An artist’s inspiration can strike anywhere and anytime, and Ken Bingemer has drawn much of his from water. The first stained-glass mosaic he created shows a lighthouse. Another piece is a silhouetted sailboat, surrounded by blue hues depicting water and sky.
“There is an attachment to the water,” says Bingemer, whose Newburgh, Indiana, house sits on a lake. “I’ve been on the water several times, fishing … I’m always drawn to the colors of the water.”
Faith and music provide more creative spark. Bingemer worked in music ministry for 26 years, and he’s proud of his arch-shaped mosaic showing a cross. A glassy forest scene is inspired by lyrics of the classic Christian hymn “How Great Thou Art:” “When through the woods and forest glades I wander …”
The Henderson, Kentucky, native works full-time from home as a trainer and senior analyst for CVS Caremark. His love for art was stirred in October 2020, when he attended a class on stained glass taught by Salvage Candy co-owner Tammy Trem.
Bingemer has since assembled 10-15 mosaics per year and travels with his wife, Angie, to art shows.
His displays grabbed the attention of New Harmony residents and artisans Michael and Mary Beth Guard. They bought Bingemer’s recreations of a Claude Monet lily pond painting and installed them in vintage doors that are hung barn door style.
“At night, with the lights on behind them, they look like an impressionist’s dream, full of fabulous color,” Mary Beth says. “… It is always an enjoyable experience when we have Ken do a project, and we look forward to dreaming up more.”
In his home studio, Bingemer wears protective gloves and uses glass nippers to create whatever shapes he wants. He purchases sheets and remnants of glass that are already stained, and he enjoys the challenge of finding the shades, streaks, and textures that perfectly fit a creation.
Once he finishes a mosaic and puts it up against the light, “it’s like the pieces are singing to me,” he says.
Bingemer still attends some area art shows and also stocks a few mosaics for sale at Inman’s Picture Framing + Fine Art in Evansville, and in Washington, Indiana, at Arts Unleashed Presents: The Gallery. A 2019 heart attack slowed Bingemer’s music ministry activities – he had already transitioned to his role with CVS by then. He views his subsequent discovery of glass art during the COVID-19 pandemic as a gift from above.
“God gave me another outlet for creativity in the mosaics,” he says.
