l remembered one of my suppliers had colored glass in 1/4-inch sheets for storefront applications. This is one of my first windows in color. It was for a couple here, Bremo Bluff, who “liked me and my work.” I haven’t used colored bevels much, but like many of my experiments, it is there if the need arises.

Bevels

September 18, 2024

Around thirty years ago, I created this beveled glass window for a couple who lived in the Museum district of Richmond, VA. It was one of my new design styles at the time. Being across the street from the Virginia Museum’s parking lot, it received a lot of exposure. The couple called me one day and told me they ordered a pizza last night. When they opened the door, the young man said, “You have a Wayne Cain window.” I’m especially pleased with the glass selection, which provides both privacy and reflective quality in contrast to the wood’s craftsman-style

Creating and Restoring Art Glass since 1972.