Hobby earns Fairview man blue ribbon

Hobby earns Fairview man blue ribbon

Stained-glass carousel adds color to life

Fairview Observer, TN -

Mary Beth Pomeroy

For The Fairview Observer

A Fairview man has turned his hobby into a prize-winning achievement. James Greer of Fairview earned the top prize in the stained glass category at the recent Williamson County Fair, taking home a blue ribbon for his stained glass carousel.He also won the title of Best of Show in the handicraft division at the fair, an impressive feat considering there were more than 20 other entries in this division.

Betty Friedlander, the section chair for the handicrafts and needlework category, says Greer’s carousel was a favorite right away.

“When he delivered it, everyone in the room said that there was little doubt that not only would it win first place in the stained glass class, but it would be very hard to beat for best of show for handicrafts, and that was the case.”

Greer, who is retired after 38 years in the wholesale drug industry, says working with stained glass is just a hobby at this time, but one he plans to continue. He has set up a workshop in the basement of his home and he is already searching for new challenges.

“This is my first competition, but I’m looking for another project for next year.” Greer says the carousel is his largest undertaking yet. “I’ve done a few small pieces and stepping stones, but this is the only big project I’ve done.”

Greer credits his wife’s family for sparking his interest in stained glass.

“My wife’s aunt worked with stained glass and she had made three of these carousels. We stayed with her while she was sick and she decided that I needed to make one too, so she taught me how to cut and grind the glass, solder it together, etc. She didn’t live to see it completed.”

With only one look at the intricate and delicate piece, it is clear the project was one that required much dedication and attention to detail. Greer says it was not an overnight creation. “It took me about two years off and on to finish it.”

Greer says that while working with stained glass does require special tools, he thinks anyone could do it with patience and the proper training.

Greer met his wife Reba in 1959 in Fairview. He had moved here to live with his father and she lived on an adjoining farm. The two were married in 1963. After living in Nashville for 3 years, the couple returned to Fairview. They built the family home in 1966 and still live there today.

The couple has two children, Nickie, a clinical pharmacist in Dallas, Texas, and Lee, a financial advisor in Cookeville, Tennessee. Reba Greer was recently elected to the Williamson County Commission.

The Williamson County Fair was held in Franklin from August 4 through August 12. In that time, thousands passed by the numerous exhibits, including Greer’s winning carousel.

The stained glass piece was placed out of the reach of fairgoers. Fair officials say while it is best to see the carousel up close to appreciate the detail of Greer’s work, they worried the colorful creation was too much of a temptation. So those who visited had to gaze from afar.

Those in the Fairview community who want to see the carousel a little more closely will likely have the opportunity soon.

The Fairview Public Library, located at 2240 Fairview Boulevard, has expressed an interest in displaying the carousel in the near future.

Branch Manager Lynn Grimshaw says they often showcase the work of local artists. She says they have discovered that such displays generate interest in the community and that many people drop in just to see the different exhibits.

Grimshaw encourages people to watch the marquis in front of the library for further information.

The handicraft division at the Williamson County Fair is a wide reaching category that includes ceramics, woodworking, jewelry, leatherwork, toys and dolls, and recycled crafts as well as the stained glass items.

Stained glass wasn’t Greer’s first attempt at creative expression. “I did try painting, but wasn’t very good at it so I gave it up.”

As for Greer’s next endeavor, he is thinking of maybe a stained glass village or a mobile, adding that he is still looking for ideas.