Kathy Shaw-Urlich Stained Glass

While I'm on the subject of architectural glass (a relatively new area of interest for me, though I've loved mediaeval church windows since first seeing Sainte Chapelle in Paris), I should mention a recent acquisition, a small panel by Kiwi/British artist Kathy Shaw-Urlich, who now resides in the small rural Far North settlement of Whatuwhiwhi.  Kathy exhibited this at a small gallery in Awanui in April 2011, and I was delighted to acquire it.

The work is titled Maunga Tapu, or holy mountain. Although she was born and brought up in the UK, Kathy's Maori heritage has always been important  to her. She has whanau links to Whakapara, north of Whangarei, where another of her windows may be seen.  In 1998 her whanau asked her to make a window for behind the altar at St Isaac's Anglican church.

I am delighted that there is a connection between these two windows, since Kathy has told me that the glass she used for the maunga in Maunga Tapu was a piece left over from the maunga that appears under the bird's wing at Whakapara.

New Michel Androu Window for Northland

Auckland glass artist Michel Androu has made a window for the new Mangamuka Clinic of Hokianga Health which opened in April 2011.  The window depicts the mountain Maungataniwha and the Hokainga Harbour.  It bears the inscription 'He ika koriparipa me he tangata toitu', which has the sense of 'a healthy fish can swim against the tide, and a healthy person can overcome anything'.

 

The window is placed to be seen from within the entrance foyer.  The clinic is currently open only on Wednesdays from 9.30 to 2.30, but staff are very welcoming if you want to view  the window during those hours.