Mieke Verwaetermeulen
Painting with light
- Mieke restores and makes her own stained glass
- She is always drawing and painting
- She often works on Flanders’ heritage pieces
Mieke Verwaetermeulen started working on stained glass in 1985, driven by the desire to work in architecture. “Stained glass offers excellent opportunities to work with light in buildings,” she says. She restores old stained glass windows, but also designs her own contemporary creations. “The one activity enriches the other. Through my work in restoration, I built up the necessary skills and learned to focus on the smallest details, which enhances my creative work. The combination also gives me peace of mind.” Mieke is inspired by observations in nature and is always making sketches with pencil and brush. “Classical drawing and painting are very important to me. I am constantly researching and experimenting, which gives depth to the style of my work.” Her studio, Glaskunst Atrium, is situated in a former train station.
Interview
- Can you describe the unusual building in which you set up your studio?
- In 1989, me and my partner bought this charming old train station building, which dates back to 1857, and fully renovated it. It is a very peaceful and inspiring place to work. With plenty of natural light, which is essential for my line of work.
- How do you handle working by yourself for a long time?
- Working in solitude suits me. I love the tranquillity of the studio when it is just me and the glass. It helps me to be creative and keep my focus. Distraction is detrimental to my work. I realise this is not for everyone, some trainees dropped out because of this aspect of the craft.
- Is your craft strongly linked to your local heritage?
- I work a lot on historical buildings in Flanders, often in churches. For example, I restored stained glass windows at the visitors' centre of the Ghent Altarpiece in Ghent’s St Bavo's Cathedral. When I make contemporary creations for old buildings, I make sure they fit well in the historical framework.
- What was a particularly memorable moment in your professional life?
- The inauguration of six contemporary stained glass windows in the Arenberg Castle in Leuven. I highlighted the castle’s history and its current function as a university building with texts, painted with calligraphy. It was special to collaborate closely with the University of Leuven on this.
Mieke Verwaetermeulen is a master artisan: she began her career in 1985 and she started teaching in 1986
Works
Where
Mieke Verwaetermeulen
