About Light Catcher & J Maroulis
I began making lightcatchers in 1996 by attending a nightclass at Newlands College, Wellington. The other students on the course were there to make windows for their homes, but I just wanted a hobby. After learning the basic principles then experimenting a little, I decided to focus predominantly on Māori designs.
This was due to the fact I wanted to be different and didn’t want to make the usual birds, boats and butterflies that are commonly sold in craft shops.
My designs are very distinctive, generally being adapted to the glass medium from typical or generic Māori designs. They usually take anywhere between 5 and 40 hours to make due to the extensive drilling and grinding required to achieve intricate and koru type patterns.
I remake the designs I like, sometimes using different colours, and each item comes with a certificate which notes the item number for that design.
The Making Process
Every piece is created using the traditional Tiffany copper foil method, adapted with modern diamond drilling for acute internal curves.
Design & Patterns
Adapting Māori carvings and symbols into cuttable templates, testing where solder seams will reinforce rather than weaken the glass.
Cutting & Diamond Grinding
Scoring waterglass by hand, then using fine diamond grinding heads (down to 1/8") to shape the tight internal koru curls.
Copper Foiling
Wrapping each individual glass contour in adhesive copper foil tape, burnishing edges to ensure maximum solder bonding.
Soldering & Finishing
Soldering joints front and back with smooth beaded lines, cleaning, reinforcing suspension rings, and issuing the numbered certificate.
"Kua puta koe te whaiao, ki te ao marama"
"You have emerged into the daylight, into the world of light"
Stained glass comes alive only when daylight penetrates it. Hanging a light-catcher in your window transforms natural sunlight into vibrant amber, cobalt and pounamu green across your room.