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. 

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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. 

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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!

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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!