The Conrad Pickel Studio was founded in 1947 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, by Conrad Pickel, who had learned the craft of stained glass at the world-renowned Mayer Studio in Munich, Germany. Thirty years after its founding, Pickel moved the studio to Vero Beach, Florida, where it is located today with a west coast office based in San Diego, California. The head of the studio today is Paul Pickel, son of the studio’s founder. Paul Pickel is known for his dedication to excellence in the art and craft of stained glass, mosaic, and sculpture. Also, he has served as president of the Stained Glass Association of America. Holy Family Mausoleum, located in Lenexa, Kansas, was blessed by Archbishop Joseph Naumann, bishop of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas, on September 5, 2009, at a ded- ication Mass that celebrated the mau- soleum’s opening. Three large stained glass windows in the marble-finished mausoleum present scenes from the family life of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. The largest window, which faces the main entryway, presents the Family of God, while a small oculus over the main door presents the Lamb of God. In the window depicting Joseph and Mary with the infant Jesus (this and opposite page), Mary’s red and heavily painted robe through its color not only foreshadows the death of Christ on the Cross but is an expertly used backdrop for the infant Christ wrapped in a white blanket. The contrast of light and dark when viewed in midmorning sun causes the infant Christ to seem to come for- ward, toward the viewer, as if He were actually in front of the window. This is striking not only in its artistic effect but also in its power to remind the viewer of the Resurrection. The Stained Glass Quarterly 122 HOLY F AMILY MAUSOLEUM AT RESURRECTION CEMETERY An Installation by the Conrad Pickel Studio, Inc story and photographs by Richard Gross Three of the windows at Holy Family Mausoleum depict the Holy Family. The window shown above and detail, right, depicts Joseph and Mary with the infant Jesus.
Transcript
The Conrad Pickel Studio wasfounded in 1947 in Milwaukee,Wisconsin, by Conrad Pickel, who hadlearned the craft of stained glass at theworld-renowned Mayer Studio inMunich, Germany. Thirty years after itsfounding, Pickel moved the studio toVero Beach, Florida, where it is locatedtoday with a west coast office based inSan Diego, California.
The head of the studio today is PaulPickel, son of the studio’s founder. PaulPickel is known for his dedication toexcellence in the art and craft of stainedglass, mosaic, and sculpture. Also, hehas served as president of the StainedGlass Association of America.
Holy Family Mausoleum, locatedin Lenexa, Kansas, was blessed byArchbishop Joseph Naumann, bishop ofthe Archdiocese of Kansas City inKansas, on September 5, 2009, at a ded-ication Mass that celebrated the mau-soleum’s opening. Three large stainedglass windows in the marble-finishedmausoleum present scenes from thefamily life of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.The largest window, which faces themain entryway, presents the Family ofGod, while a small oculus over the maindoor presents the Lamb of God.
In the window depicting Josephand Mary with the infant Jesus (this andopposite page), Mary’s red and heavilypainted robe through its color not onlyforeshadows the death of Christ on theCross but is an expertly used backdropfor the infant Christ wrapped in a whiteblanket. The contrast of light and darkwhen viewed in midmorning sun causesthe infant Christ to seem to come for-ward, toward the viewer, as if He wereactually in front of the window. This isstriking not only in its artistic effect butalso in its power to remind the viewer ofthe Resurrection.
The Stained Glass Quarterly122
HOLY FAMILY MAUSOLEUM AT RESURRECTION CEMETERYAn Installation by the Conrad Pickel Studio, Inc
story and photographs by Richard Gross
Three of the windows at Holy Family Mausoleum depict the Holy Family. The windowshown above and detail, right, depicts Joseph and Mary with the infant Jesus.
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The mausoleum’s main window, aboveand details, right and left, presents theFamily of God and reminds the viewerof the Resurrection, which will followthe general judgement at the SecondComing of Christ. These windows weredesigned and painted by Lyn Durham,who holds a Master of Fine Arts degreeand had extensive watercolor experi-ence before turning to stained glass in1989. In 2003, she joined the PickelStudio, where she is involved in allstages of art production.
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The Family of God window, whichis the main feature of the building, pres-ents a powerful and uplifting composi-tion that reminds the viewer that thefamily of God is also the family of theuniversal church while also calling tomind the anticipation of the joy that thefamily of God will share following thegeneral judgement at Christ’s return.
The Family of God window makesuse of faceted jewels that amplify thenight sky background while also
reminding of the Holy Eucharist, whichis the source and summit of Catholicspirituality.
The second Holy Family window isan interpretation in glass ofMichelangelo Buonarroti’s portrait ofthe Holy Family, Doni Tondo (or DoniMadonna), from approximately 1504.This is a skillful rendition of the originalpainting with its bilaterally symetricaltriangular composition.
The third Holy Family windowpresents Christ at work in Joseph’sworkshop, learning the skills of the car-penter. It calls to mind the words ofLuke 2:52, “And Jesus advanced in wis-dom and years, and in favor with Godand man.”
The final window at Holy FamilyMausoleum is a Lamb of God oculusabove the main entry door.
This installation will be one of thesites visited on the Stained Glass
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Association of America’s 2010 StainedGlass Tour, which will be a part of thisyear’s Annual Summer Conference. Theopportunity to see these windows inperson is one not to be missed.
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Opposite page is Lyn Durham’s interpretation in stained glass of MichelangeloBuonarroti’s portrait of the Holy Family, Doni Tondo (or Doni Madonna), fromapproximately 1504.
Above is a depiction of Christ learning the trade of carpenter from his earthly foster-father, Joseph, while the Blessed Virgin looks on.
