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Though techniques and tooling may differ from piece to piece, the intensity of grueling labor and process follows the same principles. All artwork begins with a concept design. Either sketched or photographically manipulated, every design is unique and to scale.

CONCEPT DESIGN

Once the design is to satisfaction and materials delivered, the design concept is sent to print and the preparation work begins to create a stencil for carving. The same process applies to granite, marble and solid wood.

STENCILS

At this stage the intensive stencil cutting begins, and the clean edges are defined with great care and patience.

CUTTING

After the stencil has been cut, the piece is ready for carving. Whether from the front or back of the glass for varying applications and effects, carving is a labor of love with extreme discomfort. A great many safety precautions must be in place and the chamber must be well equipped, as most of the tooling required is not available on the market, many times it demands a series of custom equipment which results in a series of trial and error prototypes. The process of carving itself, is a science of harmonizing multiple rates and dynamics to achieve different demands by section. Typically carving times per piece vary from 200 to 800 hours determined by design, of difficult and hazardous conditions. Imagine glass as a case hardened liquid, highly pressurized abrasives are used to remove the initial tough surface to expose the softer interior for deep diamond tip grinding however this is not the case with granite which is consistently dense. First the depths are achieved, then details painstakingly worked across the entire plane to satisfaction without blemish or mistake. The craft is a cruel mistress, but the result speaks for itself.

FRONT CARVING

BACK CARVING

Once the art piece has been fully carved, various finishes are applied with a multitude of disciplines. When all the final touches are added, the crating for transport and shipping is engineered. Depending on the application and method of transport, pieces fully crated can weigh in from 350kgs upwards. Safety is paramount, so much has gone into a piece that peace of mind is achieved through engineering for worse case scenarios regarding frameworks, trolleys and crating.

CRATING AND SHIPPING

Carving glass on large format as a process, when seen entirely, warrants appreciation for the effort and skill involved. As a second generation glass carver, many elements and techniques within the process I have pioneered for the sake of achieving unique finishes. I hope that this page illustrates a new understanding of a rare craft.