A Ray of Light

At this year’s Two Moors Festival main-two week event in October (16th-27th), we’re celebrating the theme of light, which we decided upon after seeing rays of light streaming in through the windows of Exeter Cathedral at one of last year’s concerts. Our concerts this year all have something to do with this theme, as do the many talks we’re putting on as fringe events. One of these is A Ray of Light, a discussion on stained glass given by Andrew Johnson, member of the British Society of Master Glass Painters and Glaziers.

Because our concerts all take place in churches across Dartmoor and Exmoor, it seemed more than fitting to hold such a talk, with Andrew covering the history of stained glass as well as the process of creating it. It’s been around for some 1,000 years and, although traditionally used in flat panels for windows and doors, over the years it has been increasingly used for sculpture and in other pieces, such as the world-renowned Tiffany lamps.

If you do go to Andrew’s talk – which takes place on October 22nd at St Mary Magdalene’s Church in Chulmleigh – make sure you look around you at the windows in the church. Many examples of stained glass in such buildings have strong themes, such as episodes from the life of Christ and narratives of the Bible, so why not see what you can recognise as you listen?

And if you’d like to have a go at stained glass yourself, take a look at this fun video.