
A Tribute to Michael Fairbairn
It is with great sadness that we share the news of the death of Michael Fairbairn. Michael was elected a Life Member of the Gloucestershire Guild and was one of the most admired and respected exponents nationally of copper wheel glass engraving and a valued member of our community.
Michael Fairbairn was born in 1935 and went to school in Stourbridge. He then went on to the local Art School before gaining a place at the Royal Art College. After a pause for National Service, he graduated in 1961 with a silver medal for work of special distinction for glass engraving. He was immediately commissioned to make a piece to fit into the crook of the Bishop of Coventry, which is still used today.
However, his main specialism became copper wheel engraving, with an emphasis on wildlife themes – often producing exquisite work portraying endangered species. He gave a proportion of the sales to the World Wide Fund for Nature. His work soon became collector’s items, and Nature in Art, Twigworth, near Gloucester have several of his pieces. They held a major retrospective of his work in 2015 to celebrate 70 years of his work.
Although he hadn’t been an active member of the Guild for several years, I remember him as very welcoming to a new, younger member such as myself. He was a farmer as well as a glass engraver. Two very different sides to a wonderful artist.
Sarah Beadsmoore