After the Protestant Reformation put the stained glass industry out of
business in the 16th Century, diamond paned glazed windows became popular in
both churches and secular buildings. The word probably comes from the Latin
‘quadrellum’, meaning little square or from the French ‘carre’ meaning square.
(https://www.coddenham-parish.uk/what-is-a-quarry/)
Quarries were often painted with motifs of flora, fauna and vignettes with
enamel and silverstain.
They epitomize the “decorative” and as such are both charming and capable of
the subtle yet persistent megainfluence of the domestic goods we encounter frequently.
“Decorative” as a derogatory term in the arts is recent and regrettable. Perhaps it’s an attempt by those interested parties to ensure the value of “art for art’s sake” and distinguish it from ordinary, household experiences—which obviously are the actual carriers of the most influence as you see them all the time and can’t escape them.
Grimoire is contemporary updating on this historical form. For me, it also serves as an index of experimentation with what can be done with combining flowers, birds, insects, various patterns and glass techniques. A grimoire is a book of spells. To my way of thinking, every artwork is an attempt at a spell, a prayer or an evocation of sorts. How else to explain the intention of any artwork to claim special status and transcend representation or artifact-ness?
What exactly is Grimoire intended to evoke? I see it as an open-ended opportunity to reflect on the history of marginalized women’s work—witches, proto-pharmacists—and on the long-dismissed status of decoration, reimagining both as equally transformative.
