Exhibition reminder

 

"Georgian Dragon"

Lead crystal hand blown authentic reproduction Georgian style glass, circa 1710, large balluster. Drill engraved. Signed by the blower and myself.
This piece is presently on exhibition and for sale at The Guild of Glass Engravers National Exhibition 2012 Mon. 13 August - Sun. 7 October at The Red House Glass Cone, Stourbridge. UK.

Full exhibition : http://www.gge.org.uk/categories/20100615?

 

Lead crystal cullet, hand engraved and sandblasted. Measuring 10 x 9 x 8cm. It will be available at “The Store” Dial Glass Works Exhibition, Stewkins, Stourbridge. 24th August to 24th September.

Telephone 01384 393398 Fax 01384 376638 or by Post

 Plowden and Thompson
A Division of ET Enterprises Ltd

Dial Glasswork

Stewkins

Stourbridge

West Midlands DY8 4YN

 

Back to the main website Lesley Pyke Limited - Glass Engraving: www.glassengraving.biz

Engraved crystal bowl / Cambridge Glass Fair / the showroom grows again.

Once again it is time for the Cambridge Glass Fair, I cannot believe how fast this event comes around, but then I suppose I have been quite "busy" since the last one!! I have plans afoot, making this fair a little different to normal.

This is a large crystal bowl which I have had for some time and have been bringing out from it what has been hidden for so long. I wish to call it "Green Peace" and this will be available at the Cambridge Glass fair. Anyone wishing to purchase it or reserve it beforehand should contact me, but one way or another it will be there.
I have had a hectic weekend and Sunday was spent re organising my showroom...again! I was lucky to be able to purchase some display cabinets from a shop which had to close. There are too many shops closing and it makes me really sad. But these cabinets now are doing a fantastic job displaying beautiful crystal and glass. (The empty ones on the left I am talking about)


I also purchased a shop front cabinet from the same shop which now provides some more storage space and some of my Rock Tablet range inside the display case. It is all about the dusting! I aim to get all my glass behind glass one day !!!


Otherwise work / life is ok and I actually can't think of too much else to say about it, I have plenty of work and plenty of blank crystal staring at me waiting to be turned into something spectacular for my gallery, and of course for Cambridge Glass Fair. This is a day not to be missed, I know I am like a stuck record (for those of you who remember records) but it truely is!

For those who don't know, (as I am asked all the time), I also do very simple engraving, if you want one initial that is fine too! Here is a pretty little vase I did last week. This little vase with one name and this flower (will vary slightly) = £48.00

The Facebook engraving page seems to be a busy little place these days, it has certainly taken a load off my emails, budding engravers are making good use of the advice and are sharing their pictures more boldly now, I love it!!

Well that is it, I don't have much time, got to dash. I hope that New Years resolutions are still going strong.....hmmm, you can start again anytime you know :-)

A great engraving year ahead!

Southwold on a chilly day....

It is already the middle of January!!! Is that the annual cliche or what?! It is very chilly but I have to say I am delighted to have missed all the halabaloo of the December freeze, so this is no doubt mild in comparison (still too cold for golf though)...oh and the handicap secretary informed me that the computer decided to cut me a shot as I "overperformed" last year hahahaha so I am now off 15.6 (16) so I had better get out there soon with mittens, earmuffs etc etc to practice.

Mangawhai, New Zealand....

I am well settled back into work but of course am still looking sideways at my photos and wishing......sigh. But alas I have a lot to do here before I can think about escaping to the sunshine again,


So the next date for the diary is 27th February when it is the Cambridge Glass fair once again.
For glass enthusiasts this is the fair to attend! For the highest quality antique crystal and a diverse selection of contemporary glass with the makers/artists in attendance. A food hall, live lunchtime music, bar, special exhibition and much more.

Chilford Hall Vineyard is situated amid rolling countryside a few miles south east of the City of Cambridge with its colleges and lively arts scene.

The Cambridge Glass Fair is more than just that - it is an event which brings together around 100 exhibitors from across the U.K. and Europe.

I will be in the Contemporary hall as per usual, I must check how many fairs I have been at, this is the 17th and it happens twice a year. I was first asked to participate when it was still mainly antique glass and crystal, there was no "contemporary hall" , that was a number of years ago now. They interviewed me some years ago too, it is in the archives on the site and you can see it HERE.

OLD photo......(and I think they whitened my teeth) :-D

When I look at photos/videos of my stand it has changed considerably, both in content and display setting. CLICK HERE for a few of my old videos . I will make an effort to video this fair next fair....although still have my oldie woldie video camera....lol....hope it is still alive.

There is also a great general video of the fair taken in 2009. Watch it HERE.

Of course I am working on several pieces for this next fair, both small and large, I hope to have work for sale that will appeal to all tastes (how about a big ol' toucan on a chunky square vase just completed)....and to suit all pockets. Speaking of which I always have my mobile card payment machine with me and accept ALL MAJOR CARDS. I also have my order forms there for new orders.

I have been pushing it at the gym again, it really helps to motivate me for the rest of the day, well every second day.... my alarm is set for 5:15am in time for a quick coffee while I get ready....gym opens at 6am. I am delighted to say I can hear the birds singing when I come out afterwards, even though it is still dark, It is a lovely sound.

"alors"....(must be wishing for some Mediteranean sun....) it is Sunday evening and Real Madrid did not beat Almeria tonight, not good, what chance is there of Barcalona losing...hmmmm

My thoughts are with all the people suffering in both Brazil and Australia....

Please sleep safely and soundly.

glass engraving, exhibitions including Cambridge Glass Fair, golf......the usual...oh and registering my business as a Limited company, and grannyhood

Hi there world :-) It always feel like a Clint Eastwood "I talk to the trees" moment or Shirley Valentive talking to her kitchen wall.....but still it is a good feeling, like a diary I suppose, but not to get too carried away....hmmm, so I thank you if you have taken the time to stop in and read my blog.

All sorts has been happening and I have been putting most of it in small chunks on the Facebook engraving page which is going very well and has proved to be a very effective engraving help for those who want it ...as well as a mini blog it turns out, I notice a huge change in the number of people writing to me directly to ask for help in their work. They soon see that SO many questions are already answered there. (Details on the side panel)

"Flame of Love" which says "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine" it is a hand blown crystal disc with a splash of firey colour within the centre. The Flame Lily is hand engraved back and front and the lettering is sandblasted in a very casual style, rather like a lover's doodle, also on the back and front. This piece will be available first at the Cambridge Glass Fair. Should you wish to purchase it prior to the fair let me know, but it will be on display as sold and released to you after the event....so that leads me on to that...



The Cambridge Glass Fair will next be on Sunday 26th September......(I had better get on with my other pieces right quick!!)....at Chilford Hall Linton near Cambridge.


Well I should have put this first really as it is very important, although makes no difference to anything much really.....I have registered my business as a Limited company, Lesley Pyke Limited. This means.....well changes with the accounts and such, but I am the glass engraver and my esteemed accountant will have that headache. I just have to be nice to me or I won't get time off to play golf!!

......oh yes, nice lead...well I have been making more of an effort, like about once a week , and I successfully defended my title as "Runner up to Champion" just can't quite get those last few shots off, but I have managed that before in this country (in the last 8 and a half years) Champion twice and runner up 4 times. This year however for the first time I was the Handicap Winner (Net winner), I am very proud of that! There.... I have blown my trumpet....


So the next thing to tell you about is so so lovely, I am going to be a granny, beginning of November!! I am so excited, the only thing is they are in New Zealand, sigh, life is very tricky, but thanks to modern technology our communications are fantastic. I already have a granny brag album with 2 scans!!! It is my eldest son Shane and Sian who are having a baby, a little boy. I am surprised that with these fancy machines you can't yet have a conversation with the baby, maybe skype through a tube???...ok I had better get serious again...both my sons are doing well in New Zealand and I am immensly proud of them, and I am very excited about a pending trip over which I can barely speak about as it is just so wonderful , to see my boys, Shane (and his lovely girlfriend) who I last saw 2 years ago and my baby, Gavin, who I have not seen for 6 years!!!! Also to meet my new grandchild. sweeet!


Now for some local news... our village church St Peter's in Spexhall, is right at this moment putting on a lovely art exhibition, last day is tomorrow, bank holiday Monday. It looks wonderful, so many pieces of artwork, paintings, sketches, sculpture, sitting on all the pews and on the windowsills and any available shelf. Today there was a BBQ (although it did rain unfortunately) and some lovely old singing from a Ukulele band, very very entertaining. I have one of the windows with a small selection of engraved glass and crystal and also some of my drawings and paintings shown here. So if you are near Spexhall (Halesworth), Suffolk tomorrow, do pop in. After that I will be hanging my work on the walls of my gallery/showroom for sale....by the way, this artwork is what I do occasionally on a Sunday when football is on and when I am not working on my laptop!


This weekend marks the start of the International festival of glass and one of the events is the opening exhibition of the new Stourbridge Gallery, I have one piece in the exhibition "Tree of Life" details of which you can see on the For Sale page of my website or on the main Stourbridge Gallery website below.


Well I think that is just about it for the moment, I have a lot on the books for this week including a beautiful old building to go onto a large Tudor Crystal Goblet, loads of details on the building and there will be lettering all around the base.


So here's to a good week ahead, I hope that help comes soon to all those desperate in the Pakistan and China floods, and also those poor miners stuck so far under the ground, oh dear, my heart goes out to them and their families...hang in there guys!!


http://www.stourbridgegallery.co.uk/


http://www.cambridgeglassfair.com/