UPDATE: The Andrew Moor Library Room

Since I last wrote, the crowdfunder for The Andrew Moor Library & Study room is now live!

To learn more about the project and how you can support it, please click the Crowdfunder link : https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/the-andrew-moor-library-room-project

Donations are open until Friday 13th November 2026

The “stained glass window making (historic)” was formally designated by Heritage Crafts as a new endangered craft in 2023. This designation marks the urgency of triggering interest within the population, which can lead to further safeguarding existing knowledge and the essential specialised skills required for creating Stained Glass Windows.

I picture a space within my studio that would be a haven for potential future professionals to access Couleurlive's specialist library of approx 150 books, which span the many topics within Stained Glass, from the traditional history of stained glass to contemporary creations in the UK and abroad.

The Andrew Moor Library Room is taking shape.

I am now calling for support and collaboration to make The Library Room possible.

It would be most beautiful to find someone (or a few people) who is (are) so passionate about stained glass to become benefactor(s) and promoters of the project.

The idea behind the project

The conservation or creation of Stained glass craft is partially dependent on this current generation of active contemporary studios, to welcome, cultivate and nurture the next generation of people interested in the craft.

The Andrew Moor Library & Study Area catalogue was started about a year ago. I’ve named this space The Andrew Moor Library & Study Room after the author of the first contemporary stained-glass book I found in Paris back in 1995! It was translated from English and considered a major work (Contemporary Stained Glass, Publisher Mitchell Beazley 1989) to French ( Le Vitrail dans l'architecture contemporaine, Edition Herscher 1990).

The Library Room was partially conceived in response to a very small number of high-quality stained glass resource books or e-books in small or medium-sized local libraries, when I first came to Shrewsbury in 1998.

Since I first visited, the number of books at Shrewsbury Library has grown. However, unless an artist is actively looking for books about stained glass, it remains difficult for Fine Arts and Crafts students to increase their knowledge. Since 1998, I have accumulated a vast array of books from my student days to now as a working designer/maker.

The conservation or creation of Stained glass craft is partially dependent on this current generation of active contemporary studios, to welcome, cultivate and nurture the next generation of people interested in the craft.

With your help, we can safeguard the future of this craft by building a dedicated space.

The Library Room will aim to provide a comfortable space and a desk to sit at to read one of the books selected from the catalogue I am currently putting together. This space will be comfortable all year through, compared to other areas of my workshop, which can be colder in autumn or winter.

Delighted to have been invited to promote Couleurlive Ltd in the Wem and Shropshire Library Community Information Booklet 2025-2027, especially as I am gathering all information to discuss with local libraries how we can best be complementary and interactive with one another. Paul, the gentleman who invited me to promote in this booklet, mentioned that Wem organises workshop activities. I am looking forward to interacting with them; contacting them is my next step forward. Paul was enthusiastic about my project and provided me with the name to contact.

Designing The Andrew Moor Library Room

In the design, I started with the idea of keeping the Couleurlive’s spirit of recycling. I have stocks of wood from my previous studio, as well as some left over from the construction of this new studio. (See picture below the wood on the floor, defining the room size)

This was a starting point to design the frame in accordance with the logic and the purpose.

I want to ensure a comfortable, year-round temperature for the dedicated study room. The studio is spacious enough to welcome people while I work, providing an inspiring starting point for those curious about entering or perfecting a career in our trade. However, the wider studio space is currently difficult to heat in Winter. I need to build a space which is comfortable year-round.

To solve this, the first stage of the project involves finding an architect or design practitioner who specialises in creating compact, purposeful spaces. 

Since I first wrote in November of last year, interest in collaborating with me to realize my vision has been growing.

Once I have found the professional collaborator to bring the library room to life, I would work with them to survey the area of my studio, using the generous funds raised to create a full architectural plan, which I would share with my supporters via an update.

Your contribution will help get this first crucial stage off the ground. 

Part of the architectural design plans will incorporate a Plaque that will list all founders. I will use the supporter list at the end of the Crowdfunder page to gather names. If you wish to stay anonymous, I will share the number of anonymous funders, so you are not forgotten.

The Design brief will be:

·       A room woven within the studio

·       Comfortable space for all seasons

·       Insulation and Energy Saving 

·       As few heating devices as possible

·       Air cooling for heatwaves

·       Preserving the natural light

Designing The Andrew Moor Library Room

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My early designs when I first envisioned the library room

As you enter the library room on the left, I have my stocks area, and on the right side, I have my cartooning and design area.

In the logic of this, on the left side of the frontal frame, I will display a colour chart of glass samples from the stockists and another set of samples from what I have in my stocks. ( See below an example of a stock colours chart displayed in a French studio)

On the right side, I will have test pieces I had done for designs, textures and potential painting ideas for the past stained glass or for the latest projects.

I do have large stocks of glass. This will allow the breakdown of the range available for designs. Some of the stock could be glass that is no longer produced. This is for either very special Restoration projects, or to add exception to the contemporary stained glass which we create. 

The Library room will be integrated into the fabric of the studio, with illuminated panels on the front elevation. The ceiling will be flat and lower than the studio's roof, and a ceiling material will be used that ensures the maximum amount of natural light.

Because it's integrated into the studio, this adds more to the pleasure of reading books about stained glass within a dedicated studio. 

Ultimately, this space is a long-term investment in stained glass. 

Before I cease making, I want to ensure the survival of the studio by handing the studio over to a long-term tenant who shares this passion, a lasting haven for future professionals to develop their skills and safeguard the craft for the future. 

As this is a business park with multi-generational ownership, I am confident this will exist for many years to come.

Ideally, I would need to build the room before the hard winter sets in, so I can welcome people to a warm space.

Thank you for joining me on this journey. Whether you are reading along, kindly supporting, or sharing with your networks, your connection to this project makes a meaningful difference.

To learn more, Please click the Crowdfunder link below: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/the-andrew-moor-library-room-project

Donations are open until Friday 13th November 2026

For further information or to discuss the project further,

please contact us.