The Wilderness Workshop
Joe Arborio of The Wilderness Workshop is a glass artist in Island Pond, VT.
"Joe calls his stained glass feathers 'Pony Feathers'. The wearing of real feathers in an Indian horse or pony's mane was said to make them fleet of foot allowing them to move with the swiftness and agility of birds of prey. White Opal Feathers were sought after for the battles lead pony. The Crow Feathers were reserved for the scout pony. Stained glass feathers are crafted in our workshop located on the mountainside, shadowed by Seneca Mountain in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. All are hand cut with copper foil with silver, black or copper patina veins. The large feather has a pearl white quill (the opal side being the right side of the feather), the small feather has a loop and both have a leather strip for hanging. The handmade glass comes from various places - each sheet of glass is unique and there may be slight variations in color. The earthy textured glass used in the Red Tailed Hawk, Rufous Hummingbird and the Cedar Waxwing is called: Youghiogheny pronounced [yok-uh-gey-nee] glass."