Roland Berry, 73, a Cheltenham granddad, went viral on TikTok making stained glass, now he aims to save the endangered art form.
Roland drives heavy goods vehicles and lives in Cheltenham. Yet, stained glass is his passion. He learned it at age 25 after meeting a glass restorer who worked at Gloucester Cathedral.
Roland is married with six kids plus five grandkids. In 2022, he made art for his daughter’s wedding, and an online blog noticed it. Cicely, his daughter, is 29 and she filmed his work for TikTok.
The videos went viral quickly, and millions have now seen his creations. Roland gets orders from everywhere, and his classes always sell out now. He wants people to see its beauty and hopes to save the craft.
Roland said stained glass is dying, stating that Heritage Crafts lists it as “endangered.” He is on a mission to get people to try it. He aims to keep it alive permanently.
He met the cathedral’s glass restorer at 25, and the restorer taught him. Roland always did it for fun, so it wasn’t a huge part of his life back then, but it was a constant interest.
Over time, stained glass became less popular. Roland thinks new churches are rare, and fewer homes use it now either.
But, things changed in 2022 when he made stained glass for his daughter’s wedding. It featured their initials in glass, intertwined delicately.
Cicely said her wedding appeared on a blog. People asked about the stained glass, wanting to know where it came from.
Cicely saw the interest level was high. She made a video of Roland’s art, without him knowing. She wanted to show his talents.
She posted it on TikTok in early 2023. It showed him smiling, his family, and paintings. Also, it showed glass art being designed, and it gained half a million views.
Inspired, Cicely kept filming him. Roland felt “overwhelmed” yet “lovely.” They decided they would keep going together.
Their videos became very popular. His most popular video got over nine million views. It showed him welcoming a student in December 2024, marking his first ever private class.
Cicely posted it before bed, and woke up surprised. It had over a million likes and over 17,000 comments quickly.
She called her dad and said more emails would come. Social media is new to him. Seeing numbers rise fast amazed him.
Roland uses glass for his art. He creates intertwined letters. He depicts flowers and fish, as well as cranes and snowdrops. He makes more abstract pieces.
His TikTok videos show his daily work. He hosts classes or shows glass cutting. Users regularly ask how he cuts it. He cuts on a wooden board with care.
Roland knew nothing about TikTok at first, but said it has “changed his life” positively. The comments amaze and humble him.
Many users ask about his classes. One wrote, “Where is this? I want to learn.” Another said, “I’m too far to attend.”
Viewers like Roland’s calm style. He explains glass-cutting techniques clearly. One user found his videos soothing, and another said they feel better watching.
His fame brings requests worldwide. He said he has three commissions now. They are in California, Detroit, and Poole. The orders come from everywhere.
Roland also paints and uses watercolors. He paints people’s dogs mostly. Yet, his glass art seems more popular, capturing the imagination more.
He began teaching in early 2024. He holds classes in his garden, and also teaches at art schools. His classes fill quickly today.
He wants to pass on what he learned. He is flattered by enrollments, and hopes to inspire others. Roland hopes young people gain interest and continue the tradition.
Cicely sees it positively, believing that more people taking up glass is best. Stained glass is her dad’s passion.
