San Pedro is home to countless artists and creative connections, and it was through two of them—Candice Gawne and Lou Mannick—that I was introduced to their son-in-law, Tim Carey.
What followed was a fascinating journey into the world of stained glass, told through the documentary Holy Frit, directed by Justin Monroe.
I had the pleasure of seeing the film at the Art Theatre in Long Beach and was immediately captivated. In a whirlwind of unexpected turns, Holy Frit follows Tim as he wins a bid to design and create the largest stained-glass window in the world for a church. His concept—an expansive, painterly design that marries fine art with traditional stained-glass techniques—is stunning. But there’s one problem: Tim has no idea how to actually build it, and the studio he’s working with is far too small to handle a project of this scale.
For filmmaker Justin Monroe, the story came to him quite literally. “This was my first feature documentary—my other projects have all been scripted narratives,” he explains. “I was trying to raise money for a different project when I moved right next door to Tim. He tells me he’s a stained-glass artist, and that his studio was bidding on the biggest stained-glass project in the world.”
Tim, knowing Justin was a filmmaker, asked for a small favor: “We’re competing against 60 companies globally. Can you help us stand out by filming a short promo?” Monroe agreed, and that initial footage turned into years of filming. “And then there’s this guy, Narcissus Quagliata,” Monroe adds. “If Tim could find him, it’d be huge. From there, they let me start filming just in case they got the job.” He laughs, “And of course, they did! And now I’m a documentarian!”
I asked Tim about his journey as an artist and how he found his way to glass. “I was a painter and fine artist living in Los Angeles, and I needed a part-time job,” he recalls. “One day I toured Judson Studios, saw what they were doing with stained glass and painting, and completely fell in love. Something about the light coming through glass—it was magic.” Two days later, he was hired. That was 20 years ago. Today, Tim is an accomplished glass artist.
A key element of the window project—and of Holy Frit—is fusible glass, a technique that allows artists to create images with melted glass powders and fragments. “Glass fusing has only been possible for about 50 years,” Tim explains. “Most glass isn’t naturally compatible, so when you heat and cool it, it cracks. But thanks to Bullseye Glass Co., we now have compatible materials that let us paint with light.”
Tim credits Quagliata for teaching him how to work with these materials. “He showed me how to use frit—ground glass in different sizes—to blend colors and create painterly movement. Narcissus developed these techniques over 30 years, and he generously shared them with me. They were perfect for creating my design for this project.”
You can meet both Tim and Justin on Sunday, May 18 at 2 p.m. at the Grand Annex Music Hall, where we’ll screen Holy Frit, host a Q&A, and showcase some of Tim’s artwork. We’ll also be auctioning off a private visit to Tim’s studio for six lucky guests, with proceeds supporting Ken Creighton’s run for Honorary Mayor. VIP ticket holders will enjoy a pre-film reception catered by Mike Caccavalla, director of operations at Meals on Wheels.
Come experience the beauty, struggle, and triumph behind one of the most ambitious stained-glass projects in history—and meet the people who made it happen.
For tickets and more info, visit sanpedrowaterfrontartsdistrict.com. spt
