Katharine Coleman . Glassware Engraver

Katharine Coleman originates from Sutton Coldfield outside of Birmingham.  She is a freelance glass engraver and designer and uses point, drill and copper wheel engraving to achieve the range of beautiful effects you can see in here in her work.

A couple of collaborative glass blowers create the pieces from Katharine’s design brief.  The lead crystal glass forms are overlaid with a thin skin of coloured glass prior to engraving.  After heating the glass in a kiln to remove it’s stresses, the top surface of the glass form is cut, ground and polished so that when the subsequent engravings on the outside surface are viewed, it is also possible to see inside the piece.  The refractions of the outside repeated on the inner surface, creates an illusion of one body floating inside another.

Katharine says ”  I use traditional techniques, engraving the glass surface with lathe-mounted copper, diamond and stone wheels, preferring the crispness, textures and fine finish associated with these techniques. The inspiration for my work ranges widely from natural history to the modern urban landscape.”  There’s obviously a real love of fish imagery in her work.

And I would also wonder if she’s ever been influenced by the work of M C Escher at all ?

Her fish on the vase above remind me a little of this work by Escher, or is it just all in the eyes !

For more of Katharine’s work check out her website for news about exhibitions to come under the where showing section of her site.