Let There be Light?

July 20, 2017 Leave a Comment

Air has sound. Initially, we think of it as silent, invisible substance. But dig deeper and think of the wind — the sound changes as it encounters obstacles, impediments. It’s just air, but it definitely has sound. Think of the sound of air as it’s compressed and released. Our lives are surrounded by the sound of compressed air… refrigerators, air conditioners, pumps… so many of us are so used to it that we’ve become unaware of it; we’ve tuned it out.

(Actually, fun fact — did you know that compressed air is so widely used that it is often regarded as the fourth utility, after electricity, gas and water. However, if you evaluate the cost of compressed air it is actually more expensive than the other three utilities. So… air is free my foot!)

A stairwell window in Parkside, Buffalo.

… The impact of light should be the same. It should reverberate in our soul. As stained glass artists we are asked to create an obstacle to the mundane, an impediment to the boring, a spring of joy for the soul. It should create its own sort of sound within.

I walk around the old neighborhoods in my city and its everywhere. Leaded glass transoms, sidelights and accent windows were so common; practically every house had one or two fancy windows. Now? You’re lucky to find anything in a newer neighborhood. Did we get too used to it? Did we forget the impact of that simple beauty in our everyday lives? Was it not enough? We’ve complicated our rooflines, but when do we ever sit around enjoying those?

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

“The final work is beyond anyone’s expectations. But her work often elicits that response because she seeks all possibilities, not just what is envisioned.”

Design NY 2016
“I was not prepared for the magnificence of these works of art when she brought them up to install them. She blended old (to represent the period of the home) with Avant Garde to create stunning works of art.”

Barbara Reformat, Interior Designer (babsDESIGN) 2015
"My husband and I are both architects, which brings with it high expectations and a focus on craft and detail. Our standard for craftsmanship are incredibly high, and McElf exceeded them!"

Kelly & Robert Piasecki, Philadelphia, PA 2012

#soliloquy-container-768{opacity:1}#soliloquy-container-768 li > .soliloquy-caption{display:none}#soliloquy-container-768 li:first-child > .soliloquy-caption{display:block}

Life's too short for decaf coffee or annoying emails.

What I can't promise is regular, weekly emails. What I can promise is sporadic, humorous updates with a serious amount of gorgeous glassy adventures inside. Occasionally, there might even be a chance to join me for a cup o' coffee. (The really caffeinated kind!)

(function(global) {
function serialize(form){if(!form||form.nodeName!=="FORM"){return }var i,j,q=[];for(i=form.elements.length-1;i>=0;i=i-1){if(form.elements[i].name===""){continue}switch(form.elements[i].nodeName){case"INPUT":switch(form.elements[i].type){case"text":case"hidden":case"password":case"button":case"reset":case"submit":q.push(form.elements[i].name+"="+encodeURIComponent(form.elements[i].value));break;case"checkbox":case"radio":if(form.elements[i].checked){q.push(form.elements[i].name+"="+encodeURIComponent(form.elements[i].value))}break;case"file":break}break;case"TEXTAREA":q.push(form.elements[i].name+"="+encodeURIComponent(form.elements[i].value));break;case"SELECT":switch(form.elements[i].type){case"select-one":q.push(form.elements[i].name+"="+encodeURIComponent(form.elements[i].value));break;case"select-multiple":for(j=form.elements[i].options.length-1;j>=0;j=j-1){if(form.elements[i].options[j].selected){q.push(form.elements[i].name+"="+encodeURIComponent(form.elements[i].options[j].value))}}break}break;case"BUTTON":switch(form.elements[i].type){case"reset":case"submit":case"button":q.push(form.elements[i].name+"="+encodeURIComponent(form.elements[i].value));break}break}}return q.join("&")};

function extend(destination, source) {
for (var prop in source) {
destination[prop] = source[prop];
}
}

if (!Mimi) var Mimi = {};
if (!Mimi.Signups) Mimi.Signups = {};

Mimi.Signups.EmbedValidation = function() {
this.initialize();

var _this = this;
if (document.addEventListener) {
this.form.addEventListener('submit', function(e){
_this.onFormSubmit(e);
});
} else {
this.form.attachEvent('onsubmit', function(e){
_this.onFormSubmit(e);
});
}
};

extend(Mimi.Signups.EmbedValidation.prototype, {
initialize: function() {
this.form = document.getElementById('ema_signup_form');
this.submit = document.getElementById('webform_submit_button');
this.callbackName = 'jsonp_callback_' + Math.round(100000 * Math.random());
this.validEmail = /.+@.+..+/
},

onFormSubmit: function(e) {
e.preventDefault();

this.validate();
if (this.isValid) {
this.submitForm();
} else {
this.revalidateOnChange();
}
},

validate: function() {
this.isValid = true;
this.emailValidation();
this.fieldAndListValidation();
this.updateFormAfterValidation();
},

emailValidation: function() {
var email = document.getElementById('signup_email');

if (this.validEmail.test(email.value)) {
this.removeTextFieldError(email);
} else {
this.textFieldError(email);
this.isValid = false;
}
},

fieldAndListValidation: function() {
var fields = this.form.querySelectorAll('.mimi_field.required');

for (var i = 0; i = 0) {
return 'checkboxes';
} else {
return 'text_field';
}
},

checkboxAndRadioValidation: function(field) {
var inputs = field.getElementsByTagName('input'),
selected = false;

for (var i = 0; i < inputs.length; ++i) {
var input = inputs[i];
if((input.type === 'checkbox' || input.type === 'radio') && input.checked) {
selected = true;
}
}

if (selected) {
field.className = field.className.replace(/ invalid/g, '');
} else {
if (field.className.indexOf('invalid') === -1) {
field.className += ' invalid';
}

this.isValid = false;
}
},

textAndDropdownValidation: function(field, type) {
var inputs = field.getElementsByTagName('input');

for (var i = 0; i = 0) {
if (type === 'text_field') {
this.textValidation(input);
} else {
this.dropdownValidation(field, input);
}
}
}
this.htmlEmbedDropdownValidation(field);
},

textValidation: function(input) {
if (input.id === 'signup_email') return;

if (input.value) {
this.removeTextFieldError(input);
} else {
this.textFieldError(input);
this.isValid = false;
}
},

dropdownValidation: function(field, input) {
if (input.value) {
field.className = field.className.replace(/ invalid/g, '');
} else {
if (field.className.indexOf('invalid') === -1) field.className += ' invalid';
this.onSelectCallback(input);
this.isValid = false;
}
},

htmlEmbedDropdownValidation: function(field) {
var dropdowns = field.querySelectorAll('.mimi_html_dropdown');
var _this = this;

for (var i = 0; i < dropdowns.length; ++i) {
var dropdown = dropdowns[i];

if (dropdown.value) {
field.className = field.className.replace(/ invalid/g, '');
} else {
if (field.className.indexOf('invalid') === -1) field.className += ' invalid';
this.isValid = false;
dropdown.onchange = (function(){ _this.validate(); });
}
}
},

textFieldError: function(input) {
input.className = 'required invalid';
input.placeholder = input.getAttribute('data-required-field');
},

removeTextFieldError: function(input) {
input.className = 'required';
input.placeholder = '';
},

onSelectCallback: function(input) {
if (typeof Widget === 'undefined' || !Widget.BasicDropdown) return;

var dropdownEl = input.parentNode,
instances = Widget.BasicDropdown.instances,
_this = this;

for (var i = 0; i < instances.length; ++i) {
var instance = instances[i];
if (instance.wrapperEl === dropdownEl) {
instance.onSelect = function(){ _this.validate() };
}
}
},

updateFormAfterValidation: function() {
this.form.className = this.setFormClassName();
this.submit.value = this.submitButtonText();
this.submit.disabled = !this.isValid;
this.submit.className = this.isValid ? 'submit' : 'disabled';
},

setFormClassName: function() {
var name = this.form.className;

if (this.isValid) {
return name.replace(/s?mimi_invalid/, '');
} else {
if (name.indexOf('mimi_invalid') === -1) {
return name += ' mimi_invalid';
} else {
return name;
}
}
},

submitButtonText: function() {
var invalidFields = document.querySelectorAll('.invalid'),
text;

if (this.isValid || !invalidFields) {
text = this.submit.getAttribute('data-default-text');
} else {
if (invalidFields.length || invalidFields[0].className.indexOf('checkgroup') === -1) {
text = this.submit.getAttribute('data-invalid-text');
} else {
text = this.submit.getAttribute('data-choose-list');
}
}
return text;
},

submitForm: function() {
this.formSubmitting();

var _this = this;
window[this.callbackName] = function(response) {
delete window[this.callbackName];
document.body.removeChild(script);
_this.onSubmitCallback(response);
};

var script = document.createElement('script');
script.src = this.formUrl('json');
document.body.appendChild(script);
},

formUrl: function(format) {
var action = this.form.action;
if (format === 'json') action += '.json';
return action + '?callback=' + this.callbackName + '&' + serialize(this.form);
},

formSubmitting: function() {
this.form.className += ' mimi_submitting';
this.submit.value = this.submit.getAttribute('data-submitting-text');
this.submit.disabled = true;
this.submit.className = 'disabled';
},

onSubmitCallback: function(response) {
if (response.success) {
this.onSubmitSuccess(response.result);
} else {
top.location.href = this.formUrl('html');
}
},

onSubmitSuccess: function(result) {
if (result.has_redirect) {
top.location.href = result.redirect;
} else if(result.single_opt_in || !result.confirmation_html) {
this.disableForm();
this.updateSubmitButtonText(this.submit.getAttribute('data-thanks'));
} else {
this.showConfirmationText(result.confirmation_html);
}
},

showConfirmationText: function(html) {
var fields = this.form.querySelectorAll('.mimi_field');

for (var i = 0; i < fields.length; ++i) {
fields[i].style['display'] = 'none';
}

(this.form.querySelectorAll('fieldset')[0] || this.form).innerHTML = html;
},

disableForm: function() {
var elements = this.form.elements;
for (var i = 0; i < elements.length; ++i) {
elements[i].disabled = true;
}
},

updateSubmitButtonText: function(text) {
this.submit.value = text;
},

revalidateOnChange: function() {
var fields = this.form.querySelectorAll(".mimi_field.required"),
_this = this;

for (var i = 0; i < fields.length; ++i) {
var inputs = fields[i].getElementsByTagName('input');
for (var j = 0; j < inputs.length; ++j) {
if (this.fieldType(fields[i]) === 'text_field') {
inputs[j].onkeyup = function() {
var input = this;
if (input.getAttribute('name') === 'signup[email]') {
if (_this.validEmail.test(input.value)) _this.validate();
} else {
if (input.value.length === 1) _this.validate();
}
}
} else {
inputs[j].onchange = function(){ _this.validate() };
}
}
}
}
});

if (document.addEventListener) {
document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function() {
new Mimi.Signups.EmbedValidation();
});
}
else {
window.attachEvent('onload', function() {
new Mimi.Signups.EmbedValidation();
});
}
})(this);