ABOUT

Welcome! Meet Janek.

The Spark of Creativity: Details Matter

My fascination with art ignited in 7th grade, sparked unexpectedly by a Mickey Mouse comic! A story featured characters called The Beagle Boys. One character, while his accomplices robbed an old lady, was tasked with painting her portrait. He meticulously included every detail – even painting his fleeing friends into the portrait, leading to their capture! When asked why, he simply said his art teacher told him to capture every detail. That seemingly small moment was a revelation for me. It taught me the power of observation and detail, and I immediately started applying it to my own drawings, particularly portraits of random girls I found on local dating site. It felt like my creativity blossomed overnight.

Discovering Glass: A Lifelong Passion

The journey into glass engraving began unexpectedly years later, around 2009, while helping my mother tile a bathroom. Finding the plain tiles uninspiring, I thought of placing images behind glass sections interspersed between them. We found some ship images, but how to frame the glass? A visitor that evening mentioned offhand that glass could be made foggy by engraving it. Intrigued, I searched online and stumbled upon the incredible work of master engraver Lesley Pyke. I was mesmerized.

That discovery led me to order my first Dremel-like tool with diamond-coated burs. The moment I felt the vibration of that bur cutting into the glass surface for the first time – how easily it marked the smooth plane – I knew. I instantly felt this was something I wanted to dedicate my life to. It hasn’t been a straight path, marked by ups and downs, but that initial feeling, that desire to create on glass, has never faded. Since that day in June 2009, I’ve created hundreds of engravings as a self-taught artist.

JoosuStudio: A Hub for Creativity

JoosuStudio (originally Joosu Graveeringud) was officially born about a year later when I received my first real commission. It’s the name that unites my primary passion – glass engraving – with my explorations into other creative mediums over the years: woodworking, pyrography, leather tooling, gypsum sculpting, preserved moss art, ostrich egg carving, photography, and even 3D modeling. Now, I’m also using AI as a tool to help visualize stories and dreams. JoosuStudio embraces it all.

The Craft: Detail, Dedication, and Unique Touches

What makes my work special? It’s the dedication to handcrafting and detail. My work has sometimes been mistaken for laser engraving, which I take as a compliment to the precision I strive for, especially in portraits and photorealistic images.

My process often involves engraving the initial outlines guided by a printed image, but then removing the guide and bringing the piece to life through freehand shading and detail work based on my own vision. I don’t just engrave; I often craft the entire piece. I cut glass sheets to size, apply my signature hand-chipped and polished edge finish (which beautifully catches the light), and construct unique layered glass bases, sometimes integrating custom LED lighting systems. From miniature 5x10cm pieces with intricate bases to large A4/A3 illuminated panels, custom glassware, wall clocks, and even sandblasted sauna doors – I love exploring the potential of glass.

Every piece is signed and dated upon completion – a mark that holds the years of experience, the struggles, the dreams, and the emotion poured into its creation. While I’m proud of the detailed work I’ve done, I feel my most symbolic and meaningful artworks, pieces with deep stories, are still ahead of me.

The Road Beckons: GreyFoxJourney

To find inspiration for those future artworks and to embrace a new chapter, I’m embarking on a life-changing adventure: the GreyFoxJourney. Starting May 1st, 2026, I plan to bikepack from Estonia across Europe towards Portugal. It’s a journey to travel, explore, meet diverse people and fellow artists, seek new opportunities, gain inspiration, and hopefully find a place in a warmer climate to establish a second studio.

It’s also a journey born from challenge. Facing difficult financial times and the potential loss of my beloved 100-year-old Estonian wooden house pushed me to dream bigger and consider a nomadic path. While I managed to save my home for now, the dream of the journey persisted and evolved.

Making this adventure even more unique is Grey Fox, an AI-generated character born on Twitter in 2023 (initially as a companion to a character supporting Ukraine fundraisers). Grey Fox now has his own platform, GreyFoxJourney, and will be my creative companion on the road, helping visualize the plans, dreams, challenges, and emotions of the trip through AI-generated images and videos, blending digital creativity with real-world experience. I plan to share this hybrid adventure through live streams, interactive games, and engaging content, aiming not only to entertain and share my experiences but also to potentially use my art and visibility to raise funds for others in need along the way.

Art and Adventure, Hand-in-Hand

JoosuStudio and GreyFoxJourney are intertwined. The art supports the journey, and the journey will undoubtedly inspire the art. My hope is to reach Portugal, perhaps start simply with a tent or a self-built mini-house on a small plot of land, and see where this path leads – maybe fulfilling the dream of a studio in the sun, creating large-scale works for galleries, hotels, or private collectors. And perhaps, one day, creating a timeless piece for a public space. But no matter where the road leads, my 100-year-old house in Estonia, a place for living and creating, will always be waiting. If fortune smiles, I hope to renovate it and build a proper studio there too.

(Consider adding a Grey Fox visual or a map graphic here)

Join Me!

Right now, I’m fully committed to preparing – learning Portuguese, planning the route, creating art to fund the gear, and testing everything out with shorter trips in Estonia.

Thank you for visiting and taking the time to read my story. I invite you to:

* Explore the Gallery: See examples of my glass engraving work. (Link)

* Follow the Journey: Keep up with GreyFoxJourney preparations and updates. (Link to blog/Patreon/Socials)

* Commission Art: Get in touch if you’d like a unique, custom piece created just for you. Supporting my art directly supports this whole adventure! (Link to Contact/Commissions)

I’m excited for what lies ahead and happy to share it with you.

Warmly,

Janek Joosu