Artists-in-Residence: Firearms Engravers

Firearms Engraving Demonstrations

Cody Firearms Museum

August 5–9 & 12–16, 2024
8 a.m.–5 p.m.

During your visit to the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, spend some time with firearms engravers Jim Blair, Gordon Alcorn, Mary Dyk, Marianne Kelley, and Dean Philbrick, all members of the Firearms Engraving Guild of America. They will demonstrate their craft and chat with visitors near the entrance to our Cody Firearms Museum from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

Click through this slide show to see the exquisite work of these engravers:

About the artists

Jim Blair began his quest to become a hand engraver in 1978. He is a master engraver, a past vice president in the Firearms Engravers Guild of America, and a member of the American Custom Gunmakers Guild. He is recognized by the Colt Company as a Master Engraver. Although mainly self-taught, he gives credit to several engravers that have matured this craft into an art. An accomplished engraver in all aspects of the field, he prefers to work on custom guns, knives, and jewelry, but also does engraved prints and prints them on his own press.

Jim strives to make his engraving unique and in his own style, starting with the basic styles of Arabesque, English, Rose and Scroll, and Victorian or Floral. He executes scroll or game scenes in either a Bulino (fine line) style or in relief and sculptured style; he engraves animals in flat, sculptured, or inlay realistically and with great detail. His scrollwork is done extensive shading, giving a 3D effect. Jim incorporates precious metal inlays, either flush, or raised and sculptured. His fine line inlay may incorporate a leaf design.

Jim offers one-on-one instruction in his studio and teaches short courses in engraving at various schools. He often attends shows, where he educates the public in the art of engraving.

Gordon Alcorn came from a background of drawing and woodcarving, and began engraving in 2008. Mostly studying books and DVDs, Gordon is primarily self-taught and was greatly helped along with a week of study with engraver Ray Cover.

In 2014, Gordon presented his work at the Firearms Engravers Guild of America convention and attained the title of Master Engraver. He currently works from his home studio, and his back-log is about two years.

Mary Dyk dates her interest in engraving to 2005. She first started doing gun stock carving, but soon became interested in the metal engraving on guns. As a pen-and-ink artist, Mary loved the fine detail of gun engraving designs and began looking for a place to learn engraving. She found the GRS Training Center in Emporia, Kansas, which manufactures engraving tools. She found that pneumatic engraving machines made the learning process a lot faster. She started engraving jewelry (so she wouldn’t ruin a firearm). Mary has taken at least 25 week-long classes and was pleased to be able to attend three Grand Masters classes with Master Engravers Alain Lovenberg and Michael Dubber.

When Mary first started engraving, there were few women engravers, but that is changing. She is privileged to be part of the Lady SharpShooters group at GRS, in which 12 women learn from Master engravers who teach new skills and help members improve. Having recently moved to Ryegate, Montana, Mary is inspired by ranch life and looks forward to incorporating it into her work.

Marianne Kelley began her engraving journey after finding GRS at the Dallas Safari Club in 2015. She signed up for her first basic class in summer 2015. She first thought she would engrave knife bolsters and never imagined she would engrave guns. She attended a class on the “Henry Receiver” taught by Rex Pedersen at GRS in 2016, and then the “Start to Finish Firearm” class in 2017. Now retired from her full-time job as a veterinarian, she has more time to study the art of engraving.

In 2018, Marianne joined Lady SharpShooters. During her time with the group, she has studied under Rex Pederson, Diane Scalese, Layne Zuelke, Mike Dubber, and Sam Alfano. In 2019, she was nominated to participate in the Bobby Tyler Engraving Extravaganza and was chosen as one of the 10 finalists to engrave a Colt SAA. She won the competition in 2021.

Marianne has been featured in Ballistics Magazine, Guns of the Old West, and Triggered by Michael Bane on YouTube. She has written several articles for The Engraver Magazine, the GRS Learn Magazine, and a seminar at the 2024 FEGA convention. Awards include the Firearms Engraving Guild of America (FEGA) Emerging Artist Award and additional FEGA awards for engraving, publications, and participation.

She is a member of Colt Collectors Association, Firearms Engraving Guild of America, and American Custom Gunmakers Guild. She is now a Professional member of the ACGG–Engraver category, and was chosen to engrave the Colt Collectors Association Auction Gun, making her the second woman to become “Colt Collectors Association Master Engraver.”

Dean Philbrick began his engraving career fifty years ago under the direction of Master Engraver J.T. Modloff, and has been fortunate to study under five World Master Engravers through the years.

Dean has worked in many fields throughout his career, and owned a sign company for 30 years. He has served as Fire Chief and EMS Director for a small district, and worked as an Emergency Medical Technician for 28 years. He has been an instructor for Emergence Medicine, Fire Prevention, Fire Training, and Fire Equipment. Dean held a Fire Investigator Status under the Idaho State Fire Marshall’s office, and has also worked as a Reserve Deputy for the Sheriff’s Office for five years.

Dean retired from the Fire Service eight years ago and has since worked full time as a Master Firearms Engraver. He received his Master Engraver Certificate from the Firearm’s Engravers Guild of America in 2017.