Written by Merry Lee Jones
Photography Courtesy of Laural Herter Design

lass was first discovered around 3500 BC in the arid lands of ancient Mesopotamia. Artisans, while making glazes for pottery, accidently combined calciferous sand with soda ash. This early technique allowed artisans to fashion various glass beads, seals, and plaques. Glass, as an artistic medium, had been discovered.

The creation and production of stained glass windows is a meticulous and painstaking process, that requires a high level of skill and attention to every detail. Laurel Herter is a glass artisan with years of experience, and a true love for her craft. She is primarily an installation artist as she designs and understands the concept of using glass in architecture.

As you walk into the Laurel Herter Design Studio in Bluffton, South Carolina, you will find an attractive, self assured woman. She greets you with a warm and friendly smile as she continues scurrying around sizing and measuring beautiful pieces of colored glass.

For stained glass windows to physically endure so that they may be enjoyed for generations, there can be no shortcuts. Quality in materials is essential with each piece carefully planned.

Laurel seems somewhat humble as she shows photographs of some her many commissioned jobs. Such as elegantly designed emron coated fire retardent Lexan panels installed inside a corporate jet, or the kaleidoscopic design of cast glass dragonflies in the ceiling of an elevator. Every creation a one-of-a-kind, awe inspiring work of brilliancy.

Laurel states with quiet confidence, “ We pride ourselves on our ability to work closely with clients to insure that every detail has been considered, from conception to final artwork.”

Laurel Herter Design works with several designers and crafts people from around the country to bring together their years of focused expertise with a collaborated effort that includes many mediums. They are an art glass company offering a full spectrum of services from graphic designs to renderings to fabrication and installation of fine art glass. Their company works together with some of the best artisans of several disiplines throughout America.

In addition to a large variety of art glass and general design services, they offer exceptional quality mill work for entryways and windows. Laurel Herter Design incorporates innovative and traditional methods of glass crafting, providing architectural commissions for commercial, liturgical and residential environments. Techniques include: carved sandblasting, stained and leaded, cast and slumped, jeweled, (Laurel has a magnificent collection of antique jewels she has collected over the years), beveled and brilliant cut work.

For the past twenty seven years they have drawn on natural forms to enhance the geometric and linear expression of architecture. Collaboration with designers, architects, builders and skilled crafts people around the country assures the highest level of detail and quality.

Laurel holds a bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Colorado, Boulder. After moving to Santa Cruz, California in 1981, she started her company, Laurel Herter Design.

With her training in graphic arts she spent nine years in an environmental consulting firm, where she was able to blend her fine arts background with an interest in natural sciences. A large part of her work with the natural history displays and interpretive exhibits in California often embody the use of carved glass, depicting a combination of botanical and wild life features.

Most recently, Laurel Herter Design was granted the opportunity to create five stained glass images for the windows in the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation building in Atlanta. ThIs wonderful foundation has a mssion to promote positive change in people’s lives and to build and enhance the communities in which they live. They have an especially strong interest in supporting low-income youth and their families.

Laurel worked closely with Lillian Heyward, who designed the original concepts of education, community, arts, youth and environment.

Other associates involved in her company include mural painter, Jeff Thielleman, and personal assistant, Cheryl Gardner. Laurel also shares project pieces with fellow artists, Mary Helen and Michael O’Brian of the Guilders Workshop in Savannah. Currently, Laurel and a design team are developing and producing a line of limited edition glass tableware. These include various sizes of carved sandblasted, gold leafed table runners and place mats.

For the past 30 years, Laurel has collected antique jewels from eastern Europe. These jewels are utilized in the production of a line of small boxes with intricately designed lids.

Laurel Herter Design invites you to call or Email to learn more about the company and the custom glass options they can offer any home, church, office, elevator or airplane. Any space benefits from the beauty of custom glass.

Laurel Herter Design,Inc.
132 Bridge St.
Bluffton, SC
(843)757-6580
www.herterdesign.com