On 23 March 2020, the UK went into lockdown. It was an unprecedented time in our lives and we are still living with the pain of that time.

During the pandemic we were robbed of the opportunity to say goodbye to those whom we loved. We sat in crematoriums and stood by gravesides unable to hold one another or even have those whom we wanted there with us due to limited numbers. Our children lost out on schooling, we couldn't attend groups and we were confined to our homes. It was a period where we had to make decisions we never dreamt of making.

All of us have lost something and many of us have been unable to mark the moment in our lives. This window is our way of remembering everyone and everything that we lost as well as grasping the hope of tomorrow.

If you want to make a donation then we invite you to give to this project and help us share the stories of those who were lost, not only to covid but in a multitude of ways during that time and for all that we lost collectively and individually.

We are working with local artist Emma Jane Lindsay www.emmajanelindsay.com who wrote this about her design.

Braving the Storm is a design inspired by a passing storm, an image that allows us to acknowledge and remember grief and loss while encouraging us to emerge on the other side with faith and love. The left-hand window depicts the storm in progress with dark clouds while the right-hand window shows the storm calming and a rainbow breaking through as a symbol of hope and guidance. The golden heart [a symbol of remembrance for Covid] is depicted as a heart-shaped break in the dark storm clouds with golden light shining through to symbolize both the love of God and the swell of community spirit that lifted us through the Pandemic. The loss of loved ones, events and memories we experienced is represented by a flock of doves. Doves are a widely used symbol of the Holy Spirit and through Noah are strongly connected with the idea of new beginnings after the rains stop.

The doves are ethereal and semi-translucent, moving from the bottom of the left window up to the top of the right window. This is to acknowledge that even though our loved ones are no longer physically present, their love and influence is all around us and will be carried forward into the future. The verse from John 1:5 has been inscribed across the bottom of the windows as I feel it conveys the overall message of the design perfectly: The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.

Intent

The sky represents eternity and the transcendence of the heavens, which for me creates a feeling of comfort, calm and a sense of always being watched over and cared for. I would like the overall feel of the design to be welcoming and soothing so have chosen to use a palette of blues flowing from dark to light, punctuated with the brightness and warmth of the golden heart and the rainbow.

I intend to create a modern piece of artwork that will resonate with many different people and offer them solace.

Fabrication

The design is comprised of 2 leaded lights with rounded tops that are immediately visible upon entering the church and as such I wish to create a design that can be appreciated both by passers-by and lingering viewers. These panels would be made using traditional leaded glass techniques incorporating acid-etched hand-blown flashed glass, silver stains, glass paints and enamels to achieve the subtle transitions from dark to light. The butterflies or doves would be subtly etched onto the glass so they are very subtly visible. I intend to create a combination of colours that encourage reflection and calm but are still uplifting. Deeper blues would be used to depict the darkness of the storm instead of black and the use of silver stains and flashes or bright rainbow colours will prevent the piece from feeling too heavy or sombre. The overall effect of the window will be light, clean and contemporary. The blue hues I have used in this design are closely associated with calmness, security, peace and healing and I hope this is what people will feel when they look at the windows.