Chicago-based artist Ben Houtkamp uses colorful stained glass to make gorgeous art inspired by video games and other pop culture elements. His work is a fresh version of a traditional craft that’s been popular for many centuries. He took up the craft from his family.
Houtkamp took up stained glass art recently despite it being common in his family. Growing up in Rockford, Illinois, he watched his father Frank work with stained glass for years. “I grew up watching him work and hanging out at his studio,” he tells Creative Boom. “I’ve always been an artist but I didn’t really consider working with glass until 2019. My dad taught me thoroughly even though I lack his masterful patience.”
He explains that the process is simple but perfecting the technical details can get difficult. The details make all the difference when it comes to the final result, and his father taught him to be patient and thoughtful with every piece.
The artist is mostly inspired by childhood nostalgia that comes as memories of coloring books, video games, candy, Pokemon cards, Happy Meal toys, and more. Find more of his work on his Instagram account with almost 13k followers. Scroll down to see our favorites.
