Trees in Four Seasons

We were honored to repair an original stained glass window created by our mentor, Richard G. Marks

  • Date: 2018
  • Client: The Tecumseh Center for the Arts
  • Project Type: Glass Window Restoration

About this Project…

I was honored to be selected to repair the stained glass window in the lobby of the Tecumseh Center of the Arts.

The TCA is the place to be for great performances by national tour groups and local talent. Thousands of performers, patrons, and even a few miscellaneous animals have contributed to the success of the TCA since 1981.

An Original of Richard Marks

The window in question was designed by my mentor, Richard G. Marks. Richard got his start as an artist at the Detroit Society of Arts and Crafts in the 1950’s. He completed an internship at McMahon Stained Glass Studios in Detroit, and then in 1961, he became the lead designer at the renowned Detroit Stained Glass Works.

In the early 1970’s, Richard stepped out on his own, opening Marks Studios from his home in Adrian, MI. and then eventually moved the shop to the old stone church building on Chicago Blvd in Tecumseh, MI. I apprenticed under the guidance of Richard for three and a half years starting in 1975.

“Trees in Four Seasons” was one of his creations, spanning an entire wall to showcase the changing lifecycle of a tree throughout each of the four Midwest seasons. The beauty of Mr. Marks’ creations still graces many windows in our region.

The window was in need of repair. The staff at the TCA saw that the window had broken pieces and moisture had produced rust spots on some of the leaded panes. Also, there were some areas where a piece of glass was cemented to another as a lamination in an attempt to change the color of that particular piece of glass

After carefully disassembling the window and removing it from the lobby of the TCA, I brought each piece to my stained glass workshop in Adrian to begin a detailed assessment and the intricate repairs needed.

I was able to remove the laminations and replace them with the intended color, reinforce the window supports and replace the broken pieces.

At the opening night for the new TCA season in the fall of 2018, the staff and many supporters were impressed with the final result.

Stained Glass Window Beautifully Restored

“The full-sized window, ‘Trees in Four Seasons’ by Richard Marks, is the focal point of the TCA lobby. Over the past few years, TCA staff realized the need to repair and protect the stained glass artwork for future patrons to enjoy.

We were thrilled to connect with Craig Pearson who had worked under Richard Marks. The project took several months but was well worth it!

We were incredibly impressed and grateful for the work of C & P Glassworks and would highly recommend Craig for stained glass repair.”

Kelly Jo Gilmore, Director, Tecumseh Center for the Arts