Rekindling outdated hobbies and pastimes has been a well-recognized theme over the previous yr when all of us have spent extra time indoors.
However a Poringland man has gone a step additional by organising a YouTube channel, The Happy Gilder, to showcase his love of abilities that actually are a dying commerce.
Paul Chamberlain, 42, describes himself as a decorative glass artist, an artwork kind which borrows closely on strategies that had been developed within the Victorian age.
He is bringing the pastime proper up-to-date by sharing the well-guarded secrets and techniques of this artwork within the hope that individuals take it up as a lockdown pastime or perhaps a profession, by releasing a brand new on-line video every week.
Paul acquired into glass artwork nearly accidentally six years in the past.
He stated: “It was 2015 and my father-in-law introduced a sand-blaster spherical and I began utilizing it and acquired some good outcomes simply pottering round. I began going into charity retailers and discovering outdated mirrors with a pleasant body and I might upcycle it.
Most of the strategies Paul makes use of date again to Victorian instances
– Credit score: Paul Chamberlain
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“I then did a one-day course to study the fundamentals of gilding and acid etching, that are abilities that will be taught as a part of a course that will value as much as £5,000 to finish.
“All the opposite strategies I do are self-taught. I’ve learnt so much to this point – the strategies I cowl are thought-about critically endangered crafts – there was just one precise professional within the nation which is the man I did the course with and some severe amateurs, which is one thing I think about myself as.”
Paul Chamberlain at work on the pastime which has developed right into a YouTube channel
– Credit score: Paul Chamberlain
Paul stated his curiosity in studying these abilities has been helped by a revived fascination in Victoriana.
“Gentrification is coming again, and I’ve ended up doing a few commissions for indicators in a barbers and a tattoo parlour.
“Most of the strategies are just about the identical because the Victorian age, comparable to acid etching which was pioneered within the 1800s. Some digital know-how has come into play which helps, although.
“The YouTube channel began as I used to be in search of extra data on the topic and outdoors of the course I could not actually discover something.
“Folks would ask how I created my artwork and I might inform them, however I assumed I’d as nicely simply put it on the market.
“The suggestions has been wonderful with hundreds of views and each single remark has been constructive. I try to reply to all of them though I’m not actually into social media.
“I choose YouTube to different kinds as a result of persons are clicking on issues they’re genuinely concerned about. I by no means thought one thing as area of interest as this might take off prefer it has so it is utterly surprising.”
Paul, who works for Neilsen Brandbank in Norwich managing a group of CGI staff and has a background in images, says he has contemplated going full time, however does not need the pastime he likes to turn into one thing he has to depend on to generate profits.
An upcycled mirror after Paul has labored his magic on it
– Credit score: Paul Chamberlain
“I am not likely in search of commissions,” he stated. “I’ve considered it as a future enterprise enterprise however I’m apprehensive it might take the enjoyable out of it and to have commissions on a regular basis could be an excessive amount of stress. I’ve all the time loved being employed and having a pastime moderately than mixing each.
“They are often fairly costly issues to make so, for instance, in the event that they had been for a birthday current, you’ll be able to’t actually make them at a present price – the silver leaf is 12ct white gold and the gold leaf is 23ct gold so it may be costly.
“Some individuals have advised me they’ve invested within the tools wanted so a couple of do appear to have taken it up as a pastime.”
For now Paul is joyful to proceed sharing his work on-line and will get actual satisfaction within the suggestions from each his movies and his stunning completed artwork.
He stated: “The group of people who find themselves doing it are superior and I’m all the time keen to assist. The worldwide group on Instagram are fantastic.
“The largest thrill for me is ending a bit and seeing individuals’s reactions. Folks all the time appear stunned when they’re completed – in a nice method.”
