A history of stained glass art at Brisbane Girls Grammar Sch

Tree of Knowledge, left panel

This same year also marked the centenary of the founding of the Old Girls Association and to

celebrate this, the OGA commissioned a stained-glass artwork to sit in the semi-circle window of the

western stairwell in Main Building. Again, the commission was entrusted to Jennifer Andrews and

Warwick Blair. Having already worked extensively together on the Beanland Library projects,

Jennifer and Warwick understood each other readily on the intent and an appropriate design. While

a contemporary aspect was an underpinning element of the brief from the Principal Judith Hancock,

it was also important to respect the traditional architecture and history of this original heritage

building on the campus. Certainly, Warwick Blair wanted, as he stated, a “forward looking window,

one that leads the mind and the eye onwards”, not one that was traditional Victorian, like the

building itself but that sits happily with the past. It seems that the Principal, Warwick and Jennifer

were intent on creating something for the young people in the School.

The finished work is another clear nod to learning with the splendid jacaranda flowers reminding us

of end of year exams as a significant stage in student learning. Once again, the depiction of an open