Lesley Pyke - Glass Engraving and Life

Greetings everyone, I have finally completed one of my busiest and most stressful years of my 28 year glass engraving career! It is evident by how quiet I have been on this blog, just managing to keep up with my Facebook pages, so apologies to those who are not on Facebook. I am still here :-)

OK so what on earth has happened since I last blogged....well my wee grandson turned 1! We were visiting my sons and my new grandson and all the family in New Zealand at this time last year, I get very sad when I think about it and so try not to too much.
I have had the usual incredible variety of commission subjects,I will show you just a few.
This is a macro photograph of the cross section through a dual tandem pipe weld of a 52" oil pipe. It would be instantly recognisable and very special to the recipient. It was not as straight forward as I had thought, but with some serious concentration I think I pulled it off as my client was delighted! Picture on the back completely drill engraved, and the lettering on the front and base front, sandblasted.
NOTE: The second picture is the actual photo of the pipe weld.

Some time back I engraved this countryside scene for a presentation. The Thick heavy Tudor Crystal is a wonderful canvas for this subject.

Often I am asked to copy a glass that is broken, usually from quite a while back, this is not always possible so I create my own version with the customers "ok." This was for the Chairman of the Prince's Trust.

It was time for the World Land Trust auction again, this time I donated this crystal block with a badger in his lair.

 I had a request for this set of whiskey glasses with a family crest, they went off to the States.

One of my customers asked fror a nick name to be engraved on a lovely cut crystal whisky glass. The name reminded me of glasses I did years ago in Africa, with a hole in them so they dribble. She laughed and asked if I could do just that, so I did. Aparently it went down a treat!!

Oh dear, the tears flowed, I did my last Darsham craft day, teaching glass engraving, I have had to cut down on a number of things I have done for years, the pressure of my work this year has been phenominal. It was a sad day for me. :-( I will create a blog page one day with all the photos I have taken over the years. I LOVE you all!!

Darsham village craft day.

 

Greek Wedding

This crystal set went off to Greece for a wedding present to the best man from the bride and groom. The scene is well known in the village where they were to be married.

 

I have been engraving perfumes again, this time for Liz Earle. 3 venues, John Lewis, Stratford, London, Liz Earle store in Duke of York Sq, Chelsea, London and then last weekend was Liz Earle store, Victoria Quarter, Leeds. They have one fragrance and it is stunning!!!!

This week, the 22nd and 23rd December, I will be engraving for BOND No:9  in Harrods, London.

I have done another little thing recently, rented a single shelf in the high street, in a cute shop called Coast and Country, Halesworth. It has given me the opportunity to have a presence in town, sort of an advertisement  and at the same time I can create little gift items that I have fun doing (like dribble glasses) which I don't make for my showroom as I don't have the same foot fall.

Well there are lots more photos but I can't share them yet for obvious reasons. I hope you all have a safe and loving Christmas. A big huge Thank You to all my customers for another excellent year!! Here's to 2012!

“We will open the book. Its pages are blank. We are going to put words on them ourselves. The book is called Opportunity and its first chapter is New Year's Day.”

 Edith Lovejoy Pierce quotes