Erin Brann
I first discovered glass engraving by accident in 2017, just two weeks before starting nursing school. I had never even heard of glass engraving; I was actually interested in wood carving as a form of stress relief and creative outlet. I practiced wood carving with a simple knife for a few months before my husband surprised me with an electric hand-held rotary tool, similar to a Dremel. In all honesty, my first thought when I saw the tool was, "What am I supposed to do with this?" We still joke about that.
Although my sweet husband originally gave it to me for wood carving purposes (and I enjoyed using it on wood for a few months), I soon discovered that some of the bits that were included with the rotary tool kit could be used for other materials, including glass. So I collected a couple of bottles and then left them on a shelf for a few months. I wanted to try engraving glass, but I envisioned little glass shards flying everywhere and felt a little terrified! After some time, I worked up the courage to place my first scratch into a simple soda bottle. It was beautiful! (I should clarify--my skill level was not beautiful, but I loved the effect of etched glass!) I was hooked. Glass engraving became my new form of stress relief and creative outlet throughout nursing school and thereafter.
At the time that I first tried out this new hobby, I had never heard of glass engraving. But you can find anything on YouTube, right? After doing a quick search I learned that glass engraving is a real form of art, with professional artists all over the world. I learned from some of these remarkable people through YouTube and a few books I was able to find (I would recommend watching Lesley Pyke's videos; they're great!). Eventually I reached a point where I felt like watching videos and reading books about engraving was not enough; I just needed to practice. To any new glass engravers out there, here's my advice: Learn what you can from others, but know that nothing beats practice practice practice! And be patient with yourself; your skill will grow with time.
I have only been engraving glass for a few years, but I have grown so much from this experience! I continue to push myself to learn new engraving techniques and improve my skills. Five years ago I never would have imagined that glass engraving would become such a big part of my life but I am so grateful that it has! Not only has the engraving process itself brought me hours of joy and satisfaction, but I have been able to meet and work with so many wonderful people as I seek to grow this business. So to those of you who have supported me along the way--whether that be through purchases or ideas or verbal support--I want to say THANK YOU! You have helped me to gain confidence and progress on this journey in ways that would not be easy without you!
Side note to those who are curious: Engraving glass doesn't usually create flying glass shards; it just makes messy glass dust. It's less scary than I was expecting, but make sure you wear the right protective equipment!