First Presbyterian Church
Pine Bluff, Arkansas

Jack P. Smith Memorial Window: Holy Spirit
5’-0” by 11’-2”

German, French and Polish mouthblown glass, domestic rolled glasses, Austrian lead crystal bevels, Dichroic Glass, lead and solder.

This was one of the most special projects I have ever done. The window was presented to First Presbyterian Church as a memorial to my father by my mother, brother, sister and me. First Presbyterian has been a central part of my family’s lives for over a hundred years.

As part of the main entrance to of the Sanctuary, this window welcomes worshipers to the house of God. Its white glass cross remains visible during the day and can be seen glowing at night from the street.

Once inside, the curve of the Narthex’s vaulted ceiling subtly extends down into the stained glass symbolically separating Heaven above from Earth below.

Austrian Lead Crystal Prisms sparkle in daylight and project unexpected rainbows into the Narthex during the wintertime. Darker glass in the upper corners create a rounded top that reiterates the arched, Romanesque Nave Windows in the Sanctuary.

God the Father is represented by seven rays radiating from the Cross as reminders of God’s comforting presence and generosity. The rays are made of mirror-like, color-shifting dichroic glass which appears as golden mirror when seen from outside during the day (or from the inside at night). When looking out during the day, the color of the dichroic glass unexpectedly shifts from blue to magenta and finally yellow as you move closer and closer to the window. The “rays” lead to seven prisms representing the seven days of creation. The tiny rainbows they project symbolize Gods unexpected gifts and presence.

Although I didn’t intend this when I designed the window, my Aunt Shirley noticed the comforting hand of God reaching down from the top of the window. Such a detached hand was a common Medieval symbol for God the Father. Is He presenting us with his greatest gift represented by the Cross or reaching down to comfort us or both?

Twelve dichroic flames around the cross represent the twelve disciples and Word of God radiating symbolically out into the world. The descending Dove symbolizes the Holy Spirit’s inflowing comfort and presence. It is made of a airy, French opal glass. When I first showed this design to my family, they also saw a lily, an early Christian symbol for resurrection.

The light, airy palette in the upper window represents the spiritual enlightenment that we seek through Christ. The billowing background in the lower part of the window not only provides a dimmer counterpart to the lighter Heaven above, but represents the maze-like paths taken by our lives here on Earth. The red border symbolizes our corporal reality and together with the green accents represent life here on Earth.

Click images for a larger view.