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INTERVIEW OF THE WEEK
Interview, Oct. 29th 2009
Stanislav Knezi
Stained Glass Painter (Maker)

By: Ljiljana Samardzic

Sombor, Oct.21, 2009 (Serbia Today) - For years, the term stained glass has been instantly attached to churches and monasteries. Today, it is nonofficial status symbol since it is known that stained glass is not easy to make and, therefore, it could not be cheap. Its expensiveness, beauty and colored glass is familiar to majority of people. However, the making process is little known to vast popularity. About process, its difficulties and reasons why stained glass costs so much, “Serbia Today” spoke with one of two most recognizable Serbian stained glass makers - Stanislav Knezi from art studio “Knez”. The art studio “Knez” has two painters and stained glass makers - Nadezda Conic and Stanislav Knezi.

How many years are you into stained glass making?

Stanislav Knezi: “I’ve been actively focused on stained glass making since 1972, but I’ve been doing some painting for myself as well. Nadezda has been into this kind of art for 12 years by now. We have hundreds and hundreds of m² of painted glass behind us.”

How many stained glass makers are there in Serbia?

Stanislav Knezi: “Stained glass (vitrail, franc.) is French word which means to fit something into glass. That kind of job is also done by glaziers, it is their handcraft. In our country, there are only two workshops which are into painting stained glass - ours, “Knez” and another one also from Sombor, “Stanisic”. Mr. Stanisic is neither an artist nor painter, he is only the owner of art studio. However, his name has tradition since he made reputation in Serbia for stained glass art. I’ve been painting stained glass in his workshop for about 20 years before I’ve opened my own.”

Those two are the only one in Serbia?

Stanislav Knezi: “Well, there are others who are as well in this handcraft, but they are yet not completely technologically or pictorially developed. Many years of practice are needed in order to bond technology experiences with pictorial and figurative intentions. It is very hard to open the art studio for stained glass - young painter, who has just finished the Academy needs a lot of money, in a first place. On the other hand, one needs an experience which takes time, that is to say years. To conclude, those two studios are the strongest, but “Knez” is better, since I’ve painted for 20 years for Mr. Stanisic and, in a way, build up his name. They are the oldest, but we have more experience.”

Many people are acquainted with general characteristics of stained glass, but could you describe technique and technology of making one?

Stanislav Knezi: “First of all, you have to make a sketch. Sketch is usually of smaller size so it could be easily reviewed. Than it is putted to size 1 to 1, after what sketch must be copied in order to select the colors which would be used (usually people use already manufactured painted glass). Sketch must be divided to fragments and now those fragments are being cut.

Fragments are not made simultaneously. Lines of fragments have to represent black lines net which are at the same time raster lines, but they also have to fit in painting by their dynamic, harmony and rhythm. It is highly important.

The glass also mustn’t be forced-that is to say, the cut made must be possible and logical. Lead bonds also must be included in measure, when cutting. In that way, after whole process, stained glass realization stays the same size.

When this has been done, we paint glass. Glass is being putted against the light and painted with metal oxide paint which also consists of glass melters. This kind of color is lasting one. After painting the glass surface, the glass must be putted into special ovens. When exposed to high temperatures, paint has been lastingly sunk into glass.

Glass is being putted into oven for few times, until we get desired colors. In this process one needs high experience to avoid changes of color due to oxidation and reduction of metals.

At the end, glass pieces must be bonded with lead lines. Glass paint is little bit flexible and elastic, because in those large spaces, where light has been cultivated (churches, hotels...); it comes to expansion or traction due to warmness and coldness. In case of earthquake, bombarding or ventilating stained glass only swings in its place.

How much costs one stained glass?

Stanislav Knezi: “It costs as any other artistic painting. The price depends on the authors name, artistic market price, financial potential of manufacturer’s surrounding (state, place, town, and city) and investments during the manufacture. Expenses for one year - how much the author must earn for living, to invest to renew material, power expenses - it also must be included in price. On all that you add the price of working hour and the price is being made. If customer wants usual, serial kind of stained glass we count only working hour and material. The author’s idea has special price.”

So, it is clear that price is very individual and it basically depends on the costumer’s demands.

It seems as ideal job. Are there any bad sides of it?

Stanislav Knezi: “It is not allowed to light a cigarette, to drink water, to eat or generally consume anything in the working area. This is because lead is toxic material when it is in process of melting. Art studios order already manufactured desired shapes of lead from factories. But, paints that we use are also toxic when exposed to high temperatures of 600-700 degrees. In normal circumstances, those metals are absolutely safe.”

Could you name some places where you worked during last years?

Stanislav Knezi: “We have been working in Germany, all over the Serbia and many other countries. We also have cooperation with Heritage preservation Institute and with Academy of applied arts.”

It is important to mention that Mr. Knezi and Ms. Conic are working by old, genuine technology with original materials and every piece of art has been painted by their own hands and that is what makes them so special and expensive.