Engineering know-how applied to glass

Starting early in the morning on the weekends, civil engineer Ronald Zwerdling can be found meticulously working in a studio at the three-bedroom Greystone Avenue co-op he shares with his wife.

However, his workstation is not scattered with design documents or construction blueprints.

Instead, you will find stained glass hanging from the ceilings and design patterns lining the walls and counter. You’ll also find paint, marbles and a sea of boxes filled with beveled glass, which Mr. Zwerdling uses to create his art.

“Being an engineer, I find geometry more interesting,” said Mr. Zwerdling, 55, who works for the Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, part of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

Mr. Zwerdling’s wife Helene Tyler, a math professor at Manhattan College, said that over the years, Mr. Zwerdling’s interest in stained glass has blossomed into a real passion.

“I really admired that he has tackled this new hobby and has taught himself most of the techniques,” said Ms. Tyler, 44. “He’ll go in these spurts. A lot of times, I’ll get up on Saturday morning several hours after him and I’ll walk into the room, and I can’t believe how much the project has changed since the last time I saw him working on it.”

Spreading his craft

Since starting to work with stained glass 15 years ago, Mr. Zwerdling has taken his artistic skills to The Riverdale Y, where he recently began teaching an introductory class to fellow Riverdalians.

Jacob Rosenberg, chief operations officer at The Y, said, “Because Ron is a part of the community, it was much more interesting to bring in this program.” He added, “Ron is very passionate and contributes to the success of the class significantly.”

Retired chemist and stained glass student Guy Knafo has found the sessions, which began last month, engaging. 

“The challenge is when you cut the glass into these funny shapes, then you have to fit them into channels so the two pieces fit together,” he said. “Sometimes there’s a slight difference in the glass, and then you have to adjust. [Mr. Zwerdling is] fast on his feet to show you the little details.”