Molly Severns, stained glass artist
Stained glass artist, Molly Severns spoke with the editor of Ferrycounty.com at Curlew Lake, Washington. Born and raised in Republic, Washington, Severns lived briefly in Michigan, Ohio, and then Seattle, Washington before returning to her Eastern Washington hometown in 2000. She studied architectural graphics at Lake Washington Technical College. She and her husband provide a full range of stained glass products, from commissioned, high-quality, original stained glass and works of art for churches and businesses, to smaller gift items. Their work is available online at www.glassbluemoon.com, at shows in Washington State, and at Blue Moon Studios in Republic, Washington. They've sold their work to customers across the USA and as far away as France.
Glass artist Molly Severns is a young woman with dark brown hair whose voice and movements bespeak an inner calm. Since stained glass work is anything but a frenzied medium, and everything must be done with painstaking deliberation, she seems a good personality match for the exacting work. After talking with her for a few moments and listening as she described in simple terms, but with obvious pleasure, the artwork in her portfolio, I could easily imagine how the sparkling world of glass, color, and light would appeal to her.
Molly Severns received her introduction to stained glass through her husband Tom, who at the urging of his mother-in-law decided to take up stained glass as a hobby. After studying several books and attending classes in Colville, Washington, he shared what he was learning with Molly. They quickly discovered they had an interest and aptitude for the medium. "Stained glass was a hobby for us for about two weeks," she says with a smile. "We thought we'd give our work to friends for Christmas gifts. We quickly realized there was a market for our work."
Both the Severns have focused on creating glass art for three years now. Though for the most part self-taught, both Molly and her husband draw on the formal architectural training they received at Lake Washington Technical College. "Tom's background is in structural architecture and welding," she says. "I studied architecture design and art design." It's easy to see evidence of her design background in an in-work pattern she's developing for a customer in France. The pattern she lays before me is a simple and elegant design of leaves and chickadees framing what will one day be an oval mirror.
"Stained glass was a hobby for us for about two weeks...."
Molly resides in Republic, Washington, near Curlew Lake with her husband Tom and three young sons, where she and her husband work out of their home studio. When asked where she draws her inspiration from, she considers a moment before saying that she's less inspired by particular artists or art movements. Instead, she says, "I get my inspiration from my customers and their dreams. I like to help them realize their vision." The Severns' commissioned stained glass windows are often created specifically for the environment in which they'll be displayed, and reflect ideas or complement existing keepsakes important to their clients. The Severns have worked with customers to create glass works such as custom pool table lamps to match existing room lights; stained-glass mascots for local high schools; and in one instance, rippled glass to create a ships-on-the-water effect for a mural hung over the double doors of a Normandy Park, Washington residence. Both Molly and Tom take every commission very seriously, even to the extent of researching historical colors for period pieces, as they did for a recent four-by-three foot Victorian window for a renovated, 1911 farmhouse in Elgin, Oregon.
In the early phases of their work, the Severns made use of purchased patterns. Now, nearly 90% of their work is based on Molly's custom designs. When feasible, for large commissions, she and her husband like to visit the site where the stained glass will be installed to see which colors and shapes will harmonize with the setting. In one instance, a widow hired them to create a memorial glass window for her late husband. He'd died seven years earlier, and she'd been unable to find any glass artists willing to accept her commission; most major art shops were not willing to drive the four to six hours for such a remote and tiny parish. The image of St. Francis was to be hung in a church in Long Creek, Oregon and had to match three existing windows. Prior to design, Molly and Tom traveled to the church to see the other windows and returned again to assist with their window's installation. The final window complemented the earlier windows perfectly.
The Severns employ both copper foil and lead came techniques. Lead came is the more traditional technique and can be weather proofed for use as exterior windows, however, they generally advise their customers to protect their panes from the weather with another outside window. Molly points out that one of the greatest challenges of their work "is creating the right amount of support for their big pieces, so that they last a lifetime." They do that by making certain they have a tight fit before assembly; using copper restrip, reinforced came, and steel rebar to reinforce the piece; and by polishing the lead and glass to prevent oxidation. The process takes time and muscle -- at least four hours for each side of a large piece.
Their line of home art includes beveled doors, transoms, stained glass mosaic garden stones, and delightful light-catching gifts. Their prices range from $10 to $20 for small gifts and ornaments, $40 to $60 for garden stepping stones, and $150 to $1,000 or more (depending on the size and complexity of the work) for custom work.
The Severns teach classes and sell supplies on request. They also provide stained-glass repair services for damaged glass from small pieces to complete overhauls.
Contact Information
Blue Moon Studios (home studio)
PO Box 1254
Republic, WA 99166
509-775-0279
tmras @ cuonlinenow.com
glassbluemoon.com
They accept most charge cards.
Acknowledgements
Ferrycounty.com wishes to thank Molly Severns for providing us with photos of her and her husband's art. Article by Sarah Lawrence, published on August 20, 2004, and updated on November 12, 2005.
See more artist interviews on our Arts and Culture page.
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