Stained Glass Ceiling - 1987

The Princes Square complex is in in Glasgow, Scotland. This building has since become a landmark building within Glasgow and is still very successful. It is an old courtyard style of building covered with a Glass Atrium with predominantly cafes and restaurants in the upper levels.

Sadly this work made in 1997 has been removed from its location in Princes Square and has been safely packed away. Although I have always been fond of this work it never really worked in to location wher it was situated within this building. I was dependant on artificial light of which there wasn't really enough and the ceiling was simply too low to get anything of the effect of the inbuilt optical illusion.

In discussion with the new management of Princes Square we tried to envisage another setting within the building but without sucess. So, the work is now for sale and looking for an appropriate setting.

The window is 4.2m x 4.2m (14ft x 14ft) made up of 49 - 60cm x 60cm (2ft x 2ft) sqaure sections.
It was designed to fit into a standard suspended cieling structure and the panels were simply placed within the frame. There was even 4 circular sections incorporated for the statutory sprinkler system.

The work really needs some height, it needs to be at least 5mts (16ft)from the ground and well lit. It can be artificially lit but unless there is enough light the work will feel dull.

The work was based on the dome in the entrance chamber of the Kibble Palace in the Botanic Gardens in Glasgow. Foliage of various species and a sprinkling of parrots looking down. I wanted the image above to be feasible and also to provide a link with the atrium being built outside. Taking flash photographs lying underneath a nervous parrot is a risky business. I liked the idea of including parrots. When I first started working with stained glass, I was often asked if I made parrots, they seemed to be what stained glass artists made in those days. People seemed to dissappointed that I couldn't make parrots, so here they are. The corner sections are based on the iron work on the balustrades in the building.

The price is €28,000 plus delivery costs.

For anyone with a suitable location and possibility of displaying it well and, of course, interested in buying this work please contact me.

John K. Clark March 2004