St Simon and St Jude Catholic Church, Streatham, London SW2
Address
St Simon & St Jude Catholic Church, 5 Hillside Rd, Streatham, London SW2 3HLTheme
Overview
There are a number of artists who have contributed to this website through their individual selections of 10 fine examples of British stained glass. While all naturally refrained from recommending their own work in the 10 selected, they have been asked to choose a window of their own that they feel reflects their personal work. This is Andrew Taylor’s selection.
Highlight
Window of Saints Thomas Moore & John FisherArtist, maker and date
Andrew Taylor, 1993Reason for highlighting
St Simon & St Jude’s Church (RC) in Hillside Rd Streatham includes my first church commission, 1989, and subsequently offered the opportunity to create a number of other windows, with the window of Saints Thomas Moore & John Fisher, 1993, being a particular favourite.
The church, built on a steep bank, had subsided in the drought years of the late 1980’s and the insurance company had offered a large pay-out to underpin the building. The incumbent priest at the time ensured there was enough money put aside to redecorate the church and begin a stained glass program which spanned over eighteen years.
LIST of windows
- The Good Shepherd (Christ sitting in nature) (1989)
- St Simon & St Jude (1990)
- Porch window comprising 11 lancets containing 19 figures (1991)
- The Holy Family, Nativity. (1992)
- St Thomas Moore & St John Fisher (1993)
- A Crucifixion window showing some stations of the cross (1994)
- Mary of Lourdes window. (1996)
- St Mary Window, in the Lady Chapel. (2007) (Showing, St Mary of Guadalupe, St Mary of Walsingham, St Mary of Valankanni (Indian), and an African Madonna and child.
There was one window I couldn’t deal with as it was needed when I was away travelling so Sue Ashworth helpfully stepped into the frame and completed a “Christ –Divine Mercy” window in 2004-5
Artist/maker notes
Andrew Taylor was born in South Africa to English parents, and came to the UK at the age of 16. After study at Cardiff Art College and a period at Welsh National opera, painting sets and scenery, there followed a crucial period working under Alfred Fisher at Chapel Studios. That ‘mini-apprenticeship’ allowed a switch to working as an independent stained glass artist. As a counterbalance to the intensity of glass painting and studio work, Andrew also finds time to paint landscapes ‘en plein air’, with serious intent, when the opportunity allows.
Further information: Andrew Taylor Arts
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Andrew Taylor