Jane Bayliss

Some months ago while unexpectedly finding a free day on my hands on Aberdeenshire, I went for a run in the car to see what I could find. Fintray Parish Church I found not to be the most exciting looking in the world or even open that day but, had I not been stopped at the church's gate, it is unlikely that I would ever have noticed the sign hanging in the neighbouring drive. It was for the Jennifer-Jane Stained Glass Studio and, being open, I went in for a look. It is run by Jane Bayliss and her assistant Brian Innes, who very kindly let me take a few pictures, gave me a cup of tea and a generous slice of their day.

Most of the stained glass I see is in churches so it's nice to see a little domestic stained glass from time to time. The piece below is one of a number of small windows that were in the studio, some of which were still for sale when I was there.

Jane Bayliss had come to my attention before when I visited Crathie Kirk the previous year (mentioned briefly here) as she made one of the windows in the church.

A small window based on A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Landseer's Monarch of the Glen in Glass

Apart from windows she has made these fascinating bowls.

And this half egg shell which to my mind is quite gorgeous.

This large window was ready to be installed. Leaning against a table isn't the best way to see a stained glass window but the top is catching the sunlight and you can see the rest well enough to have a good idea how it will look in situ.

This window looks like it's still for sale too as it bears a price tag and the title Silver Darlings. Silver Darlings is the name of a novel by  Neil Gunn who was an author from the North East of Scotland. Silver Darlings refers to herring.

 These two windows are two of three that were made for the Migvie Chapel in Aberdeenshire in 2001. The symbols on the characters here are some of the mysterious Pictish Symbols which appear many ancient stones in the area and elsewhere in the North East. (my thanks to Caroline Parr and James Dyas Davidson who own the copyright for these photos and have given me permission to use them)