Photos by Alice Walker. All images © Jessica Saunders, shared with permission
“Flowers are connecting, grounding, uplifting, healing, and worth treasuring,” says Essex-based artist Jessica Saunders, whose delicate stained glass sculptures highlight an array of familiar and beloved blooms. From daffodils and poppies to cornflowers and hydrangeas, her pieces celebrate the cyclical nature of the seasons and the incredible range of specimens in both our backyards and the wild.
For Saunders, inspiration comes from her own garden and walks outside with her dog Bramble, observing the gradual changes in blossoms and foliage throughout the year. She also builds upon stories people share with her about specific flowers that evoke memories of others or places they’ve visited, which can be captured in glass as an everlasting reminder.
Saunders began working with stained glass in 2020 when her partner gifted her a beginners’ guide to the practice. “I immediately fell head over heels in love with the process,” the artist tells Colossal. “It felt natural to use my hands this way, and understanding all the different techniques came easily.” She enjoyed the challenges and possibilities of the medium, intrigued by its colors, textures, and transparency, in addition to its ability to be endlessly recycled.
While preserving personal memories or observations, Saunders is also helping to keep a heritage craft alive. Stained glass “takes time and care; it can’t be rushed,” she says. “Each piece has positive intentions soldered, ground, and burnished into them.”
Saunders is currently working on her Summer Collection, scheduled for release around the solstice in June, which will include honeysuckle, rudbeckia, sweet peas, hollyhocks, strawberries, and more. Find more on the artist’s website, and follow updates on Instagram.
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