Philip Lawson Johnston

Glass engraver | Oxford, United Kingdom

Reflections of the world on glass

Philip’s engravings are inspired by English and African wildlife and countryside
He explores heraldry, portraits of people and biblical themes
He sometimes deals with challenging heights in his engraving

Practising on jam jars and glass milk bottles, Philip Lawson Johnston learned how to engrave by hand on his own in 1971, encouraged by his brother. Since then, his engraving has come a long way, as today he holds a Royal Warrant as a glass engraver to Her Majesty the Queen in 2009 and His Majesty the King in 2024. Philip has also travelled around the world, engraving on door panels in churches in Switzerland and on large-scale windows for school chapels in Kenya. “I love the way light plays on glass. Reflections and transparency help bring the engravings alive,” he shares. Philip regularly exhibits his work in the UK, and has showcased his pieces in galleries across Washington DC, Paris, Geneva and Venice.

Interview

©John Walker & Sons

Why did you choose to pursue glass engraving?: I chose it rather by accident. I did not know what to pursue and had few qualifications. My mother suggested it after meeting an engraver. The first hurdle was to decide whether to it was a hobby or a career. Given that I have been practising it since the 1970s, I seem to have made a good choice!
How does your work process usually start?: If I am working on a commission, the subject is suggested to me. However, for exhibitions, I choose the piece and try to sense what subject would work best on it. I start by drawing the design on the glass with a felt-tip pen, which can be altered as I go.
Is your inspiration linked to a particular place or environment?: If it is a piece of my own choosing, it is invariably inspired by nature and the created world. I love creating a scene with animals or birds in their natural habitat or working in a more decorative way with floral designs.
Do you master any specific techniques?: I have developed my technique over the years through experimenting with the different effects my tools can produce on glass. Some people may not know that I use a dental drill to engrave with and work under a stream of running water!

Philip Lawson Johnston is an expert artisan: he began his career in 1971