In the Derix parental home, purveyors of glass-paintings to the papal court, prospective builders and priests came and went. As a child Hella De Santarossa used to listen to conversations and knew at an early stage what the clients wanted. In this way the development away from soldered glass-windows to art-work with religious content became a matter of course. Yet colour and form remained central to her creativity.
Then came the realisation: glass never again - too many "artists" had found no joy with this material. However, the reconciliation came with increasing technical know-how. A new challenge emerged with the windows of the Heilig-Geist Kirche (Church of the Holy Spirit) in Heidelberg. Socio-political themes were to be given visible space in the church: spatially appropriate innovations which went beyond glass-painting - glass illuminations and high-tech sculptured walls in an individual, patented sandwich technique.