Andrei Dzyuba

Lamp maker

©Sergei Sherbak

Lighting up a passion

Andrei believes that laziness is the only constraint for a master
He has raised three apprentices
It takes him about 20 days to make one lampshade

Andrei Dzyuba was on a legal career path that didn’t suit him, but life has a way of giving us second chances. In 2003, he found a website of a studio producing Tiffany lampshades and fell in love with the aesthetics of stained glass. Andrei felt that he could make lamps like that. It took him three years of diligent learning to reach a level of craftsmanship that enabled him to create his first lampshade. Many years later, his work travels all over the world. He makes various objects, but his speciality is Tiffany lampshades: “Turning a new lamp on gets me excited like a child!” he says. Andrei wants to preserve the cultural legacy of stained glass making.

Interview

©Sergei Sherbak

©Sergei Sherbak

Did you learn from the masters?: I am mainly self-taught, but I did a month-long apprenticeship program at Vetrate Artistiche Toscane atelier, managed by brothers Gianni and Massimo Bracciali. I learned religious stained glass techniques and glass painting there. Best spring of my life!
What is your source of inspiration?: Nature, art and the works of the masters like Louis Comfort Tiffany (after whom the Tiffany technique is named), John La Farge and René Lalique. Most Tiffany lamps are floral-themed, so I’ve collected a library of botanical books and relevant albums to get inspired by.
Do you remember the very first object you made?: I remember the second one, it was a suncatcher. I posted a photo of it online and received constructive criticism from a stranger. If I think about it, the woman who gave me feedback was actually my first teacher, and I am forever grateful to her.
Please tell us about your technique.: I work with various techniques: classic (leaded stained glass), fusing, Tiffany method and a combination of all of them. The Tiffany method is my favourite: it uses copper foil wrapping instead of cumbersome lead panels, great for working on small details.

Andrei Dzyuba is a master artisan: he began his career in 2013 and he started teaching in 2017