The Times Advocate, 2005-03-30, Page 14Crossroads
14
Wednesday March 30, 2005
Exeter Times Advocate
Making the right cut to create colourful works of art
By Stephanie Mandziuk
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
EXETER — He has only
been working at his craft
for five years but the fin-
ished pieces suggest he's
a veteran when it comes
to stained glass creations.
It all started with a gift
from his son who didn't
know what to get for his
dad one Christmas.
Krueger, a woodwork-
ing contractor by trade,
used his new tools to
teach himself how to
make glass come alive in
an eye-catching way.
His first piece was an
abstract creation he gave
to a friend.
Then he tackled a hum-
mingbird/flower combina-
tion. It was donated to a
Lutheran Seminary auc-
tion and sold for more
than $500. Krueger says,
"I volunteered to give it
not knowing how well it
would come out and it
made a lot of money for a
charity."
The requests started
rolling in and Krueger
found himself being com-
missioned for various
pieces, some fording their
way into kitchen cabinet
doors.
Fast forward to June 1,
2004. Krueger's wife Ann
accepts a position in
Zurich to be the pastor of
St. Peter's Lutheran
Church. They leave their
Kitchener home to start a
new life in the village.
Krueger continues his
trade of woodworking but
decides to expand his
stained glass hobby. He
has created a cozy studio
inside the garage at the
parsonage. Last month
he started his first class of
six students and expects
another group will soon
begin.
For $120 students get
eight lessons. There are
also additional costs for
some start up equipment
and glass.
Krueger says he is
teaching his students to
study the glass they use
and incorporate its natur-
al appearance into their
pieces. You could com-
pare this philosophy to
looking up at the sky on a
sunny day and picking
different shapes out of
cloud formations.
Krueger says, "It's only
limited to your imagina-
tion what you can do.
There are no age barriers
and you don't have to
have phenomenal
strength. It's something
you can sit down and do."
For more information
about Krueger's classes
call 236-4337.
Right, Zurich's Bob Krueger offers advice to Diane Wilds one of his students.
Krueger has created a number of stained glass pieces including a 3D hummingbird,
a lighthouse, a lamp and an angel. (photos/Stephanie Mandziuk)
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