Standard Setters: Peadar Lambl Prizing Craft
Eleanor Flegg discusses the work of Peadar Lamb, chosen by a panel of experts on behalf of the Crafts Council of Ireland to acknowledge consistency in design excellence


Stained glass has long been inseparable from its illustrious association with church architecture. Even now, as it evolves to become a modern medium like any other, its spiritual associations persist into the secular world of 21st-century art. One of the foremost Irish artists working in the medium, Peadar Lamb makes one-off light boxes and stained glass windows. His pieces are contemporary, both in character and content, although the techniques that he uses have changed little since the 11th century. But, as Lamb admits, the process of working in stained glass carries an element of contradiction. ‘On one hand it’s a contemporary medium; on the other there’s always that resonance with the past. Stained glass is a slow and laborious medium to work in. It’s like making a film – you know what you want, but it takes a long time to get there.’

In his work, simplified forms with an emotional undertow are rendered magical by the glow of coloured glass. It’s an arresting combination, and one that has brought him much success. After working in England, Sweden, and Denmark, Lamb returned to Ireland to set up his own studio in 1992. He has made pieces for the Mater Hospital, Dublin, Raidió na Gaeltachta, and the Irish Ambassador’s Residence in Tokyo. Lamb is a member of Portfolio and his work is sought after by an increasing number of private collectors. He frequently works with architects on large-scale pieces and finds increasingly that his role involves him in architectural projects at the design stage.

Lamb is part of a strong tradition of Irish stained glass artists. This movement has roots in An Túr Gloine, a co-operative studio set up by Edward Martin and Sarah Purser in 1903 to train young Irish artists in stained glass, which had previously been imported in bulk from France and Germany for ecclesiastical use. ‘The point is,’ says Lamb, ‘that many of these people were already artists. Stained glass was a medium for them to explore. I think that this prevented the Irish stained glass tradition from becoming so wrapped up in its own techniques that it forgot about ideas.’

In terms of influence, Lamb experienced a recent epiphany in the rediscovery of Evie Hone (1894-1955). ‘Hone was the most modern of stained glass artists, she approached it like a painter, but she was also the closest to the medieval tradition, which conveyed a story from the Bible so simply and clearly that it could be understood by the medieval illiterate.’ He acknowledges that Hone lacked the technical expertise of Harry Clarke (1889-1931). ‘Clarke’s work is technically astounding – it’s a visual dictionary. His pieces are like a glistening treasure trove of detail, but all those fairies never did much for me.’

Despite its relative fragility, one of the features of stained glass is its longevity: once installed, a window becomes part of history. Lamb is currently working on a piece, Making Roots, for the Archbishop Ryan Senior School, Lucan, as part of the Per Cent for Art scheme. ‘The project involves a collaboration with every child and teacher in the school, who will each make a piece that will be part of the final installation. I’m the artist-in-residence in the school for a matter of months, and the children make lots of studio visits throughout the project, with the aim of demystifying the whole artistic process. The children are getting excited; we’re all aware that the Making Roots piece will be around when we’re all six feet under.’ For further information contact www.peadarlamb.com