Talented Linda works with glass
Linda Angus is passionate about creating stained glass creations and doing repairs.
WHAT started as a distraction for a friend going through a break-up, has turned into a passion for local stained glass artist, Linda Angus.
The Glenwood resident took up the hobby 25 years ago and now owns a business that restores and repairs stained glass.
“My girl friend had a broken heart and was in a really bad place and wouldn't leave the house. I needed to get her out, and saw an advert in the paper for stained glass classes. I wasn't a very artistic person, but I lied and told my friend this was something I had always wanted to do, but was too shy to go alone. She went with me to the classes and the rest is history!” said Linda.
She and her friend did stained glass artistry together for 10 years until her friend emigrated.
“I carried on, I just loved it! My house was full of glass, but I still drove around looking for things to use to make more! It's exciting what you can make with different colours and textures of glass,” she said.
Linda started as a student, mentored by Graham Todd, and 18 months ago, when he wanted to retire, Linda bought his business, Art Glass and Bevels, which has been doing stained glass commissions and repairs for 40 years.
“It's something I do day and night. I'm busy planning and drawing. I also make pieces of art with old glass found on the beach, as well as shells, which I use to make lamp shades and busts,” she said.
Linda does give classes, but says it is time consuming and takes away time from commissions and repairs, which she is now focused on.
Her company does stained glass repairs, using the ancient technique, made famous by Louis Comfort Tiffany, where pieces of coloured glass are cut with an oil fed cutter with a tungsten wheel, placed in the desired pattern and soldered together using lead came or copper foil and solder. These lead joins are then antiqued to create the “ancient” look that is typical of stained glass.
She also repairs lead light windows and works a lot with bevilles and clear glass such as doors. She said she tries to maintain the original theme of stained glass when doing repair work.
“In my work on repairs, I have come across 150 year old glass which needs replacing. Graham threw nothing away and I have learnt this too. I can find glass which is almost exactly the same match in my repairs. It's nice to salvage and reuse what would be deemed rubbish, and perpetuate the life of glass,” she said.
Contact Linda on 082 807 7565 or email angusl@mweb.co.za
