Pieces of coloured glass has the ability of telling beautiful stories. When Xavier Parras moved to Bahrain around 29 years ago, little did he know that a meeting with an aging artisan would introduce him to the art of working with stained glass, which would hold him in good stead.
The artist in question, Egyptian by birth, took Xavier under his
wing and taught him the fine art of stained glass, which is the art of cutting,
arranging and affixing intricately cut pieces of coloured glass, in pattens.
They are commonly used in the windows of churches, mosques and other
significant buildings. The artist was in the twilight of his life when he
trained Xavier in the finer points of this skill. It made him one of a few to
possess it in the kingdom. He worked for ten years, gained experience and
sharpened his skill over a period of time. With time, the call of his home increased
in fervour. He returned to Goa and set up operations in Chorao in 1998. Xavier
is the only person in the state to bake, thus ensuring the colours on the glass
are brighter. His talent, imagination and hard work ensured his work was
appreciated. Xavier says, “I have worked on quite a few of the churches that
have stained glass. In fact, I will go as far as to say that 90 per cent of
work in churches is mine. I have done work in Sawantwadi, Pune, Bengaluru and I
keep getting orders in Goa.”
The core group of people placing orders with him has remained
the same from all those years ago. The architects and interior designers who
enjoyed his work then, still place orders with him. New orders have been
courtesy word of mouth. The work can be quite expensive, depending on the
nature of the design and the kind of material being used. Conservatively, it
can be said the price can start from Rs 1000 per sq ft and upwards.
Xavier
has expanded his portfolio and does etching on glass and full frosting on
glass. He is the only person in Goa to do this. The future, he believes, is
bright and with his son, who is very young, showing signs of interest, he hopes
this expertise is displayed on the churches and residences of Goa.