Church of St James, Abinger Common, Surrey
Address
Church of St James, 18-30 Evelyn Cottages, Abinger Common, Dorking RH5 6JETheme
Overview
Lawrence Lee (1909 – 2011) was one of the most distinguished stained glass artists of the 20th century. It is not surprising therefore that a number of contributors chose to include one of his windows in their selections. But there is much more to say and to celebrate about this wonderful artist.
A Theme has therefore been dedicated to the work of Lawrence Lee. The windows highlighted within the Theme have been chosen in conjunction with his son, Stephen Lee, to highlight some of his father’s best work.
A full list of the windows chosen can be found by following the link above or here. There you will also find two papers written by one of his former assistants, Philippa Martin, covering his life and his most famous achievement, the masterminding of the ten nave windows of Coventry Cathedral.
Highlight
East windowArtist, maker and date
Lawrence Lee, 1967Reason for highlighting
As noted above, this window is one of a selection made in conjunction with Lawrence Lee’s son, Stephen Lee.
The following description of the window is by Lawrence Lee
The Cross is depicted as a living tree, riven by lightning and distorted by age, but still having life within itself, and bursting out with new life. The concept is St. Paul’s – life through death – decay and suffering transformed into resurrection and joy. This is the doctrinal aspect. Artistically there is a basic complexity in the Cross theme, contrasted with simple open shapes which may be thought of as landscape – earth, cornfields, lakes; or again as a butterfly’s wings. The flickers of white falling from the extremities of the cross pass back into the earth and rise again in the centre mass of light.
Artist/maker notes
Lawrence Stanley Lee FMGP (1909 – 2011) trained at Kingston Art School and the Royal College of Art before the war. After the war he worked for Martin Travers, and it was Travers’ unexpected death in 1948, which led to Lee forming his own studio. A wide range of commissions followed, including his famous windows at Coventry Cathedral, with Keith New and Geoffrey Clarke, which established his reputation. Lee was also a teacher both formally at the Royal College of Art, and in his studio to a succession of assistants. He was notable in acknowledging the contribution of his assistants by including their initials on windows, along with his own.
Other comments
Lawrence Lee was assisted in the making of the window by Janet Christopherson.