Tag Archives: Nicholas Mynheer

Project Development

Posted on by

Regent’s Park College

In planning visits to a number of chapels that do not feature stained glass, I was delighted to hear the news from one of them: to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of becoming a Permanent Private Hall of the University of Oxford, the Regent’s Park College’s Jubilee Project set about transforming the College Chapel with new décor and furniture, together with a new three stained glass windows, designed by the acclaimed Oxfordshire-based artist, Nicholas Mynheer.  The windows will not be installed until 2020, but the Chaplain has asked if I would be happy to photograph them once in situ, sadly too late for inclusion in my book.  However, I am awaiting permission from the artist to publish the vidimus of one of the windows in leu of a photograph of the window.

I may also seek permission to photograph Mynheer at work in his gallery to provide some additional contextualisation to my work.

The three windows are designed to reflect the central facets of the College’s life, representing Creation, Revelation, and Ministry.

615 Glass designjpg_Page3.jpg

Nicholas Mynheer (2019) Creation window vidimus [Nicholas Mynheer, 2020 – Regent’s Park College]

The Creation window evokes the very first moments of life, formed like a rain drop from heaven.  From Latin, the College’s name (Collegium de Principis cum Regentis Paradiso) translates as the College of the Prince Regent’s Paradise Garden, so it is fitting that in this design the Garden of Eden is brought together with the community around a tree; an allusion to the Tree of Life.  Rich with symbolism, the window features a whale, from whose belly Jonah was resurrected, and the stag, a sign of mystery, piety and longing for God.  There is a beautiful unity to the design, as the shames of creation imitate one another, reflecting their common origin: stars echoed in the starfish and snowflakes, and flying fish mirror the swallows of the sky.

Project Development

Posted on by

Nicholas Mynheer

Oxford-based painter, sculptor, and glass designer Nicholas Mynheer works almost exclusively on religious themes and is currently fulfilling a commission by Regent’s Park College to replace an initial three (of six) plain glass chapel windows with stained glass.  Today I had the chance to discuss his work with him.

It was a pleasure to spend time with Nicholas in his busy studio: festooned with stained glass designs, etched glass cartoons, glass mosaics, assorted sculptures and sculpture scale models.  I would have spent many hours discussing the merits of different rock types in his production of statues, or simply looking through the vast array of work, but we keen to maintain some focus on pertinent stained glass facts.

It was interesting to learn that he limits his glasswork to the design, relying upon professional glass makers to realise the completed windows – using one company for stained glass and another for etched glass.

615 - SQ - DCP_5489

Dominic Price (2019) Nicholas Mynheer at work

His project for Regent’s Park College is currently on hiatus following a planning permission objection that stated that the work was not in keeping with the building. However, a solution is being worked upon that would see the windows installed a little like a double glazing panel.

615 Glass designjpg_Page3

Nicholas Mynheer (2019) Creation window design [Regent’s Park College]

One of the more time consuming parts of the post production work on my photography of stained glass is the removal of tie bars that I  try to achieve whenever possible.  These I see as a distraction to the art work itself.  I was interested to learn from Nicholas whether tie bars are a consideration when designing windows.  He has always conducted his work without worrying about their impact, believing that the transmission of light through the glass should minimise their negative impact on the overall design.  In his case, the placement of the metal within the window is decided by the stained glass manufacturers themselves (in consultation with the artist).