The weekend of the 14-15 September 2024 at the Weald & Downland Living Museum is dedicated to the importance of preserving the crafts and traditions from our history. Alongside our knowledgeable volunteers and staff, the Museum will be filled with members of the Heritage Craft Association, who will be demonstrating their specialist skills and chatting to visitors about their work.
For the next instalment of our Meet the Makers series, which celebrates the talented craftspeople who will be joining us for our Heritage Crafts Weekend, we caught up with the talented stained glass window creator, Jo Munford, founder of Seaview Studio. Jo will be demonstrating the traditional skills behind the art of stained glass and opening eyes to the rich and varied history of this beautiful craft.
How did you discover your interest in stained glass and what prompted you to turn that into a career?
I discovered my interest in stained glass while at university studying textile design as I was inspired by the surface designs of the Arts and Crafts movement. I was particularly taken by the work of William Morris, Tiffany and Mackintosh.
After leaving university my career took me into superyacht interior design and then into a more admin-based role. Feeling frustrated at the lack of creativity, I retrained to learn traditional lead work after a chance meeting with a stained-glass artist family friend. Covid happened and I lost my full-time job, so I concentrated all my efforts to set up Seaview Studio and become a stained-glass designer and maker.
How has your craft evolved over the years? Are there any modern techniques you employ, or do you remain true to traditional methods?
I am constantly learning through books, forums, and from other artists and makers. You can never know enough about your craft!
I work with both traditional lead techniques and the copper foil, ‘Tiffany technique’. Early this year I did a masterclass course in traditional glass painting, and I am now able to offer this new skill to my clients in their commissions.
I like to remain true to traditional methods but there are benefits to finding faster processes. Even though there are lots of software options out there, I still prefer to hand draw my designs. I find hand drawing helps with muscle memory when it comes to cutting curves and shapes and you also feel more involved with the work.
What inspires your art?
Nature inspires me, I love birds and specialise in detailed copper foil bird dioramas on wood. Flowers and plants also inspire me, particularly for window designs and I also love the sea and the elegance of sailing, following my long career in the marine industry.
Tell us a bit about what visitors can expect from your demonstrations at Weald & Downland Living Museum?
I will be demonstrating traditional lead work. Showing how I use lead came and soldering the lead around the cut glass. I will also be demonstrating copper foil work where the seams holding the glass together are not lead, but copper tape, and then soldered on top. I will have examples of finished work available to view including painted glass work.
Why do you think it is important to keep the skills of the past alive for future generations?
Traditional skills and crafts are part of our heritage and with a craft such as stained glass, they are also part of the fabric of buildings that still exist. Without passing these skills to others we will not be able to preserve our history. In a world leaning more and more towards mass production, automation and AI, I think it’s important to retain the human element in the hand made. We need to appreciate the value of carefully crafted items and support the artisans that make them, to promote and help the next generation of artisans.
Jo will be joining us along with a selection of other traditional makers at our Heritage Craft Weekend on 14-15 September. As well as witnessing these specialist skills first hand, visitors to the Museum can enjoy a whole host of family friendly activities and historical performances. Find out more here
