Stained glass usually makes people think of old churches, sunlit windows, and ancient ornaments. Jesse Olwen, better known as Hemlock Stained Glass, uses the same medium to do something that feels a lot more personal: he turns light into storytelling. His pieces don’t just “look nice” on a wall; they feel like they’re carrying symbols, moods, and little narrative cues that shift depending on where you’re standing and how the day’s light hits the glass.
Part of what makes his work so mesmerizing is the mix of old-world craft and contemporary sensibility. There’s a reverence to the techniques. He uses kiln-fired painting, careful leading/foiling, and deliberate opacity choices, but the imagery ranges from ornate, meaning-loaded compositions to playful, pop-culture-adjacent experiments that still feel strangely sacred in stained-glass form. We reached out to Jesse to ask more about how his ideas take shape, what the kiln can unexpectedly do to a piece, and how he designs for both durability and fragility.
Take a look through the artworks, vote for your favorites, and then scroll down to read the full interview.
More info: Instagram | jesseolwen.com
#1 Stained Glass Baseball Cap
Image source: Jesse Olwen
When asked whether he begins a new piece with a narrative, a symbol, or a composition, Olwen explained: “Ideas tend to arrive fully formed and then continue developing quietly in the background. Sometimes they expand into a small series, where making two or three related works allows me to explore different dimensions of the same initial impulse. I’m deeply invested in symbolism, so every element is placed intentionally. Composition, imagery, and material choices all work together to deliver a layered but coherent message.”
#2 “Cliffs Of Crimson”
Image source: Jesse Olwen
#3 “Possibly A Self Portrait”
Image source: Jesse Olwen
On the topic of what modern viewers might miss about traditional stained glass, and what he aims to reintroduce, Jesse explained: “For many people, there remains a certain magical mystery surrounding the creation of painted stained glass, and that mystique elevates the art form. That ‘how did they do that?’ factor works in my favor. At the same time, stained glass carries a powerful duality: it can endure for centuries, yet be shattered by a single stone. That tension between permanence and fragility is something I try to bring forward in a contemporary way.”
#4 “Dreamy Landscape #1”
Image source: Jesse Olwen
#5 “Delicate Touch”
Image source: Jesse Olwen
#6 Floral Skull
Image source: Jesse Olwen
#7 Joan Of Arc
Image source: Jesse Olwen
When asked how he decides what should be painted versus what should be expressed through glass choice, texture, and leading/foiling, he explained: “The glass often tells me. If I come across a particularly beautiful moment within a sheet, I’ll set it aside and wait for the right project. I try not to over-illustrate what the material is already capable of expressing on its own. Painting should enhance the glass, not compete with it.”
#8 Pop-Art
Image source: Jesse Olwen
#9 “Dreamy Landscape #2”
Image source: Jesse Olwen
On the subject of the themes he keeps returning to, different moods and bodies of work, he focuses on a broad spectrum: “The pop-culture work was playful and helped me sharpen my technical skills. I enjoyed seeing familiar imagery translated into a reverent, stained-glass context. In recent years, though, my more focused work has been a way of confronting my anxieties around mortality. Much of what I return to both symbolically and emotionally circles that theme.”
#10 “Blood From The Stone, Honey From The Bone”
Image source: Jesse Olwen
#11 “Protection”
Image source: Jesse Olwen
When asked about a failure that genuinely improved his work and what it taught him, Olwen replied: “For years, I’ve been trying to engineer a stained glass hat. The prototypes have all had structural issues so far. Is it practical in any way? Absolutely not, but the process has pushed me into three-dimensional thinking and problem-solving beyond a flat panel. It’s important to challenge yourself and step outside your comfort zone. I’m convinced I’ll eventually make one that works, and the exploration has already opened the door to other sculptural ideas.”
#12 The Nightmare Before Christmas
Image source: Jesse Olwen
#13 “Memento Mori”
Image source: Jesse Olwen
Speaking about how he thinks about light in the design stage, and whether he tests pieces in different conditions or builds for an ideal scenario, he said: “Opacity is one of my biggest compositional challenges. I own some incredibly beautiful glass that’s far more opaque than it first appears, blocking significantly more light than neighboring pieces. Those mismatches can flatten a composition. Lately, I’ve been leaning toward more transparent glass unless I know the piece will be backlit with an LED panel.”
#14 Butterfly Skull
Image source: Jesse Olwen
#15 Skull & Serpent
Image source: Jesse Olwen
He also told us what helps him most when a client provides references or information about a request: “It helps enormously when a client begins with something from my portfolio: ‘I saw your ___ could you do a ____?’. Understanding the surrounding space is also key. The most common point of friction is scale. While I can achieve fine detail in painting, stained glass as a medium benefits from breathing room. A design that would be perfect at 40” × 20” just can’t function the same way at 10” × 5”. The material has its limits, and respecting them is part of the process.”
#16 “A Special Piece For Someone’s Special Someone”
Image source: Jesse Olwen
#17 Lydia, Beetlejuice
Image source: Jesse Olwen
When asked whether his fine arts background and architecture studies influence how he structures compositions and thinks about space and framing, Jesse said: “I approach each project with the intention that it could hold its own in a gallery setting, and it really helps to envision them in that kind of space. That said, I feel like I’ve only been testing the waters of what I’m capable of at that level. I haven’t yet had the opportunity to fully dedicate myself to a cohesive exhibition series, and I’m aware there’s more depth I want to reach.”
#18 Batwoman
Image source: Jesse Olwen
#19 “What’s This? What’s This?..”
Image source: Jesse Olwen
Finally, speaking about what he hopes changes for someone who owns one of his pieces for 10–20 years, he shared: “Many of my pieces are gifts, often commissioned with deeply personal details. In those cases, I hope the love present at the moment of giving remains embedded in the work.”
#20 “Life, Death And Rebirth”
Image source: Jesse Olwen
#21 “Dance Now Before The Cats Catch Your Scent”
Image source: Jesse Olwen
#22 Ghost Rider vs. Wolverine
Image source: Jesse Olwen
#23 TMNT!
Image source: Jesse Olwen
#24 Harley And Mr. J
Image source: Jesse Olwen
#25 Huls vs. Wolverine
Image source: Jesse Olwen
#26 Final Fantasy
Image source: Jesse Olwen
#27 Skull & Serpent
Image source: Jesse Olwen
#28 The Porch Frog
Image source: Jesse Olwen
#29 “I’m The One Who Gripped You Tight And Raised You From Perdition,” Castiel
Image source: Jesse Olwen
#30 “I’m The One Who Gripped You Tight And Raised You From Perdition,” Dean Winchester
Image source: Jesse Olwen
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