Denis Mann

Denis Mann is a Scottish glass artist who works mainly as a wheel engraver using both copper and diamond wheels. His pride and joy is an old lathe that once belonged to Helen Munro Turner who was his teacher and inspiration at Edinburgh College of Art. He was born in Highland Perthshire and now lives in Wick Caithness in the far north of Scotland. He has exhibited widely both in the UK and abroad. Denis is a founding director of Northlands Creative Glass, an organisation set up to foster the development of Contemporary Glass in all its forms.

The history of wheel engraving on glass goes back many centuries, back to Ancient Rome and very probably beyond.
   
Unusually it's the glass that is moved not the tool and to do that the engraver rests his/her elbows on two pads. The lathe is a very simple tool, really only a shaft with a tapered hollow end where the tools are inserted. Copper wheels need to have the mixture of oil and abrasive applied frequently.

There is, however, a beautiful "feel" about engraving with copper wheels, not unlike painting with a high quality sable brush.

Wheel engraving requires a bold approach as a diffident touch is all too apparent in the finished piece. Mrs Turner described the process as "a dancing gesture" and rhythm plays a big part in good engraving. Every touch of the engraver is recorded for ever.

Denis is proud to be the engraver of numerous "Mastermind" Trophies for both the Discovery Channel and the BBC.