Wedding / Birthday Commissions and gifts

Portrait on Glass

I’ve recently been developing my portrait work, moving from animals to people, and exploring the expressive possibilities of stained glass portraiture. As always, I work with traditional stained glass painting techniques, carefully building up layers of glass paint (grisaille) using different mediums — such as water and oil — so that each layer remains distinct and luminous.

This handmade stained glass portrait was made for a pilot, and my goal was to capture that unique balance of calm concentration and quiet excitement just before takeoff. Each detail is painted by hand, making the piece not only art to cherish forever but also a celebration of the ancient craft of glass painting, reimagined in a contemporary way.

Detail of stained glass portrait artwork showing layered grisaille brushwork.
Hand-painted stained glass portrait of a pilot by Charlotte Roden, using traditional glass painting techniques.
A circular panel designed as a wedding gift, with a decorative border of vines and flowers, displaying the names 'Laura e Stefano' in the centre, against a blue sky background.

Wedding Roundel

I painted this roundel using grisaille glass paint with enamels to add colour. It was created as a wedding gift that could be displayed at the kitchen window for the bride and groom to enjoy every day!

Stained glass panel made using traditional techniques depicting an orange tree with oranges and a butterfly.

Monarch Butterfly in an Orange Tree

Inspired, as always by nature but also by Barbara Kingsolver’s novel, Flight Behaviour, I made this panel, monarch butterfly in an orange tree. As usual, I used antique mouthblown glass, grisaille glass paint and enamels, joined using the traditional method with lead and solder. I used a medieval style of smear shading instead of using mattes to add shading – something I will do more of in the future! 30X30cm.

A stained glass panel of horse chestnut leaves and conkers, inspired by art nouveau. Hand painted using various layers of grisaille and enamel glass paint. Charlotte Roden

Horse Chestnut

I designed this panel depicting horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) leaves and conkers as a stand alone piece which would also function as a sample panel to show the possibility for a larger window or screen. Inspired by some nineteenth-century foliage glass in Barcelona, I used layers of grisaille and enamels on striated antique glass to give the panel life, movement and a three-dimensional quality. 30X30cm.

Pill pendant

My multicoloured pill-shaped pendant turned out as glossy and twinkly as I'd hoped! As usual with glass, the photos don't do it justice...

stained glass multicoloured oval pill-shaped pendant light catcher. Vetro colorato multicolore ovale a forma di pillola ciondolo, vetrate artistiche Charlotte Roden, Udine, Friuli Venezia Giulia FVG, Italia.
stained glass multicoloured oval pill-shaped pendant light catcher. Vetro colorato multicolore ovale a forma di pillola ciondolo, vetrate artistiche Charlotte Roden, Udine, Friuli Venezia Giulia FVG, Italia.

Orange Suncatchers

I loved making these little oranges to hang at a window or on the wall. I'll never get tired of the zingy combination of orange and green 🧡💚

A stained glass sun catcher with an orange circular center and green leaf-shaped accents, hanging above yellow flowers against a textured beige wall.
A stained glass ornament of an orange fruit with green and orange colour scheme, hanging, with yellow flowers at the bottom right, on a beige textured background.
Colorful stained glass sun decoration casting a shadow on a textured wall with yellow flowers below. the stained glass is of an orange fruit
Colorful stained glass sun decoration casting a shadow on a textured wall with yellow flowers below. the stained glass is of an orange fruit

Pet Portrait

I try to capture the personality, essence and cuteness of your treasured pet on glass. Using layers of grisaille glass paint fired permanently in a kiln, I build up the details of your furry friend to create a lifelike portrait that will last forever.

Decorative stained glass pet portrait with a blue background, trees, and doggy treats and favourite games
Decorative stained glass pet portrait with a blue background, trees, and doggy treats and favourite games
Decorative stained glass pet portrait with a blue background, trees, and doggy treats and favourite games
Dog pet portrait, stained glass, light catcher pendant. ritratto pet cane, vetro colorato, luce, ciondolo, vetrate artistiche, Charlotte Roden, Udine, Friuli Venezia Giulia FVG, Italia.
Dog pet portrait, stained glass, light catcher pendant. ritratto pet cane, vetro colorato, luce, ciondolo, vetrate artistiche, Charlotte Roden, Udine, Friuli Venezia Giulia FVG, Italia.
a stained glass fox roundel.
a hand painted stained glass full moon

Fox

Moon

I love seeing the moon in any form of art… so I made a stained glass one!

a stained glass panel depicting a running hare with flowers and grass under a moonlit sky.

Running Hare

I used antique reamy glass for this panel- i wanted to avoid the ‘outline of lead’ around each different plant and animal when there is a change of colour. I opted for a different style of panel where I used the copper foil lines for adding movement and I used enamels to add colour to the glass.

Bluetit

Made using antique, handmade glass with grisaille glass paint and enamels. The border of the roundel has three shades of green antique handmade glass. I especially love the 3D effect of the branch and also how the flowers turned out.

Decorative stained glass panel with butterflies and floral designs, mounted on a wall and casting a reflection.

Butterflies

The focus for this roundel was all about reflections. I wanted the butterflies to have movement and colour that reflected onto a surface to add magic and beauty to an interior. The design was initially envisioned for a friend’s bedroom to catch the morning sun and project butterflies (and secret messages) on the wall…

A stained glass panel of a coal tit (coaltit, a small garden bird) perched on a branch, with leaves above it.
a stained glass panel of a crescent moon and a bat.

Coal tit

This roundel was made in honour of a speedy and characterful little dude come to their garden every morning to whizz around the other little birds who came to feed.

Bat and Moon

I made a copy of a bat and moon roundel that I have admired for a long time. I painted the glass front and back, then added enamel for subtle colour.

A detailed stained glass hare animal portrait with beautiful long ears and large eyes. Handwritten text in the upper right corner in Catalan mentions that the work was completed by Charlotte Roden, for Can Pinyonaire, dated 2020.

Hare

This little hare is installed in a cathedral in Catalonia, keeping an eye on the pigeons that are roosting behind him!

Other examples of my work:

Stained glass roundel of a deer, painted using grisalle paint on antique glass. Charlotte Roden Stained Glass, Vetrate artistiche, Udine, Friuli Venezia Giulia FVG, Italy.
Female head, Stained glass roundel, painted using grisalle paint and silver stain on antique glass. Ritratto su vetro. Vetrate artistiche, Charlotte Roden, Udine, Friuli Venezia Giulia FVG, Italy.
Copy of a nineteenth-century male head, Stained glass roundel, painted using grisalle paint on antique glass. Charlotte Roden Stained Glass
Copy of acanthus leaves, Stained glass roundel, painted using grisalle paint on antique glass. Charlotte Roden Stained Glass