During the workshop, you will learn the basics of engraving under the guidance of glass engraver Alie Winters. She has been engraving for 37 years, working on commissions for businesses and individuals.

You will start with a practice piece on a flat glass plate to get accustomed to the equipment and get a sense of your skills. Next, you will design your own drawing to be engraved on a drinking glass. You will have access to various types of engraving tools, each with a different function. Before you know it, you’ll be taking home a beautiful, self-made creation.

You will use engraving machines and receive protective gear that you must use. Participation is at your own risk, and participants must follow the safety instructions.

Engraving dates back to prehistoric times. Engraving is the predecessor of etching. Unlike etching, which uses acid to create the design, engraving involves scratching the design directly into the glass. An engraver uses a hand tool with a diamond tip.

Alie Winters from Lemsterglas engraves by hand in a traditional craft manner. She learned the trade as an apprentice to the master glassmaker Jaap Deen in Sloten and is eager to share her knowledge at the Ambacht in Beeld Festival.