Need an Apprentice?

[mlurth]

Hi, my name is Mitchell Lurth. I am from Cedar Rapids, Iowa. I was planning on going to Emporia State in Emporia, KS but I didn't want to come out of school being 80 thousand dollars in debt. I really want to pursue engraving and focus my life on it if I get the chance. That is why I would love to apprentice and learn from a master. I don't mind if it is in or out of the US. I would just love the chance to improve on my skills and make engraving, a passed on tradition and art. Here is some of my work so far. Remember I have only been doing this since the spring. So this is my skill after taking a few classes at GRS from Sam Alfano and Rex Peterson. Thank you to them for their wonderful classes!

 

[Tim Wells]

Keep cutting, keep posting your work, looks like you're well on your way. The only place I know of in the country that has masters/aprenticies is in Williamsburg Virginia where everything there is done the traditional way as a tourists hot spot. Everything from hammers and chisels to horseshoes and barrel hoops.

 

[BrianPowley]

Mitchell,
You're in the right place if you want to learn from Master engravers...This place is polluted with 'em.
I can't offer any advice about apprenticeships. My particular situation evolved from engraving as a hobby, then to a very part-time hobby, then a full-time hobby, then a full time business.
I can't say it was the best way to "go at it".
It sort of took on a life of its own once I was able to produce quality work.
I hope you find what you're searching for.
Your passion for this artform will drive you onward.
Buckle up and enjoy the ride.

 

[monk]

don't know of an apprentice program. but keep at it. engrave marketable items, make yourself known. continual improvement in the engraving direction you find most appealing. this is a tough "business" to develop into a full-time, pay -all-the bills operation. usually a pesky "9 t0 5" will interfere along the way. perhaps as tough as learning to engrave, is the successful marketing of your skils to the point of eliminating the "9-5" where you can do nothing but engrave for a living.
i've been at this for over 30 years and never had the courage to just "be an engraver". i've no regrets , though. this art has allowed me to be quite insane without ever appearing so when around "normals".
best of luck to you, and above all, never quit. if you quit- that is one thing you will surely regret someday.

 

[Roger Bleile]

Mitchell,

The best way to be formally trained as an gun engraver is to do it in Europe. There is a school in Belgium (l'école d'armurerie) and the Bottega Giovanelli in Gardone V.T., Italy. Here is a link to Giovanelli (scroll down, the second half is in English) http://www.giovanelliengraving.com/school.html

Cafe members Joseph and Kurt Horvath both attended Giovanelli and Kurt attended l'école d'armurerie in Liege, Belgium. There is an engraving school in Styer, Austria which Cafe member Martin Stroltz attended and is an instructor. There is also another school for gun engravers in Ferlach, Austria. My understanding is that these schools are state run and foreigners can attend with little or no tuition. Of course there are the living expenses. If I could go back in time to your age and had my heart set on being an engraver (something I knew nothing about at the time) I would have gone to one of these schools. Keep in mind these are real schools not a five day class. Also, as I understand it, air impact engraving tools are not taught. You will learn the traditional methods and learn them well, if the work of those I have mentioned is any example.

Yes, these are schools for gun engravers and I don't know if that is your direction in engraving but remember this: If you can engrave a gun you can engrave anything.

I bring this up hoping that the members I mentioned or others who have attended these schools will chime in here and give you (and us) more detailed information.

Good luck,

Roger Bleile

 

[Sam]

Hello, Mitch. Nice to hear from you.

I might add that I make a special certificate called The Golden Graver Award which is awarded to one student in each class I teach. The classmates vote on who they think should win...I just count their votes and present it to the winner. Mitch's class voted him the winner, and it was well deserved. He certainly has a passion for our art, and I believe he'll go far with it.

~Sam

 

[joseph engraver]

Mitchell,
I am considering taking an apprentice. I live in Zihuatanejo, Mexico. Contact me via e-mail.
Joseph

 

[mlurth]

thank you Sam so much! You are too kind! You have truly been the inspiration and the drive that keeps me going. thank you.

 

[Martin Strolz]

Education in engraving

Roger,

Thank you very much for recommending European, especially Austrian schools.
Education as an engraver takes four years. Living expenses would be quite high now because of the weak Dollar. Students usually live in a dormitory which is affordable. If someone likes to attend, the main problem is language- I believe. Forum member Sarah Jones-McCormick worked as a laser engraver in Germany for some time. She was taking lessons and courses to improve their German. Her knowledge of the German language is excellent now. That enables her attending an engraving school in Austria as a regular student. She visited both schools, finally decided to go to Ferlach and will start in September.

Both Austrian schools have the same curriculum, but in Ferlach engraving hunting guns has more tradition. The school has a gun making department too. Thus quite a load of hand made rifles “in the white” are waiting to be engraved by students! In Steyr we do not have this. But we offer an education for engravers which includes different traditional hand engraving techniques, chasing and repoussè work as well as technical engraving using CNC machinery. Therefore graduates have excellent chances in finding adequate jobs in their field of interest. The workshops are located in a beautiful art deco villa. I would be glad showing around any visitors who are interested, especially engravers or prospective students.

The parents of my former student and forum member Rachel Ilyashov generously donated money to the school which was used for purchasing Air powered equipment. As far as I know the school in Ferlach does not have any powered engraving tools in use.

Best wishes
Martin Strolz

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Martin has written a wonderful article about his engraving shool in Austria with some excellent photos. It'll be in the next issue of the FEGA Engraver magazine

Cheers
Andrew

 

[Tim Wells]

What a beautiful place, and pretty students too. Oh to be 20 again...

 

[Martin Strolz]

Tim,
ah, this is what you would like... The picture shows guest student Simone Dainelli. He really enjoyed to be in good company, but obviously his fellow female students sometimes gave him a hard time too.....

 

[Big-Un]

I remember Simone from the FEGA show and was he good!!! Oh, to be young enough to take that route to engraving....I would do it in a heartbeat.

 

[RT Bit and Spur]

I find it interesting. For all of you that want to be younger to go to four years of school. If you don't go to school, what will you be four years from now. Will you be a much better engraver and be able to charge a lot more money to make up for the cost.
Rod

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Hi Rod

I think it's more of a mid-life crises more than anything else!!!

Travel, adventure, chance to see the world, follow a dream, chase a shooting star, dance all around the world and all that kind of thing..............BUT............ still knowing what we know now of course!!!

The realities are that we can do it now if we really wanted to. Wave the kids/grandkids goodbye, sell the house, give up the security and grab life by the balls and squeeze as hard as you can.

The hard part is making the lifestyle adjustments that go with it and launching yourself with gay abandon into the great unknown like we all did 30-40 years ago!!!


Cheers
Andrew

 

[jlseymour]

Great to see Simone at your school, got to meet Simone at the FEGA in Reno and introduced him to Ron Smith and other Masters and everyone was impressed with the examples he brought to show his work...
He was or is a HC engraver but he tried the Lindsay's PC for the first time...
Hope to see him at Reno next year...
Jerry

 

[Peter E]

Hi Rod

I think it's more of a mid-life crises more than anything else!!!

Travel, adventure, chance to see the world, follow a dream, chase a shooting star, dance all around the world and all that kind of thing..............BUT............ still knowing what we know now of course!!!

The realities are that we can do it now if we really wanted to. Wave the kids/grandkids goodbye, sell the house, give up the security and grab life by the balls and squeeze as hard as you can.

The hard part is making the lifestyle adjustments that go with it and launching yourself with gay abandon into the great unknown like we all did 30-40 years ago!!!


Cheers
Andrew

I can identify with those sentiments. I think the thought of being young again has a lot to do with the spirituality aspect of life and not having responsibilities!

Also, the age factor definitely catches up with and determines the amount of physical activities one is capable of

Peter