Isabelle Pirotte

Glass engraver | Beyne-Heusay, Belgium

Centuries of glasswork preserved

Isabelle engraves on optical, fused, blown and recycled glass pieces
She keeps an endangered glass craft from Liège alive
Her skillset includes Belgian, Czech and German regional knowledge

Isabelle Pirotte preserves glass wheel engraving, an ancient craft that is rarely passed on today. “I help share this technique, which was formerly used at the Cristallerie Val-Saint-Lambert in Liège, through workshops in my studio and in the training centre in Amay, Belgium,” she says. In addition to specialising in glass during her studies in conservation and restoration, Isabelle trained with artisans in the Czech Republic, Germany and France, with the support of the King Baudouin Foundation in 2018. Today, she explores glass deeper through thermoforming, contemporary technologies and collaborations with other designers.

Interview

©Manon Goffin

©Silvia Cappellari

Why did you choose to work with glass wheel engraving?: I found my passion while researching glass models of marine invertebrates by Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka. I wanted to experiment with the different techniques used to produce glass in order to understand the material better. I was immediately drawn to the glass wheel engraving technique.
Where do you find inspiration?: I draw inspiration from nature and create shapes that are personal to me. This ancient technique of engraving requires finesse and precision, and I really like the subtlety of its results.
Who did you learn glass techniques from?: I attended the CERFAV in France and Bild-Werk Frauenau in Germany, but mostly learned my wheel engraving technique from Pavlína Čambalová. I also learned a lot from Jiří Tesař, Ursula Merker and Christian Fournié.
Is passing on this technique important to you?: At ESA Saint-Luc in Liège, I learned to care for heritage objects so they can be passed on to future generations. Working with my region's glassmaking technique lets me share ancient knowledge through practice. I also run workshops at the Centre des Métiers du Patrimoine de la Paix-Dieu in Amay, Belgium.

Isabelle Pirotte is an expert artisan: she began her career in 2017 and she started teaching in 2020