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Maureen McGuire is one of this country’s finest designers in liturgical stained glass. After receiving her Masters degree in sculpture and stained glass from the Pope Pius XII Institute in Italy, she became one of the first stained glass artists in the US to work as an independent designer and has remained so for 35 years. She traveled extensively in Europe to study the windows of the great stained glass master Georg Meistermann, who has been a significant influence in her own work. She also took advance study with the contemporary German masters, Ludwig Schaffrath and Johannes Schreiter. She is the recipient of numerous religious art awards, and a member of the Interfaith Forum on Religious Art and Architecture.

Maureen collaborated with the studio on a number of projects, including two churches in Columbus, Ohio.

The three windows in the Eucharistic chapel of Our Lady of Perpetual Help make extensive use of opak glass to control the strong sun from the south. The natural tonal shading of hand blown glass is emphasized by the light absorbing white layer. Evenin low or subdued light, the glass ‘gathers’ available light, and the windows glow with a soft diffused luminosity. Maureen’s powerful use of representational motifs is typical of her design approach.

These windows grace either side of the altar in St. Peter’s Church in Columbus. The old church had been almost completely lost in a fire. This section of an original stone wall was preserved and serves as the backdrop to the altar in the new sanctuary.

The net motif is powerfully rendered within the saturated color characteristic of Maureen's windows. The rich color manages restraing without the use of painted shading . Maureen makes extensive use of hand blown opak and opal glass, which is rare among American designers. Some of this glass has been acid etched in the studio to achieve the gentle shading which adds to the life of the composition. The windows were fabricated under Maureen's supervision at the studio.

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