Stained glass hobby lights up her life
By Joanne Fox, Journal staff writer | Posted: Saturday, August 30, 2008
Rebecca Gothier, an artist who specializes in stained glass work, creates and displays much of her work in her home. (Staff photo by Jim Lee)
Rebecca Gothier is the best kept secret on the west side of Sioux City.
That's because from the street, you can't see the stained glass that is the focal points of cabinets and windows in her home.
Gothier stumbled into working with stained glass after taking a class at Western Iowa Tech Community College some 13 years ago.
"They taught me how to do sun catchers but I wanted to do more," she admitted.
From there, Gothier connected with the folks at Tri R Hobby to learn more about the craft that weaves radiant colors and light together.
"I owe them all a big thank-you," she insisted. "Particularly Kaye Wigton, who's my go-to gal there."
Gothier's first major project was her front door. It's beautiful by anyone's standards, but Gothier said that the initial attempt only "shows how far I've gone" with future endeavors.
Buoyed by the success of that first presentation, Gothier continued working around the house, proceeding to the side windows and front windows. With each project, Gothier continued honing her skills, especially on "leading" the stained glass.
"My goal is to make the leading so tight that there's no daylight between the seams," she said.
Since working with stained glass is a form of creative expression, Gothier cited someone -- not as well known for stained glass -- as one of her inspirations -- Frank Lloyd Wright.
"I must have ridden my bike past Dana House every day growing up," she said, referring to the house in Springfield, Ill., which was designed by the architect in the early 1900s. Gothier moved to Sioux City in 1979.
"Wright was a designer, not a builder," she clarified. "I think I like the artistic qualities he brought to his designs."
Gothier admires Wright's genius for spatial definition and surface articulation, but she stressed she didn't want to copy him.
"For as much as I really dig Frank Lloyd Wright and his Prairie style," she said, "I knew I wanted to design on my own."
Although the Prairie style can be found in some of the designs in her windows, cabinets and especially her sliding glass doors off the kitchen, Gothier said that there is no traditional stained glass style throughout the house. A stained glass window in her bathroom is an example of Gothier's personal flair.
Generally, Gothier's creations are just part of her hobby. Her day job is quality control on the kill floor at Tyson Fresh Meats.
"As a rule, I don't work for other people," she explained. "But if I do take a client, I have to have creative lee-way. I want to give them something I'm proud of."
To learn more about Rebecca Gothier's stained glass hobby, read the story entitled "The Marriage and Color of Light" in the Journal's upcoming Siouxland Home and Living magazine and online at www.siouxcityjournal.com/special_sections/homeliving.
That's because from the street, you can't see the stained glass that is the focal points of cabinets and windows in her home.
Gothier stumbled into working with stained glass after taking a class at Western Iowa Tech Community College some 13 years ago.
"They taught me how to do sun catchers but I wanted to do more," she admitted.
From there, Gothier connected with the folks at Tri R Hobby to learn more about the craft that weaves radiant colors and light together.
"I owe them all a big thank-you," she insisted. "Particularly Kaye Wigton, who's my go-to gal there."
Gothier's first major project was her front door. It's beautiful by anyone's standards, but Gothier said that the initial attempt only "shows how far I've gone" with future endeavors.
Buoyed by the success of that first presentation, Gothier continued working around the house, proceeding to the side windows and front windows. With each project, Gothier continued honing her skills, especially on "leading" the stained glass.
"My goal is to make the leading so tight that there's no daylight between the seams," she said.
Since working with stained glass is a form of creative expression, Gothier cited someone -- not as well known for stained glass -- as one of her inspirations -- Frank Lloyd Wright.
"I must have ridden my bike past Dana House every day growing up," she said, referring to the house in Springfield, Ill., which was designed by the architect in the early 1900s. Gothier moved to Sioux City in 1979.
"Wright was a designer, not a builder," she clarified. "I think I like the artistic qualities he brought to his designs."
Gothier admires Wright's genius for spatial definition and surface articulation, but she stressed she didn't want to copy him.
"For as much as I really dig Frank Lloyd Wright and his Prairie style," she said, "I knew I wanted to design on my own."
Although the Prairie style can be found in some of the designs in her windows, cabinets and especially her sliding glass doors off the kitchen, Gothier said that there is no traditional stained glass style throughout the house. A stained glass window in her bathroom is an example of Gothier's personal flair.
Generally, Gothier's creations are just part of her hobby. Her day job is quality control on the kill floor at Tyson Fresh Meats.
"As a rule, I don't work for other people," she explained. "But if I do take a client, I have to have creative lee-way. I want to give them something I'm proud of."
To learn more about Rebecca Gothier's stained glass hobby, read the story entitled "The Marriage and Color of Light" in the Journal's upcoming Siouxland Home and Living magazine and online at www.siouxcityjournal.com/special_sections/homeliving.
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