Illuminating Stained Glass: Craft and Creation
Kings Foundation School of Traditional Arts May 2025

Helen Whittaker introduces the traditional art and craft of stained glass, its materials and methods as used from early Roman times to the present day. Techniques from different parts of the world and periods are explored. Helen discusses the special qualities of stained glass – that is light and colour, and the beautiful ways in which light refracts and illuminates.

Helen addresses the important question: is stained glass still relevant today? Leading on to her own work as an artist-designer; she describes her approach to commissioned stained-glass pieces and presents some key examples of her work over the past 25 years.

Helen’s career in stained glass has been nourished by her studies at VITA (Visual Islamic and Traditional Arts) MA Programme back in the 1990s, now known as the King’s Foundation School of Traditional Arts. In this talk, she hopes to convey her passion for this medium and its significance in her life.