Attiya Khan is the artist and soul behind a stunning collection of handmade stained glass pieces that illuminate homes and hearts. In this conversation, Attiya shares her journey into the world of stained glass, her inspirations, and the profound vision that infuses every piece that she creates.

Before embarking on this artistic path, Attiya worked for many years in the field of domestic violence prevention, co-writing and co-directing the groundbreaking film A Better Man, to shift the conversation on violence against women. Making stained glass brings a counterbalance to the heaviness of making that film and working in the field of domestic violence. Her stained glass creations are more than just pieces of glass; they are vessels of love and personal strength and they have the power to brighten the world one home at a time.

The Conversation

Creating Light and Joy

I make unique, handmade stained glass pieces that bring colour, light, and joy to people’s homes. I started making stained glass art a year ago. I knew immediately after my first class that I wanted to create my own pieces. In less than a month, I had purchased everything I needed to create stained glass art in my home studio. I fell in love with not only the glass – the colours, the textures and the gorgeous reflections – but also the process.

From sketching a design, choosing which sheets of glass to work with, cutting the glass, grinding the edges to smooth each piece down, wrapping each piece in copper foil, soldering the pieces together and lastly waxing the piece so it shines brightly. Each step takes patience and care. I lose myself in the process. Hours go by so quickly and I feel completely locked in while doing the work. It brings me such a sense of calm. I work alone and a lot of time goes into every piece. The pieces as part of this collection took between 7 and 12 hours to complete each.

Art Deco Inspiration

Three months ago, I embarked on a trip that led me to reside in the Art Deco district of Miami Beach. I was struck by the mesmerizing simplicity of the design, the clean, straight lines, and the vivacious colours that surrounded me. I'm thrilled to incorporate elements that evoke the memories of that trip into my work. Each piece emanates with brilliant colours, diverse textures, and gratifyingly straight lines, all while casting entrancing reflections.

A Gift of Unique Colour Combinations

The person who initially guided me on this artistic journey, someone I deeply respect, pointed out that I employ colour combinations that she wouldn't have envisioned using herself, and she was surprised by how remarkably beautiful and distinct they turned out to be. I couldn't have asked for a better compliment! I hope viewers feel this way as well.

Collection