After attending art school in Cheltenham, Caroline was taught stained glass by her father, Edward Payne FMGP, the son of the Victorian artist Henry Payne. Her first commissions were in Cleveland, Ohio where she was living at the time. On returning to England she made her windows at Goddard & Gibbs Studios in London.
In her work Caroline strives for architectural fitness, harmony and beauty. Stained glass must suit the building in both its idiom and light. The ‘story’ within the window is another matter. This has to be resolved carefully, often with much discussion. Each place and problem is different – so are the windows. Drawing and painting underpins her work.
Besides making windows, Caroline had the pleasure of teaching the next generation of glass artists on the Post Graduate Certificate course at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design from 1988 until its closure in 2012. These experiences inspired a publishing venture ‘Malvern Arts Press’. Current titles include ‘14 stained glass walks in London’ mapped by Ginger Ferrell, ‘The 100 Best Stained Glass Sites in London’, ‘Glass at Central’ by Hildegard Pax and ‘Medical Science and Stained Glass’ with ‘The Arts and Crafts Continuum’ in progress. From 1971-81 she served as Hon Secretary for the Master Glass Painters and continues her involvement to this day.
