





Client: St. Luke Lutheran Church
Location: Ann Arbor, MI, United States
Completion date: 2001
Artwork budget: $150,000
Project Team
Architect
Robert Overhiser
The Architects Design Group, Ann Arbor, MI
Artist
Arthur Stern
Arthur Stern Studios

Overview
This project included a monumental 40' wide x 18' tall window that started up about 20' off the floor. It is only seen upon exiting the sanctuary and is titled "A Celebration of Faith, A Celebration of Worship". There are also two side aisle windows titled "Holy Spirit" and "Communion", all designed as an ensemble, and built with hand blown glass and beveled glass prisms.
Goals
The committee felt my design style suited the building and their worship style. I took the angular slope of the ceiling and the large window had three crosses as part of the framing to work with. I then created iconography that blended with the angular shapes, improvising the entire ensemble of art glass around the same abstract geometric vocabulary.
Process
I collaborated with the architects and a committee from the congregation, fielding their design criteria, and returning with design options suited to their requests. After a presentation and critique, I took details they responded to from the various options I had presented and created a final design. The final design met everyones approval and fabrication began.
Additional Information
This project earned a BENE Religious Arts Award and has been widely published in both books and magazines.