tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76440012024-03-13T22:31:32.477-04:00StainedGlassPhotography What's NewThis blog is primarily to publish news about the StainedGlassPhotography website. We will announce new uploads, publish changes and new Frameable Art Cards. ornaments, tiles and other products which we sell.Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08865338192514496901noreply@blogger.comBlogger68125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644001.post-68830123899502909432013-06-09T10:50:00.001-04:002014-06-29T09:17:13.048-04:00New Print on Demand siteHave just posted a batch of images to a Print on Demand site that I have not used before. Here is a link to some <a href="http://fineartamerica.com/art/paintings/pre-raphaelite/all" style="font: 10pt arial; text-decoration: underline;">Pre-Raphaelite paintings</a> there. Here is a link to some patterns and designs by <a href="http://fineartamerica.com/art/all/william+morris/all" style="font: 10pt arial; text-decoration: underline;">William Morris</a> Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08865338192514496901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644001.post-55087693117968408882013-03-26T03:40:00.002-04:002013-03-26T03:40:23.530-04:00New Gateway SiteJust discovered Wix and am in the process of building a new gateway which will link to products for sale on CafePress, Zazzle and maybe also on StainedGlassPhotography.com
Trying to publicise some of the great new, fairly upscale, products now available though print on demand.
Check it out at <a href="http://neilralley.wix.com/fineartdesigns"><b>Fine Art Designs</b></a>.Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08865338192514496901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644001.post-39288810877810895332012-10-23T09:36:00.001-04:002012-10-23T09:38:16.808-04:00I have been busy and so it is timely to provide an update on some of my stores on <b>CafePress</b> and <b>Zazzle</b>.
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1. What started off as a showcase for gift items incorporating <a href="http://www.CafePress.com/fineartdesigns">Pre-Raphaelite art</a> now has a rapidly-growing section devoted to the work of some artists from the <a href="http://www.cafepress.com/fineartdesigns/9439359">Art Nouveau Movement</a>. What brought this about was the discovery that some Art Nouveau and Art Deco items were listed as 'best-sellers' and so I decided to create some offerings aimed at meeting the demand.
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2. On Zazzle I redesigned <a href="http://www.zazzle.com/poegifts">Poe Gifts</a> to be a little more Poe-esque rather than have the plain vanilla off-the-peg store. I still view it as a work-in-progress and may tweak it after I have finished on the current phase of the Art Nouveau project.
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3. I also gave <a href="http://www.zazzle.com/preraphaeliteart">PreRaphaeliteArt</a> its own identity and store design. There is still much to be done in terms of populating it with items but I do like the design and I hope that visitors will find it attractive and be enticed to buy from it.Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08865338192514496901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644001.post-79267941969853955192012-10-02T05:02:00.000-04:002012-10-02T05:02:57.107-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb_KLOcdDm4T5jPGaa8qJrFzPhUaz6abGnxFkFYcR7UXppJwFboHU3kojNlU5O9PcFlOp-_3XgvAgdDAOpTn8vo-ny3CcG3Ja3V70iOQhQnpTcIl399GRmVdH-BrBjJjvN2NVO/s1600/%252313b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="153" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb_KLOcdDm4T5jPGaa8qJrFzPhUaz6abGnxFkFYcR7UXppJwFboHU3kojNlU5O9PcFlOp-_3XgvAgdDAOpTn8vo-ny3CcG3Ja3V70iOQhQnpTcIl399GRmVdH-BrBjJjvN2NVO/s400/%252313b.jpg" /></a></div>The opening of the Pre-Raphaelite exhibition at the Tate brings to mind what I believe to be one of the finest stained glass window designs by the two great Masters, Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris, who were right in the midst of the Pre-Raphaelite Movement. The window is in St Martin's Church in Brampton, a small, Cumbrian, market town just 9 miles east of Carlisle. The church is popularly known as 'The Pre-Raphaelite Church', partly because all of the stained glass is by the Morris Company, using designs by Burne-Jones, Morris and some later designers, and partly because the church itself was designed by Philip Webb, a Pre-Raphaelite architect.
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The design that I wish to showcase here is 'The Pelicans' by Burne-Jones with foliage by William Morris. It forms the centre of a 5-light window which was commissioned by George Howard, a close friend of Morris, in memory of his father, Charles. The design is the subject of one of the funniest entries in Burne-Jones' book of accounts, which is more of a diary than a set of accounts, I would quote it here but can't locate the file so it will have to wait for another post.
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As you are probably aware stained glass designs are often re-used several times over in different windows and this was certainly true of designs by Burne-Jones and others who designed for Morris Company. Contrary to this practice 'The Pelicans' was only used once, probably out of the respect shown by Morris for George Howard and his father Charles. It is my belief that this is one of the finest Morris windows, both in design and execution but you can judge for yourself.
Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08865338192514496901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644001.post-42195601101278085622012-10-02T03:50:00.003-04:002012-10-02T03:55:37.114-04:00It's that time of year...October 7th, anniversary of his death in Baltimore in 1849 and then Halloween. So, to mark the occasion, here are some Edgar Allan Poe gift items:
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<embed wmode="transparent" src="http://www.zazzle.com/utl/getpanel?zp=117547763427343369" FlashVars="feedId=117547763427343369" width="450" height="300" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed><br/>See other <a href="http://www.zazzle.com/gifts">gifts</a> available on Zazzle.<br />Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08865338192514496901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644001.post-52745305063404966962012-10-02T03:43:00.000-04:002012-10-02T04:06:16.250-04:00The Pre-Raphaelite Exhibition at the Tate in London is well underway and is receiving rave reviews. I was lucky enough to see the last one, in 1984, by routing a business trip through central London. Sadly, barring a miracle, I am unlikely to be able to see the present one. I have, however, designed some gift items incorporating some of these great works of art.
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<embed wmode="transparent" src="http://www.zazzle.com/utl/getpanel?zp=117589416136327556" FlashVars="feedId=117589416136327556" width="450" height="300" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed><br/>Browse other <a href="http://www.zazzle.com/christmas+gifts">gifts</a> from Zazzle.<br />Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08865338192514496901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644001.post-6095064213249333832012-09-26T19:10:00.000-04:002012-09-26T19:10:23.680-04:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDjMjaxtVjxQa0wbb-hU7zB6XY4MdkgUx2z5CTW2ToG34Qljy_wY1D6dHIJuH2vkVfpM_iwXdB3MM3qLkYW_-W2GDB9jrS-5NUNv50ZUrKVy_jucGcsMyiImHp4EgHyNcpW_kW/s1600/RossettiCalendarCoverWEBRES.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="247" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDjMjaxtVjxQa0wbb-hU7zB6XY4MdkgUx2z5CTW2ToG34Qljy_wY1D6dHIJuH2vkVfpM_iwXdB3MM3qLkYW_-W2GDB9jrS-5NUNv50ZUrKVy_jucGcsMyiImHp4EgHyNcpW_kW/s320/RossettiCalendarCoverWEBRES.jpg" /></a></div>
....calendar time! Time to relaunch old calendars with a new year on them, time to design new ones.
So far I have launched 5 brand new, never-seen-the-light-of-day-before, calendars.
Three are devoted to Edgar Allan Poe - actually to illustrations of Poe stories by Harry Clarke. As well as being one of the top 3 Irish stained glass makers of all time (don't ask me who the other two are), Clarke was a superb book illustrator whose work embellishes two editions of Edgar Allan Poe's Tales of Mystery and Imagination. I have two wall calendars on CafePress one a <a href="http://www.cafepress.com/poecorner.692148560">large size</a> and the other, what CafePress describe as <a href="http://www.cafepress.com/poecorner.693779452">"Oversize"</a>. last, not least, there is one on <a href="http://www.zazzle.com/the_edgar_allan_poe_and_harry_clarke_wall_calendar-158636444467076157">Zazzle.com</a> which has the same artwork but is just a different size and format.
If Poe's gothic horror stories are not your cup of tea perhaps I can interest you in a <a href="http://www.cafepress.com/fineartdesigns.690609353"> Pre-Raphaelite Beauties calendar</a>. This features paintings from a selection of artists who painted in the Pre-Raphaelite style - including Rossetti, Burne-Jones, Millais and Waterhouse. The Pre-Raphaelites are enjoying a resurgence of interest as a result of the opening of a new exhibition at the Tate Gallery in London, the first major event of its kind in almost 30 years and I have decided to mark the occasion with some calendars devoted to the works of some individual artists who painted in that style. The first of these is devoted to the work of <a href="http://www.zazzle.com/a_gabriel_dante_rossetti_wall_calendar-158398833734701002"> Gabriel Dante Rossetti</a> and includes an interesting cross-section of his paintings spanning several decades. Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08865338192514496901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644001.post-9948810526602820702012-09-05T03:29:00.001-04:002012-09-05T04:59:12.437-04:00UpdateThis is long overdue - almost 3 years to be precise - but better late than never!
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In that time there have been a few new folders of images which may be found in the <a href="http://www.stainedglassphotography.com/BuildingsHome.htm">buildings section <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkhkzLqtosCb4Wxh-UGDRk73DQw9oHBxwyFSdE86yF89jLObAglK9AIdH3B4ZBj3Wa6Wv6KxZjWSt01Ivi5lEw5RKbDHgKZTywmFUTWRH3ZFn-c4V70E_O_EkGl7sGJ-F6gBOD/s1600/CoverPageLOWRES.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="320" width="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkhkzLqtosCb4Wxh-UGDRk73DQw9oHBxwyFSdE86yF89jLObAglK9AIdH3B4ZBj3Wa6Wv6KxZjWSt01Ivi5lEw5RKbDHgKZTywmFUTWRH3ZFn-c4V70E_O_EkGl7sGJ-F6gBOD/s320/CoverPageLOWRES.jpg" /></a></div></a>which is to be found at the bottom of the home page. We also added an ornaments page and will shortly be updating our calendar offering.
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The very latest news is the creation of 2 new stores on CafePress. Both have only tenuous links to stained glass but you might wish to take a look at them.
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The first is dedicated to Victorian art, in particular the work of the Pre-Raphaelites. As you will be aware Burne-Jones was a member of that group as well as being a prolific designer of stained glass through his partnership with William Morris who also had ties to that group. Similarly Ford Madox Brown and Henry Holiday are generally associated with the Pre-Raphaelite school. In the new <a href="http://www.cafepress.com/fineartdesigns">CafePress</a> store you will find some gift items incorporating details from important works by Gabriel Dante Rosetti, Edward Burne-Jones, Millais, William Waterhouse and others. It is not an extensive collection but they are beautiful images.
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The second is a departure in a very different direction. The store is called Poe Corner and, you guessed, the subject-matter is Edgar Allan Poe and his works with special emphasis on the illustrations of his Tales of Mystery and Imagination by an Irish artist called Harry Clarke.
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Clarke is widely acknowledged as being one of the top 3 or 4 Irish stained glass makers of all time. His work is stunning. The designs are unusual and not everyone likes the gothic appearance of his figures but, putting that aside, no-one can deny that his windows are stunning in their overall appearance. By use of jewel-size pieces of glass and faceting as well as careful selection of glass for richness of colour Clarke achieved a sparkling effect which is rare, if not unique. The combination of the gothic-looking figures, brilliant and rich colours and sparkling effect makes Clarke windows unmistakeable.
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Now, in addition to his stained glass work, Clarke was also a book illustrator and probably his most famous illustrations were of 2 editions of Edgar Allan Poe's Tales of Mystery and Imagination. The first 24 images are black and white line drawings but he later supplemented these with some colour plates and they are a perfect match for Poe's grisly, macabre and frightening stories. It is only in the past year or so that I have become involved with the life and works of Poe but he certainly has a world-wide following and I feel sure that there will be interest in items incorporating the Clarke illustrations. Here is a link to <a href="http://www.cafepress.com/poecorner"> Poe Corner</a>
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Last, not least, when updating my calendar offerings I decided to design one specifically for Jesuits using some images of stained glass windows depicting some of the saints from the Jesuit Tradition. For the cover I used the above image which combines a beautiful stained glass rendering of The Sacred Heart with a prayer by Pedro Arrupe, a 20thC Jesuit. You can find the Jesuit calendar <a href="http://www.cafepress.com/ralley.691372558">here</a>. Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08865338192514496901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644001.post-46983030873539598542008-10-06T00:23:00.012-04:002008-11-04T01:01:07.105-05:00The Basilica - A Virtual PilgrimageWhat started off as something called a Digital Postcard with perhaps 100-150 images of the Basilica has blossomed into (though I say it myself) a beautiful DVD based around over 250 images all set to music and packaged in a gorgeous cover.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.stainedglassphotography.com/whatsnew/uploaded_images/DVDCoverForWEB-700498.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://www.stainedglassphotography.com/whatsnew/uploaded_images/DVDCoverForWEB-700440.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Launch date is set for October 22nd when I will pick up the first edition from the printer in south Jersey and hot-foot them down to Washington where they will be put on sale in the Basilica shop.<br /><br />If you look very closely at what will be the back of the cover you will see a montage of 25 different Madonnas which is being published as a poster. I have not seen a hard copy proof but if it looks anything like the digital file it will be absolutely stunning. <br /><br />Both items will be on sale in the Basilica and eventually they will be available from the Basilica online store. In the meantime we have a limited number available for <a href="http://www.stainedglassphotography.com/The_Basilica_A_Virtual_Pilgrimage.htm">purchase from our website.</a> <br /><br />TO SEE SHORT TRAILER CLICK ON THE CANDLES<br /><br /><a href="http://stainedglassphotography.com/BasilicaSlideshowTRAILER.html"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://www.stainedglassphotography.com/whatsnew/uploaded_images/Candles-797244.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br /><br />Be very patient, it takes several minutes to download and you may be asks to download a plug-in.<br /><br />If you do not have the time or patience you can view a <strong>lower quality video version </strong> on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QoM6kNT9-Ys"><strong>YouTube</strong></a>Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08865338192514496901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644001.post-37133440501591629222008-05-03T14:45:00.004-04:002008-05-18T01:12:17.345-04:00The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.stainedglassphotography.com/whatsnew/uploaded_images/Mother-of-Perpetual-Help-detail-702675.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://www.stainedglassphotography.com/whatsnew/uploaded_images/Mother-of-Perpetual-Help-detail-702672.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.stainedglassphotography.com/whatsnew/uploaded_images/St-Agatha-square-715425.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://www.stainedglassphotography.com/whatsnew/uploaded_images/St-Agatha-square-715420.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />I'm nearing completion of a new and exciting project involving images of the Basilica of the National Shrine in Washington DC. Although it is home to some fine stained glass, including windows by Charles Connick from the 1920's, the Basilica is far better known for mosaics and I believe boasts the largest collection of any building in the world.<br /><br />Here is a <a href="http://www.stainedglassphotography.com/Basilica%20of%20the%20National%20Shrine/album/index.html">link to a small selection of images of some of the mosaics.</a><br /><br />Watch this space for further details of the project....Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08865338192514496901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644001.post-2337484153238744932008-03-22T00:59:00.003-04:002008-05-18T01:48:46.493-04:00New folder<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.stainedglassphotography.com/whatsnew/uploaded_images/SecReformed077-774606.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://www.stainedglassphotography.com/whatsnew/uploaded_images/SecReformed077-774603.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />OK, I know that this is way overdue but better late than never...there is a new folder with photographs of the beautiful windows at the Second Reformed Church in Hackensack, NJ in the <a href="http://www.stainedglassphotography.com/BuildingsHome.htm">Buildings folder</a> at StainedGlassPhotography.com<br /><br />There are some other images which I intend to add including some of stained glass from the extensive collection at Glencairn Museum in PA. In addition I am now working on a project for the National Basilica in the course of which I have been documenting not only stained glass but also some of the gorgeous mosaics which comprise what I believe to be the largest collection of mosaics anywhere in the world.Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08865338192514496901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644001.post-44615907219445875102007-03-05T00:26:00.000-05:002007-03-05T06:57:30.194-05:00New ShopThis is just a very brief announcement that today I opened a new shop which offers a selection of poetry, prayers and scripture on tiles. It is called, appropriately enough, <a href="http://www.versetile.com/">VerseTile</a><br /><br />We have launched the <a href="http://www.versetile.com/Poetry/index.htm">poetry section</a> with some brand new items featuring poems by Emily Dickinson to which we will soon be adding many more works by poets from both sides of the pond. In the <a href="http://www.versetile.com/Prayers/index.htm">prayer section</a> you will find tiles and tile boxes with the Lord's Prayer, the Serenity Prayer and the St Francis Peace Prayer, some accompanied by an image of stained glass. Last, not least, the <a href="http://www.versetile.com/Scripture/index.htm">scripture section</a> begins with quotations from both Old and New Testaments including the ever-popular 23rd and 121st psalms, Jesus The Good Shepherd, the parable of the good Samaritan and Micah 6:8.Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08865338192514496901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644001.post-52542663753887579952007-02-27T22:43:00.001-05:002008-05-18T01:53:19.222-04:00St John's Episcopal Church at Boonton - New folder<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.stainedglassphotography.com/whatsnew/uploaded_images/MaryDetail-759549.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://www.stainedglassphotography.com/whatsnew/uploaded_images/MaryDetail-759546.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a><br />I recently had the good fortune to photograph some beautiful windows at St John's in Boonton and have uploaded a selection of them in <a href="http://stainedglassphotography.com/StJohnBoonton/St%20Johns%20Boonton/index.html">this folder</a><br /><br />There are 3 windows by Tiffany Studios - The Raising of Jairus's Daughter which, sadly, backs onto a church hall with less than perfect backlighting. The Good Samaritan and the Good Centurion.<br /><br />Several of the images have been used to decorate ornaments and gift items which can be purchased from <a href="http://www.ChurchGiftshops.com">ChurchGiftshops.com</a> with profits going towards the cost of repairing and restoring the windows.Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08865338192514496901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644001.post-80843784556208800222007-02-05T09:26:00.000-05:002007-02-05T09:37:43.592-05:00StainedGlassPhotography images on book coversI am pleased to announce that two important books on theology by Alister McGrath have been published with cover art incorporating two of our images. Both are the work of Blackwell Publishing and I have to say that they did a superb job of reproducing the images, which were of Henry Holiday windows in Calvary Episcopal Church in Summit, and the results look simply stunning. Here is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Christian-Theology-Reader-Alister-McGrath/dp/140515358X/sr=8-4/qid=1170685040/ref=sr_1_4/102-6942759-4696935?ie=UTF8&s=books">a link to one of the two books on Amazon</a>Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08865338192514496901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644001.post-1168705897158520642007-01-13T11:05:00.000-05:002007-01-13T13:18:39.550-05:00Jersey Journal article about the Harry Clarke Studios windows in BayonneThis week saw publication of an article by John Gomez, local historian and preservationist, about the beautiful stained glass windows by Harry Clarke in the church of St Vincent de Paul in Bayonne. Here is <a href="http://www.nj.com/columns/jjournal/gomez/index.ssf?/base/columns-0/1168415469261850.xml&coll=3">a link to the article which appeared in the Jersey Journal. </a>Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08865338192514496901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644001.post-1168703602280145172007-01-13T10:43:00.000-05:002007-01-13T11:48:51.070-05:00Boston Globe articleUSAF chaplain Fr Tim Butler was back in Kyrgyzstan this Christmas and reused the slide show which I made for the Christmas of 2004. Here is <a href="http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2006/12/23/stained_glass_brings_home_to_troops/">a link to an article about it which was run by the Boston Globe on Christmas Eve</a>.Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08865338192514496901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644001.post-1151342951230437842006-06-26T13:03:00.000-04:002006-06-26T13:29:11.310-04:00New items on CafePress for people in recoveryRecently someone suggested to me that some of my photographs would be perfect to be combined with the Serenity Prayer.<br /><br />Being the curious person that I am I decided to do a little research and discovered that there is artwork around which incorporates the Serenity Prayer but I didn't find the art to be as bold, striking and colourful as some of my images. In quite a number of instances on CafePress I actually found quite a few items which only had the prayer itself - perhaps in a decorative or coloured font but still just the text.<br /><br />Yesterday I spent time creating quite a lot of items using some images which I think are appropriate. In order to maximise searchability I placed them in two new sections in my CafePress store, the first is simply called <a href="http://www.cafepress.com/ralley/1569790">'The Serenity Prayer' </a>the second I have called <a href="http://www.cafepress.com/ralley/1571096">'Recovery'</a>. The latter contains a couple of images which have nothing to do with stained glass but which I hope will have meaning to people in, and associated with, recovery.<br /><br />In a sense wearing a t-shirt with the Serenity Prayer might be viewed as inconsistent with the 'anonymous' part of Alcoholics Anonymous but I feel sure that there are enough members who are proud of their years of sobriety to generate a demand for these products, whether it be something to wear or a decorative tile or fridge magnet.<br /><br />Depending on the interest that they attract I will probably add to these sections, perhaps including items which incorporate other prayers. Meanwhile one thing that I am consciously doing more of is more of the smaller items such as magnets and buttons. I recently saw quite a few magnets with another photographer's work and they are really quite good. They are printed on metal which encloses the magnet and come in rectangular and round shapes. Whereas I had originally thought not to bother with something which may cost double it's price to ship CafePress have recently improved their shipping terms and one of the options is 4 items for $5.00 which I think may encourage shoppers to look around for 'fillers'.Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08865338192514496901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644001.post-1149167892015889632006-06-01T07:21:00.001-04:002006-06-01T09:18:12.100-04:00Mary Magdalene and the Da Vinci CodeThe recent resurgence of interest in Mary Magdalene which has resulted from the release of the Da Vinci Code film leads me to post a reminder that we have a set of Frameable Art cards with three different depictions of Mary Magdalene in stained glass. Perhaps not in keeping with the storyline in Dan Brown's book, all three images show Mary at the scene of the Resurrection. In the first she is reaching for Him and (not pictured) there is an angel behind with a scroll saying "touch me not". In the second there is a close-up of her in awe with an angel behind. The third is a design by Edward Burne-Jones for a window by William Morris which depicts Mary mistaking the Risen Jesus for a gardener.<br /><br />The cards may be purchased as a set <a href="http://www.stainedglassphotography.com/GreetingCards/sets.htm"> here </a> or individually <a href="http://www.stainedglassphotography.com/GreetingCards/single.htm"> here</a>Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08865338192514496901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644001.post-1146351395250516192006-04-29T18:45:00.000-04:002006-07-19T10:44:22.513-04:00This entry has absolutely nothing to do with stained glass or photography. It is simply to announce the August publication of my first novel.<br /><br />The book is a contemporary thriller called 'Risk Premium' and it has a plot which I think readers will find to be both relevant and controversial. Chapter 1 may be read in its entirity at the website <a href="http://www.riskpremium.net">RiskPremium.net</a> though I defy anyone to guess the plot of the book from what is online. Also from the website it is possible to place orders both for the standard paperback edition and for a special signed, numbered and limited hard-bound edition.<br /><br />The book has nothing whatever to do with stained glass and I must caution that it is aimed at an adult audience and contains both sex and violence, though not to excess.<br /><br />Neil RalleyNeilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08865338192514496901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644001.post-1139697257004168112006-02-11T15:41:00.000-05:002006-02-11T17:34:17.073-05:00Exciting new fund-raising conceptWe have just launched a brand new fund-raising programme <a href="http://www.churchgiftshops.com">ChurchGiftShops.com</a><br /><br />As some of you may know we began to use some of our images to create items for sale on CafePress. Late last year we were successful in helping Christ Episcopal Church in Riverton with their fund-raising by creating sets of ornaments incorporating some images of their stained glass. This coincided with the 150th anniversary of the church.<br /><br />Impressed by the quality of the ornaments and calendars we decided to develop a programme which we could offer to a large number of churches and this is what we are now launching.<br /><br />It really is very simple. What we are doing is setting up CafePress shops and accounts for churches which wish to participate. The churches will own the accounts and will be able to control all decisions regarding the items offered for sale, the pricing and the artwork which is used. Any profits generated from sales will be remitted directly to the churches and in addition it will be possible for churches to buy from the shops, in some cases at significant discounts, for their own local sales.<br /><br />We plan to charge no fees for creating the shops, the way that they are set up enables us to take advantage of CafePress basic accounts which incurr no ongoing fees and there are no purchase commitments which need to be made. It really could not be simpler - it is free to set up, free to run and we have yet to find a downside. If people buy items from these shops then the churches will make money, if no-one buys anything then the only cost is the time we invest in setting up the shops.<br /><br />The art which can be used to create items can come in many guises. It could be images from our portfolio, it could be pictures or even just scripture provided by the chuerches or perhaps some combination.<br /><br />The range of items which can be produced is already extensive and is also constantly being added to. The ones which we believe are likely to be most successful and popular choices include ornaments, cards, posters, calendars, tote bags, tiles and tile-boxes but some items of apparel, mugs and bumper stickers may also appeal.<br /><br />There are 3 distinct possibilities for fund-raising:<br /><br />1) Online sales to members of participating churches and their friends and families.<br /><br />2) Online sales to people totally unconnected with the churches who find the shop either via CafePress or our website.<br /><br />3) Resale of products purchased by the church at church events.<br /><br />Geography is not necessarily a problem either. Although it is likely that shipping logistics will dictate that it will be primarily of interest to churches in the US it is certainly not out of the question for others in Europe and elsewhere to participate. Even if it is impractical for churches outside the US to purchase their own items it is quite conceivable that they could benefit materially from sales of products incorporating their art which might prove to be highly desirable in the US and elsewhere.<br /><br />If this is of interest then act quickly because we expect there to be a lot of interest and our resources are limited.Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08865338192514496901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644001.post-1133669341756232352005-12-03T23:01:00.000-05:002006-01-05T19:33:58.213-05:00More ornaments and now available from Stained Glass Photography<a href="http://www.stainedglassphotography.com/whatsnew/uploaded_images/JesusGoodShepherd-725115.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://www.stainedglassphotography.com/whatsnew/uploaded_images/JesusGoodShepherd-722055.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Greatly encouraged by customers' reactions to them, we are steadily increasing the range of ornaments we are offering. Although they are not stained glass they do succeed in capturing the vibrant colours of the original windows and at less than $10 they make really great and relatively inexpensive gifts. Here is a link to <a href="http://www.stainedglassphotography.com/ornaments">our new webpage</a> about themNeilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08865338192514496901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644001.post-1133132560236696932005-11-27T17:55:00.000-05:002005-11-27T18:02:42.176-05:00Two new press releases issuedWe took a chance and issued 2 press releases - on the one hand news editors have other things on their mind around Thanksgiving time but the flip-side is that there is not so much news around so that sometimes things stand out more. Speculation is pointless, however, and the only real test will be whether someone runs an article and/or our traffic gets a bump up.<br /><br />Here are the links anyway: <a href="http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/11/prweb314413.htm">War story with a difference</a><br /><br />and<br /><br /><a href="http://www.prweb.com/releases/2005/11/prweb314954.htm">Publication of 2006 William Morris stained glass calendar</a>Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08865338192514496901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644001.post-1132537417842209082005-11-20T20:24:00.000-05:002005-11-20T20:43:37.853-05:00New Calendar and OrnamentsFirst of all let me say that this week I finally had the opportunity to see and touch some of the items which I have been creating on CafePress - and I do not mind admitting that it was a relief.<br /><br />When creating 36 calendar pages (and 3 covers) using scans from original slides it is all too easy to overlook a scratch or a stray dust-particle. Even if nothing of that type slips through there is a chance that something could go very wrong during the printing process and how can one be sure that the file I uploaded here in New Jersey will look the same in terms of colours when printed in California? There are SO MANY things that can go wrong in that whole process and yet, amazingly, when I took delivery of the first calendars on Tuesday and then on Thursday they looked exactly as they should and the colours are absolutely SPOT-ON.<br /><br />I will admit that I would prefer the paper to be just a teensy bit heavier and the binding with fairly light-duty staples is not my preference but this is publishing-on-demand and we have to make some allowances. Anyone who buys one of these calendars needs to understand that they are getting something truly unusual and different. These photographs are previously unpublished other than a few prints and cards which I have had done along the way. To the best of my knowledge no-one has ever published such a detailed study of the Vanderpoel window at Trinity Episcopal Church in Saugerties as may be seen on my 2006 William Morris Wall Calendar.<br /><br />The other items which I got to see and touch this week were quite a number of ornaments. I was scheduled to present a slide show at Christ Church in Riverton, New Jersey, and quite a number of members of the congregation had pre-ordered sets of 8 ornaments created from 8 of their windows. I have to say that everyone I have spoken to who has seen these ornaments likes them. OK they are not actual stained glass but the designs from stained glass windows lend themselves quite well to this form of presentation. Although the obvious use is for christmas tree decorations it is by no means the only one. At Riverton there was talk of displaying them in shadow-box frames and, in the case of patron saints, even perhaps being worn as pendants.<br /><br />I will definitely consider offering some selected designs for purchase from this website with either free or reduced shipping and handling.Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08865338192514496901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644001.post-1132536219617369592005-11-20T19:58:00.000-05:002005-11-20T20:49:57.630-05:00Beginnings of a project with the First Baptist Peddie Memorial Church in NewarkAt the suggestion of Lily Hodge from the New Jersey Historical Society I made contact with the First Baptist Peddie Memorial Church (which I will from here on shorten to FBPMC, or maybe just Peddie) to see whether they might allow me to photograph their windows.<br /><br />The domed building was dedicated in 1890 and is said to have the most windows by Tiffany Studios of any church in New Jersey though most are geometric designs and so it does not has the same reputation as some other churches in the state which have large figural or pastoral works.<br /><br />An extensive resoration of the windows has been undertaken in recent years by Barbara Meise (Artbuilders) and when I visited last week I noticed that one of the figural panels in a 5-light set is presently absent and being worked on.<br /><br />In addition to the windows there is some other interesting artwork including some wall-reliefs and some curious looking gargoyles looking down from the gallery which surrounds the main worship area.<br /><br />When I visited last Wednesday I was fortunate in being able to meet the Assistant Pastor, the Reverend James S. Kang, who coincidentally shares my interest in photography and had been considering photographing the windows himself. I am hopeful that the Rev. Kang will be able to persuade the committee which deals with such matters that having me photograph them, at no cost, in return for allowing me to use the images could be a win-win situation.<br /><br />Rev. Kang has written a very fine and moving article about his ministry with the homeless which I commend to anyone, particularly at this time of year when those of us who are more affluent tend to over-indulge and sometimes lose site of the plight of those less fortunate, such as the homeless of Newark. Here is a link to the article by the <a href="http://www.peddiechurch.org/Articles/Ministry_with_the_Homeless.htm">Rev. James Kang </a><br /><br />At this time I know very little about the windows and have only paid them a brief visit but hopefully I will get the opportunity to learn more about them in the coming weeks.Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08865338192514496901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7644001.post-1131291408670545112005-11-06T09:45:00.000-05:002005-11-06T10:36:48.780-05:00New Fund-Raising OpportunityThe launch of the CafePress Affiliate programme has created an interesting new fund-raising opportunity which churches and other non-profit organisations should consider. <br /><br />CafePress has been in business for over 5 years and has always been a potential source of fund-raising for any organisation with the resources to upload designs and make available t-shirts, mugs, posters, cards and other gift and household items with appropriate slogans or logos or other artwork. All that the organisation needed to do was create items in the CafePress system, set prices and then persuade people to buy them. Any money in excess of the CafePress base-price would be credited to the account of the organisation and would be payable approximately 6 weeks later.<br /><br />What has changed is that with the introduction of the new Affiliate Programme it is no longer necessary to create the items, it is now possible to make money by promoting and selling someone else's items. The programme is about as simple as you can get - all that an organisation (or individual) needs to do is open a CafePress account (which costs nothing), sign up for the affiliate programme (also free) and then paste a link with a special code which identifies the organisation as the referrer onto a website or into the text of emails. The organisation will then receive 20% of any sales on CafePress coming from people arriving via that link.<br /><br />To give an example, supposing that a church considers it appropriate to suggest to parishoners that they might consider buying Christmas cards or ornaments from our store at CafePress then all that they need to do is join the affiliate programme and have a link placed on their website or sent out via email or even just printed in the church bulletin. If any sales result then the church would get 20% of the proceeds. The price that their members pay is just the same as if they had found CafePress by accident the difference is that CafePress (and ourselves) would be contributing a portion of our profit as a 'thankyou' for referring a customer.<br /><br />If anyone wishes to find out more here is a <a href="http://www.cafepress.com/?pid=2007436">link to CafePress</a>.<br /><br />If anyone requires help with this please <a href="http://www.stainedglassphotography.com/Contacts.htm">contact me</a>.<br /><br />Here are some ornaments which we designed specially for Christ Episcopal Church in Riverton, New Jersey. The images are from the windows in the church:<br /><a href="http://www.stainedglassphotography.com/whatsnew/uploaded_images/ornamentspage-768475.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="http://www.stainedglassphotography.com/whatsnew/uploaded_images/ornamentspage-762859.jpg" border="0" alt="" /></a>Neilhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08865338192514496901noreply@blogger.com