In 1998, while in her 40s, Tina Marie Montgomery took her first stained-glass class and was hooked. She enjoyed the experience so much that she started teaching classes in 2002.
“After many years as a military spouse, where I learned something new each time we relocated, working with stained glass felt like I found my place. I do not think of it as a career, nor a hobby. Stained glass has become what I do, and I absolutely love the medium,” she states.
Jesus stained-glass window
is part of a larger collection
Tina Maria did for St. Augustine Parish in Hillman.
“All the things in stained glass — colors, possibilities, meeting people and translating their requests and ideas into a piece they love, seeing something in my mind and making it tangible — all blend together to make me who I am,” she adds.
She continues, “Doing stained glass is a gift from God. It gives me a sense of belonging and confidence.” Tina Marie has capitalized on her talent while offering her abilities in service to others.
She operates My Glass Wings Stained Glass Studio and Gifts in downtown Alpena, where Tina Marie offers classes and workshops on stained glass. Additionally, she does repairs and custom creations that have been shipped all over the world.
“The mission of my business is to share a love for art glass with our customers by translation, design and creation, while providing an atmosphere and opportunity for self-expression and discovery,” she states.
Sharing Faith Journeys
Tina Marie uses stained glass to share people’s faith journey, and this has consequently influenced her own spirituality.
“Everyone has a faith journey unique to them that is based on their life experiences. Learning of these experiences helps me along my journey.”
She uses her talent of stained-glass production to express and further discover God in the mundane and illuminate his beauty, while directly serving others and portraying their life’s story.
One such project is the Garden of Dreams. Tina Marie completed this commissioned, 18-month-long project for a stained-glass arch for Connie Stephan of Connie’s Café in Ossineke. The garden has heartfelt meaning for Connie who found serenity in gardening while addressing health matters.
The stained-glass arch includes words such as “Live,” “Comfort,” “Love,” “Family,” “Believe” and several more that are commonplace for individuals fighting cancer. They give meaning and purpose to their fight, reflects Connie. The descriptive words tell a story of Connie’s journey and offer parallel significance and inspiration to each viewer of the arch.
In the medallion at the top of the arch reads the serenity prayer which is the root of the garden. It gives hope and focuses viewers on the tranquility of the context. “It is absolutely breathtaking,” offers Connie. The stained-glass arch is on the sunrise side of the café, so when the sun rises, it offers such beauty and life, she continues.
“It is our hope that this piece of art inspires all those who visit our garden and particularly those affected by cancer. We hope it helps them enjoy the peace and tranquility brought about by seeing the radiant sun stream through the stained glass and help all enjoy the beauty of our garden itself,” says Connie.
The radiant sun and manifested beauty illuminate God, reflects Tina Marie. The garden offers a peaceful place for prayer and inward reflection and meditation. It shows us signs of God in the small things, she asserts.
The garden further memorializes all the souls lost to cancer and serves as encouragement for those still in the fight, reflects Gary and Connie Stephan when asked what the garden symbolizes. Survivors and loved ones of lost souls can plant flowers that advance the unique yet collective narrative of all those in the fight against cancer.
“Tina is a special person, and she did an amazing job,” offers Gary.
The symbolic significance is also displayed in the café’s garden room that houses stained-glass panels of primarily birds and bird houses. The project — overseen by Tina Marie and constructed by Lynn Beaudoin and Alexis Werda — is an illustration of the therapeutic channel that birds offered Connie during her fight against cancer.
In particular, the garden attracts various birds and there is a true serenity in seeing and understanding God’s creation in an environment that highlights the dependency birds have for a garden. Similarly, humanity has a dependency on the Eucharist to sustain life.
arch for Connie's Cafe in Ossineke as
an inspirational tribute to all who are
fighting cancer.
Highlighting Christ’s Life
In addition to the garden, she completed several stained-glass panels that are modeled after the “Life of Christ” television series in the sanctuary of St. Augustine Church in Hillman.
“The medallion in each panel illustrates Christ’s life. It is a tangible reminder of God’s existence and love for humanity; likewise, it humanizes God in a way that the faithful can experience him in the contemporary context.”
When asked why Tina Marie chooses to do stained glass over other artistic formats, she explains stained glass illuminates God’s beauty in a majestic manner. “When the sun reflects stained glass, the imaging comes to life,” she says. “It is God in the purest, most beautiful form.
“When it comes to glass, you can use various colors and work with the texture to tell a beautiful story.”
In all her faith-oriented-commissioned projects, the intended outcome is parallel: To harvest visual beauty so others can witness the true essence of God.
