Ateliers Loire: Centuries of Craft

The studio where Jeff Davis's Optimism collection was produced—Ateliers Loire—has been producing stained glass for three generations in a beautiful 19th century building where artists are invited to collaborate.

Ateliers Loire, based in Chartres, France—home to the UNESCO World Heritage Chartres Cathedral—has contributed not only to this iconic landmark but to numerous cathedrals around the world.

Over the years, Ateliers Loire has passed down heritage knowledge and adapted their techniques to produce both modern and traditional works of stained glass, on both contemporary and ancient buildings.

For production of the Optimism collection, Jeff Davis collaborated directly with Bruno Loire, grandson of the Ateliers Loire founder Gabriel Loire, to explore the heritage techniques they would use to bring Jeff’s visionary stained glass sculptures to life.

Jeff’s algorithm was adapted to work within the structural constraints of the delicate glass panes and framing elements.

Artist and artisan enjoyed a reciprocal experience in which they could explore each other’s very different yet complementary creative worlds.

Optimism is one of several Craft Nouveau collections, born from a belief in the value of bringing together contemporary artists with traditional artisans to raise the visibility of heritage craftsmanship and push the boundaries of creativity in the digital age.