Alexander Tupitsyn Pipes

In 2008, at the age of 25, Alexander Tupitsyn joined Russian master Vladimir Grechukhin and Sergey Dyomin to form the PS Studio pipe concern, often referred to by the members as "The Project." The nickname is evocative of experimentation and exploration, and that, in great part, is the aim of PS Studio. Under the guidance of Grechukhin, Alexander and Sergey began making high-quality briar whose shapes nudged against the envelope of convention, and did so with a pricing structure that was amazingly affordable.

While Alexander still works at PS Studio, continuing to advance his art under the eye of Vladimir Grechukhin (and if one sought ongoing mentorship, they could do far worse than a direct successor of the St. Petersburg School), he also received instruction from the "Master of Facets," Poul Ilsted, who visited PS Studios in the Summer of 2012. Tupitsyn is now channeling his formidable talents into briars that wear his mark.

A great deal of Danish influence is readily apparent in Tupitsyn's work; his shapes usually follow a neoclassical form and often feature the facets and fluting seen in the work of Ilsted. At the same time, on occasion, Alexander's work will show subtle hints of the proportional aesthetic of the new schools, creating intuitive and fascinating hybrids.