soup and sandwiches

And so 21 October found Libby travelling by train up to Cambridge and Charles driving down from Film Farm to meet John and his wife Dr Charlotte Grant at Kings College, where Charlotte is a Fellow. Charles was even allowed to park the Goblin on the forecourt, how cool is that, and Charlotte gave us a tour of the Chapel (most impressive) but luckily for Libby (who suffers from vertigo) we weren't allowed up on the roof that particular day. We settled down in one of the private rooms and had some yummy soup and sandwiches and discussed logistics and a trip to Cochem to film the unveiling of Patrick's latest windows, produced in collaboration with Graham Jones. All very civilised and sophisticated. John and Charlotte have some great ideas about fund raising, including getting Patrick to paint offcuts of glass with smoking fish or phoenix which will then be leaded and sold and a possible PR evening with talks and food - but I'm keeping mum for the present until the arrangements have been finalised.
And afterwards Charles and I trotted round to Robinson College to see the Reyntiens/Piper window (below).

move over Melvyn!*

John was so impressed by the Piper film that he contacted us about producing something similar about his father - Charles and I were supposed to be working on FBSG this week but mostly got waylaid by this enticing new project (see FBSG entry for 18/10/2009).
* refers to a flattering comment by a very distinguished academic suggesting that the Piper film narrator should replace Melvyn Bragg!

Piper launch

Well, this is dealt with in more depth on the Piper blog, but John did indeed attend (mit another jolly floral shirt) and went away with the DVD to peruse, view, whatever.

serendipity

Ampleforth - the egg - Mary at the moment of her conception in St Anne's womb

Having been asked to give a lecture about Patrick's stained glass I had been busying myself visiting various churches, taking photographs, making notes, and made an appointment to visit Ampleforth College and Abbey on 25th September (we're now in 2009, keep up!) The Benedictine establishment is not only where Patrick received his schooling but also boasts a significant number of his stained glass windows made in collaboration with his son John who has a stained glass company in Hackney, Urban Glass Works.

Father Prior showed me round the Abbey and introduced me to a young man in a jolly floral shirt who was finishing some work on the windows - and who should it be but John Reyntiens. I could scarcely credit it, what a coincidence! So we chatted merrily away, giggling about some of Patrick's eccentricities and I happened to mention that the Piper film was being launched at the Goldmark Gallery on the 27th - since his father couldn't attend, perhaps John would care to?

John in Ampleforth Abbey

betwitched, bothered and bewildered

Almost a year later, 17 October 2008, we again visited Patrick - this time for the John Piper film and once again he bewitched us with his accounts of working with Piper, initially on the windows for Oundle School Chapel and then of course the Baptistery window at Coventry Cathedral; Eton College Chapel; secular work for Sandersons in Berners Street, London; the corona at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Christ the King, Liverpool; Robinson College Chapel, Cambridge - and so on, but I musn't give too much away!

Patrick painting the lead lines/black lines for one of the Oundle windows, c1955

tea bags and turmeric

This is where it all began - I wanted to interview Patrick for FBSG - Charles had met the great man once before with his friend Jacy Wall whom he contacted - we were put in touch with Patrick's daughter Edith - and so on ...
And thus it was that on Saturday 17 November we bowled up at Patrick's house in Somerset - and were bowled over and out, captivated and enchanted by the man - a brilliant raconteur, an extraordinary personality, a life-force, a child within a man with a wicked sense of fun, hugely intellectual, an experimenter and innovator, whose work has transformed the conception and construction of stained glass.
After the Brangwyn interview we went into the studio and saw some of his autonomous stained glass panels produced mainly in the late 1980s and 1990s as a relief from commissioned work, wonderfully lively, colourful, fluid works. Despite his 82 years he danced around his studio like an acrobat, moving the heavy lead panels to and fro for our delectation.

Patrick in the studio with panels from his Commedia del Arte series

And after THAT he took us inside for a cup of tea and some tasty biscuits and a browse through his sketchbooks, a testament to the man's inventiveness and energy - snow covered trees made with PVA glue removed after the wash had been applied - yellow washes produced from tea bags and turmeric. And after THAT he still had the time and energy to show us his library and add in a quick recitation of Theocritus!
We finally left mentally exhausted but at the same time delighted by the encounter.