Anne Ryan Miller Nature in Glass
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~story and photos by Bob Gustin
ften, the inspiration for Anne Ryan Miller’s unique stained glass creations is just outside the door of her studio, in the forests and natural beauty of Brown County. Her work encompasses a variety of projects, many naturebased, some abstract, and some special designs for commissioned jobs. One of her latest projects is to create big glass panels for a church in Lansing, Michigan. Each
panel measures 90 by 48 inches and has 550 individual cut glass pieces. So far, the project has taken nearly two years as designs have changed along the way to suit the needs of the church. Stained glass windows have had a traditional home in places of worship and spirituality, and Anne has some thoughts on why that is. “It has to do with their relationship with color,” she said. “Originally, stained glass was all transparent, and the light coming
26 Our Brown County March/April 2021
through them was rather magical. Light hits the glass and it spills all over the floor. “It has to do with the whole idea of how color affects us emotionally. Color can be exhilarating; it can be calming.” She notes that scientists have identified a “God part” of the human brain, an emotional and spiritual center. “Light, color, and sound (music) are all keys that open the door to that part of the brain.’’
