CLIENT
Trinity Mother Francis Heart Clinic
PROJECT NAME
Christ The Healer
Stained Glass Window
Trinity Mother Francis Heart Clinic is a Catholic hospital located in Tyler, Texas.
The window was initially commissioned to another firm, but upon review of the artwork the hospital decided they wanted something more unique than glass prints featuring the Stations of the Cross, which they had originally requested.
The installation brought many challenges. The first was the round shape with the tall stack of panels on the left, but was quicly trumped by location—the location is in the middle of the hospital with no direct sunlight. Less than optimal conditions for stained glass.
Our initial design presented a window series made of faceted glass, the ancient glass mosaic process. This process presents the exterior as a sculpture with the opposite side, the interior of the space, presenting the color and desired image. We ultimately chose to create a mosaic appearance, using grouted precise-cut glass. This installation was actually a double window with lightbox interior, which allowed it to appear as stained glass from both interior and exterior spaces.
As forementioned, the intial concept presented to us was the traditional Stations of the Cross, which has been used at least 1,203,042 times. In my mind it wasn't nearly unique enough for this amazing opportunity, nor did it present the emotion I hoped would speak to the patrons of this space—family and friends coming here to lift up their prayers to God as their loved ones were going through heart surgeries. The concept to me came quickly, Christ the Healer. The story shown presents Christ laying hands on a sick child brought to him by his mother. Following her is a procession of other people who need healing, drawn to him from a far away city on the hill. Besides the inferred there are also those in reserve, the doubters, and those who aren't even aware, like the little girl under the palm trees on the right, a precious child caught up in her own world, marveling at one of God's other miracles, a butterfly (symbolizing metamorphosis).
The backdrop for this installation captures the Holy Spirit in the top left panel, beaming love down on His creation. Three red ribbons represent the trinity. One ends in the past, one in the present, and the last in the future. The design draws you to the right, toward the entry to the space. And in fact, the interior viewing of this, a mirror image, takes on a completely different experience as it is seen from a close proximity.
An additional matching window was required for the sacraments area.
