Miles Mathews

The Artist's Journey

Miles Mathews discovered his passion for stained glass through an unexpected path—one that began not in an art studio, but in a connection to the natural world. Growing up surrounded by the rugged beauty of California's coastline, he developed a deep reverence for the interplay of light and landscape that would later define his artistic vision.

His approach to stained glass mosaic is distinctly contemporary, departing from traditional leaded panel techniques to embrace a more sculptural, dimensional form. Working with carefully selected art glass—from iridescent sheets that shimmer like oil on water to richly streaked opalescent pieces—Miles builds each composition intuitively, allowing the materials themselves to guide the creative process.

Nature as Muse

The natural world pulses through every piece Miles creates. Eagles soar across panoramic frames, their wings built from dozens of individually shaped glass pieces in graduating shades of blue and black. Irises and birds of paradise emerge from abstract backgrounds, their organic forms contrasting with geometric fragmentation. Rainbows arc across cosmic landscapes where the sun and moon coexist in mystical harmony.

This reverence for nature extends to his materials. Miles often incorporates found objects and reclaimed wood into his frames, giving each piece an earthbound authenticity that grounds the ethereal quality of the glass. The weathered timber frames aren't mere borders—they're integral to the composition, creating a dialogue between the raw and the refined.

Spiritual Dimensions

Beyond landscapes and wildlife, Miles explores deeply spiritual themes. His figurative works—angels standing in sacred stillness, their wings rendered in feathered layers of white and gold iridescent glass—speak to universal questions of transcendence and human connection. These pieces often incorporate symbolic elements: the Sacred Heart, celestial bodies, the Star of David, waves that represent life's eternal flow.

There's an accessible spirituality to his work that transcends any single tradition. Whether you encounter one of his pieces in a moment of quiet contemplation or as an unexpected discovery on a sun-drenched afternoon, the effect is the same: a pause, a breath, a reminder that beauty exists in the interplay between broken things made whole.

The Creative Process

Each mosaic begins with a vision, but the path from concept to completion is rarely linear. Miles works intuitively, spreading his collection of glass across large work surfaces, testing combinations of color and texture before committing to the adhesive. Some pieces take weeks; larger commissions can span months of careful, meditative work.

The technical demands are significant. Each glass piece must be scored, broken, and often shaped with specialized tools to achieve the precise fit that allows the composition to cohere. The grout color—usually a neutral gray that recedes behind the vibrant glass—is chosen to enhance rather than compete with the artwork. And always, there's the consideration of how light will interact with the finished piece at different times of day, different seasons.