Katrien Mestdagh: at ease with the wonder of stained glass

Portrait of Katrien Mestdagh – Louis Teran©Michelangelo Foundation

The workshops of Belgium’s oldest stained glass studio are a hive of activity as its artisans paint, fire, etch and lead their materials, ready for use in buildings across the continent. Atelier Mestdagh is helmed by Katrien Mestdagh, a third-generation maker who entered the family business at the age of 24, learning her craft from her father and the highly skilled artisans he employed. The studio was founded by her grandfather, Albert, in 1947, and today draws on skills that have been practised since the Middle Ages to create contemporary designs that push stained glass in new directions and into fresh contexts.

Stained glass is a kinetic medium – it constantly changes as light passes through it. What’s special about that to you?

It fills you with a sense of wonder. When light breaks through coloured glass, the effect shifts from one moment to the next and it completely transforms a room. It speaks to you. Even when I’m at my busiest in the workshop, if the sunlight falls on a piece of stained glass, I find myself pausing to enjoy it. 

You studied musicology before you joined the business. What made you change direction?

While I was studying, I couldn't forget the noises, smells and buzz of the workshop. I realised that my heart was in the family business. My father was eager to hand over the administration to me. I said, fine, but I want to learn every bit of the craft too. Later, I did a master’s degree in stained glass conservation and heritage management at the University of York to broaden the projects that Atelier Mestdagh could take on. Even though I never met my grandfather, who founded our family business, I feel a strong connection to him through my craft. I feel as if it is running through my blood.

How important are events such as Homo Faber Event in helping to attract new audiences for your work?

In Belgium, most initiatives that give a platform to craft put amateur makers alongside professionals, which can be a problem for us – we can’t charge the same prices as amateurs, and people aren’t always able to recognise the skills and work that goes into what we do. Homo Faber Event is unique in showcasing craft excellence, pushing participants to emphasise the dynamism of their skills and consider how they can attract a contemporary audience for them. It shows artisans at the top of their game.

How else does Atelier Mestdagh push the boundaries of stained glass?

We have our own in-house designers but we also work with many others to stretch the possibilities of the medium, while finding new applications for it in furniture and architecture, beyond its typical context of churches. We’ve even created an entire building from stained glass, supported by a metal frame.

How does working with your hands make you feel?

When you pick up a panel of stained glass for the first time, which you’ve leaded and soldered yourself, it’s a magical feeling. Crafting things with my hands makes me feel complete. My entire life I've been somebody who can't choose – I'm interested in everything. But when I work with stained glass, all the noise in my head quietens down, I feel at ease and everything suddenly makes sense.

Discover Katrien Mestdagh’s profile and more talents on Homo Faber Guide.

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