Scarab Stained Glass
Colourful stained glass art inspired by the natural world
Freshly back from maternity leave, one of my first commissions last month involved making this poppy sun catcher, with a backdrop of ‘divine light’, as a remembrance panel.
The two poppies are intertwined with each other and inspired by art nouveau movement of stained glass, with undulating lines inspired by natural forms.
Its good to be back!
In August we welcomed our beautiful daughter, Eryn, into the World. I am currently taking around 10 months away from my craft business to care for her, so I will not be taking any orders or commissions in that time. I look forward to embracing my craft again though in June 2022! Do get in touch if you have any commission enquiries in the meantime.
One of my recent commissions involved a special birthday present for a London-based counsellor. The sun catcher features an abstract bird in flight with beautiful vibrant colours, which happens to be the logo for her business.
Logos can work beautifully well in stained glass, either to go above a front door or as a special feature in an office, shop or home.
The process involved selecting colours with the client and inserting the logo design into a circular ‘wind feature’ with swirling glass to give the effect of the bird flying through the air. The circle added extra strength to the piece (the right wing would have been too delicate otherwise).
Here are a few pictures of the making process, including cutting the glass and copper foiling each piece.
My new collection of stained glass Christmas tree decorations is now ready!
This year all my pieces have been hand-painted and fired in the kiln, made either with streaky stained glass or ‘Tatra’ glass which allows plenty of coloured light through from your Christmas tree lights.
My favourite pieces are a collection of eight British woodland animals including a hare, badger, barn owl, fox, harvest mouse, fallow deer, red squirrel and hedgehog. I think they’re rather cute (!) and evoke feelings of cosiness (many of the designs feature the animals curled up asleep) and celebrate the start of the winter season in the Devon countryside.
Other Christmas tree decorations include a set of candles, holly, stars and Christmas trees with a geometric abstract pattern, all hand painted on brightly coloured stained glass.
For an exotic, alternative Christmas I’ve also designed some red and green chilli pepper Christmas tree decorations for those chilli lovers out there! 
I hope you enjoy browsing through this year’s Christmas items. I make all pieces to order in 1 – 2 weeks, so if you’d like to purchase any please visit my shop and place your order by 9th December at the latest if you’d like them in time for Christmas!
One of the most uplifting and creative movements in 2020 amongst all the sadness and angst is the ‘The rainbow campaign’. People all around the world have been putting up rainbows for everyone else to see to help people get through social distancing and loneliness, sending out a message saying ‘everything will be OK’.
Before it all kicked off in March 2020 I had made a stained glass rainbow emerging from clouds for my 6 month old daughter’s nursery. I hand painted her name on one of the red strands to add a personal touch to her rainbow.
Since then I’ve had requests from people wanting some uplifting nursery rainbow pieces for their own babies and young children’s bedrooms. I managed to get hold of some non-lead solder as a safety precaution too.
The rainbow and cloud sun catches serve a dual purpose, sending out a re-assuring and uniting message on their windows to neighbours and passers-by.
I’d like to take a personal thanks to all who have helped us through this difficult time – in particular NHS and key workers – who have selflessly been battling the pandemic for the benefit of us all.
I’ve been able to self isolate at home and have found solace in my workshop – rainbow making, as it turns out, can bring one a great deal of comfort.
Landscapes work wonderfully well in stained glass. The colourful mosaic pattern of fields, the lines dividing the horizon and sea, the curves of country roads, dark shapes of coppices and woodland…
So I was delighted when I was approached to design and make a landscape piece of the Lambourn valley in West Berkshire. The Lambourn Valley Way runs from the Berkshire Downs near the Uffington White Horse to Newbury along the valley of the River Lambourn connecting the Ridgeway with the Kennet valley.
In the spring the area is filled with fields of beautiful lilac coloured linseed flowers in contrast with bright yellow oil seed rape fields. The client was looking for a special gift for her father’ 70th birthday, who regularly walks this valley with his two dogs.
Using a photograph provided and taking inspiration from landscape painter Anna Dillon, I divided up landscape into a patchwork of colours and patterns.
I choose bright and varied patterned glass to create a vibrant landscape stained glass sun catcher.
The client’s dad was delighted:
“I received the most beautiful birthday present from my children of a fabulous panel Maya did based of one of my photographs of the Lambourn valley. Thank you so much for such a lovely interpretation. It was a surprise and a big thrill… It is hanging in the window right in front of the chair I sit in most often and is a joy every time I look up!”
