Leadlighter – With a history spanning a thousand years, leadlighting has its origins in the Roman and Byzantine eras. By the late Middle Ages, the profession of domestic leadlighter was common across Europe, and by the late 1800s, decorative leadlighting had became a very fashionable feature of most homes and public buildings.
At this time, in Australia, this medium started to feature in public buildings, with a strong focus on our flora and fauna, as seen at the Sydney Town Hall (1880s) and the complex windows of Sydney’s Central Railway Station (1901).
Nelley, a leadlighter with over 25 years experience, creates designs also inspired by Australian flora and fauna, and her love of the Australian bush – its amazing colours and textures. While incorporating as much old repurposed glass as possible, she hand selects each individual piece for a one of a kind design, using both lead and copperfoil techniques.