Karen Bogard

Karen Bogard and Pure Lilly Glass Works

“Beauty is when the soul of the crafter touches and inspires the soul of the beholder.”

I am so blessed! I give my mother full credit for all my artistic and musical talents. And I praise my Lord for the ability to express myself in the multiple media available to me. All my life, I have been drawing or crafting or painting or building something, singing, and playing music and on occasion I’ll write poetry or prose. My head does not stop and my hands have to be doing something. Give me a blank piece of paper and I’ll draw. Give me silence and a song starts to fill my thoughts. Give me a picture and I’ll imagine lead lines for a stained glass window. The wonderful thing about the art of stained glass for me has been that most of all the artistic talents afforded me, have been coalesced into a single goal. My drawings become patterns, my crafting help in engineering, my painting produces concepts, my music helps with flow, my poetry provides balance and contrasting.

It is funny though, every time I finish a project, especially the bigger commissions, when I step back to look at them, I am truly amazed that my hands had something to do with the creation of them. I started working with stained glass, in 1987 in a little “bump-in-the-road” town called Armona in California. John Carmean taught me all he knew about leaded glass windows while we worked on my church’s windows, 25 in all. I drew up the patterns and he tutored me. During the process of building these windows, I took a short course on painting and firing on glass, which is an ancient art form. By the time most of the church’s windows were completed, I was completing the windows on my own and over-shadowed my mentor. Eventually I bought most of his supplies and equipment. From that point on, I had my own business. However, the struggle as an artist proved most difficult for the area that we lived in.

My best income was the annual Scottish Highland Games in Fresno, CA. I would bring my sun-catchers and I may or may not sell any, however, I could count on several commissions for clan crests. I have works all across the country, California, Texas, Washington, Michigan, North Carolina, Louisiana, Florida, and now in Ohio, I also have works in Las Vegas, Nevada and a unique clan crest in Scotland. When my husband, John, retired, we decided to move to his home town of Zanesville, Oh. This has been the best decision we have ever made. Not only has John re-connected with family and friends, I have connect with a well balanced art community. Doors have opened that I thought we not possible.
Truly, I am blessed!

Thanks,
Karen.

(740) 221-3716
glass@zville.net
http://www.zville.net/glass/

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Karen S Bogard
Zanesville, OH

Altar Cross

This cross is made from old stained glass pieces from a Free Methodist Church here in Zanesville. They also commissioned me to make several crosses from the old glass.

Dragon

This mystic beauty is valued at 200.00 and yes, the wings do move. This one was donated to the Muskingum County Community Foundation’s annual Ground Hog auction

God's Promise

This is a large half round for the Coburn United Methodist Church (where I attend). This window has special meaning. The rainbow colors go back to the story of Noah and the flood. The ark that he built under God’s instructions was a salvation for the lives that were in it. And the white cross represents Jesus as our means of salvation. Both events will never have to take place again. God promised through a rainbow and God provided with the perfect sacrifice of His Son. This is God’s Promise…Salvation.

If you visit our church on a sunny day, you will see the colors of the window splash on the walls and floor. It is really cool to walk through the rainbow.

Genesis Hospice

The oval is a 20 year award for Genesis Hospice volunteers. The square is a 15 year award for Genesis Hospice volunteers. These are special made and reserved for only Hospice, however it is not beyond me to create something similar. Each of these pieces are worth 40.00

Immanuel United Church

These windows were done for the Immanuel United Church of God on 7th Street. They are a memorial for the Rev. John Earhart. Soon I’ll have two more windows for the Immanuel Church to install in their fellowship hall. These were copper foil works.

Jesus Face

Several years ago an Ohio church was hit by a tornado. They kept several pieces of their church’s stained glass window and they eventually found me. They asked me to make something, using as much of the original window’s pieces which also included a few faceted glass gems. They have mounted it in a light box. A few years later they asked me to do the same again with another face of Jesus. (I do not have a pic of the second one).

Jewish Menorah

I try to please different cultures in our area. This piece is valued at 30.00

New Concord Library

“A master piece” is what I have been told. This is a commission I did for the New Concord Library. Photos do it no justice. Go see it for yourself, but remember that the library in New Concord is closed on Thursdays.

Lion

A popular copper foil work of a lion’s head. I have duplicated this one for Lions Club members and for those born under the Zodiac sign. The small lion is 40.00 and the large lion is 60.00

The Green Man

This is “The Green Man” A family was moving into a home here in Zanesville and in the process of moving a bed to their second floor a large stained glass window in the stairwell became damaged. As the family did not really like the window itself, they did not intend to break it. So through their efforts to get it repaired, they eventually found me. I was willing to fix the window, however I also gave them the option of replacing it with a brand new one that they would love. It was one of my first commissions here in Zanesville and I charged them only half of what it is worth. I knew they could not afford such a piece and I worked with them to finance it in small payments each month.

Pink Frog

This was a thank you gift for a little girl. She modeled her hand for me when I needed to draw a Tinker Bell for the New Concord Library window. I would value this little ribbit between $10 to $20 depending on size and glass selection

Studio Window

Hey, I finally made something for myself! Yeah. Two lyre birds. The value of this window is $150.00

Tabby

Special made cutey. The eyes are painted. I can duplicate for most any color of kitty. This one is $20.00

Night Lights

These are night lights. I have several patterns for different tastes and likes. They range in $15 to $25 prices depending on pattern and glass types

Weasel Boy

I just recently finished this logo for the Weasel Boy Micro Brewery in the Carl Mitzel building. This project will be installed in a light box and mounted over their bar. Five pieces were painted and fired in a kiln. This was a copper foil project. Love their Scottish Ale.

Woodlawn Cemetery Mausoleum
Woodlawn Cemetery Mausoleum window. It was installed in three separate sections totaling 7 X 6 feet. This window took 18 months to complete. Usually a window does not take so long to build, however it is difficult to stay on schedule when I had to move my studio 3 times in the process. This window was done in lead glazing.