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stained glass artist

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Location: South East
Settings: Places of worship, Public buildings
Techniques: Acid etching, Enamelling, Engraving / sandblasting, Painting / staining
Specialisms: New commissions


Mel Howse is a designer and maker of public art commissions, and primarily in the mediums of glass and metal. Mel’s portfolio embraces art that is integral to exterior and interior architecture, and to the sense of place. Her design style is progressive, innovative, and intentionally utilises contemporary industrial techniques.

She has undertaken a huge range of commissions, notably: the 500sqm art glass façade for retailer J. Sainsbury’s; the Huddleston Memorial Window dedicated by Archbishop Desmond Tutu; and public art for an award-winning development designed by Conran and Partners. Recently she was commissioned to design and create a new window for Durham Cathedral, which will eventually be seen by 700,000 visitors a year.

Mel graduated from Swansea institute in 1992 with three awards. She is a Queen Elizabeth Scholar and became the first winner of the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust’s ‘Award for Excellence’ in 2013. In July 2014 she spoke about her innovative work in glass, steel and industrial enamels to The American Glass Guild in Philadephia USA. Also in 2014 she lectured for the Guild of Enamellers in the UK.


Quatercentenary Window 2005
Butchers’ Hall, The City of London. Etched and painted stained glass. Approx 1.5 sq m
Ealhswith and Edburga Window 2012
The Winton Chapel, University of Winchester, Hampshire. Etched and painted stained glass. Approx 4 sq m
The Betchworth Screen 2016
St Michael’s Church, Betchworth, Surrey. Etched and carved toughened glass. Approx 16 sq m
stained glass windows
Glazed façade for a new church 2017
Otford Methodist Church, Kent. Incised enamels and toughened glass. Approx 35 sq m
stained glass windows
J Sainsbury’s Flagship Store 2008
Vitreous enamels, bonded and toughened glass, Central Milton Keynes. Approximately 500 sq m
stained glass window
The Huddleston Memorial Window 2006
Lancing College Chapel, Lancing, Sussex. Stained and painted glass. Approx 6 sq m