By ELAINE TOUTAIN

Elementary Art Teacher

After studying the origination of various art forms, a group of fifth-grade S.P.A.R.K. art students at Montello School were chosen to create stained glass windows. The students studied and discussed Louis Comfort Tiffany’s artwork. They identified stained glass as an art form that is seen by the public and used to influence or teach. Students understood that the process they were to use would differ from the process of creating real stained glass windows, but their projects would appear to be stained glass.

Students were provided with recycled windows that had been scraped, painted, and prepared for this project. They studied samples of stained glass for inspiration, and then created their own pencil designs on paper cut to the size of their windows. Each design was outlined in broad marker so it could be easily traced onto the glass with black puffy paint that simulates glass leading. Each section of the glass was then painted with acrylic glass paint.

The S.P.A.R.K. art students are very excited about their stained glass window projects, which will be exhibited in the large, sunny, windows of the main hallway of the school.