*All images and accompanying texts by Brian Miller [promotion]
“St John’s church in the attractive little town of Pleasant Point, South Canterbury, has a window of a man sowing seed beneath Mt Cook. Designed by K Bunton, executed by Roy Miller.”
“In a valley near Geraldine at Raincliff, New Zealand, is a tiny church with a beautiful abstract window of native NZ flowers. Designed by Kenneth Bunton, and executed by Roy Miller.”
“Naseby is a sleepy little Gold mine town nestled in a forest in Otago, New Zealand. There you will find St Georges Church with beautiful stained glass inside. It contains a pair of windows designed by Kenneth Bunton and executed by Roy Miller – with one of the best sheep I have seen in my travels.”
“There is a tiny church at Manutahi on the edge of Mt Taranaki which only has one service a year – but inside is the most beautiful window of the mountain – took my breath away when I saw it.”
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A new book aims to shine a light on Dunedin stained-glass maestro Roy Miller. He came from a family boasting a history of artists and artisans. Roy’s (and Ralph’s) grandfather, Henry Miller, was a master coachbuilder whose hansom cabs won several championship awards at the Melbourne Exhibition. Their father, Oswell, established Dunedin signwriting firm O. G. Miller in 1913; it became Miller Studios in 1958, then in 2016 was rebranded Miller Creative Group. –ODT
### ODT Online Mon, 31 Oct 2016
Colour and light
By Shane Gilchrist
Amid the various refractions of memory, as shards of one scene are overlaid on another, Brian Miller recalls a childhood image of a stained-glass kiln out the back of Dunedin signwriting firm Miller Studios. He also pictures his Uncle Roy holding pieces of glass up against the light before cutting curves with the confidence of a master. Thankfully, Roy Miller’s work is a tangible thing. New Zealand’s leading stained glass artist from the 1950s until his death in 1981, Miller produced more than 330 windows, in about 100 churches around New Zealand. Brian details Miller’s legacy in Capturing Light: Roy Miller – New Zealand Stained Glass Artist, which offers an insight not only into the life and work of his uncle but also provides a history of the art of stained glass, both in New Zealand and internationally, as well as an overview of early Dunedin stained-glass artists. In short, it’s a celebration of artistic inspiration and the artisan skills required to, as the title says, capture light. The book also contains plenty of information on techniques for conserving historic stained glass artworks, all of which provides an inherent warning: that many such works are in danger of degradation.
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● ODT: Looking at a stained glass window …
THE BOOK
Capturing Light: Roy Miller – New Zealand Stained Glass Artist
Published by Lifelogs Ltd ($69.99)
More information about Roy Miller and the history of stained glass:
Website https://roymiller.co.nz | Facebook Capturing LightThe publishers Brian and Diane Miller have an extensive background in bookselling, writing, publishing and photography. They operated Tapui Children’s Books for over twenty years before venturing into their own publishing business Lifelogs Ltd.
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Posted by Elizabeth Kerr
This post is offered in the public interest.
What if? Dunedin... 