My Story

My Story's: Paula Biesen-Malicki

Custom Firearms Engraver

Where do you start or what is even appropriate to say these days?  So as one of the Biesen clan maybe it is best to tell you a few of my story's...

"My Road to the Gunshop"

There were so many things and unexpected events that led me to join my Grandfather, Al Biesen, and my father, Roger Biesen, in the family business.

With a lot of inherited artistic talent, my Grandfather and Father encouraged me to consider pursuing an engraving career.  My paintings and other art work in high school had won some awards and I had the ability to draw very realistic animals but knew nothing of how to engrave metal.  

With some used equipment and helpful advise from a local master engraver, John Randall.  As well as tips from other masters such as Terry Wallace, and Robert Swartley, it was still years before I could even consider myself an engraver. My scroll work was lacking, and my animals were more like miniature sculptures than engravings.

As they say, how do you get to Carnegie Hall?  PRACTICE, and that is what I did.

Al Biesen used to say, "It's not how good you are, its how well you can cover your mistakes". My goal was to not make them in the first place, but accidents did happen. 

After more than a decade of engraving, in 2007 I finally gave up the "day" job and joined my family full-time. Over the years I studied all the engraving that I could. I learned to appreciate the realism and detail of the Italian Bulino style, the ruggedness of Germanic relief work, and the skill and precision of American engravers metal inlay work like Ron Smith.  I developed my own techniques that incorporated the aspects that I admired the most.  

My main concern was Biesen's guns were built to use.  My work needed to meet my own artistic expectations and survive the rigors of the annual hunting trip.

Some of the most elaborately engraved guns had a "French Grey" finish. The industry standard was to complete all engraving. Have the project blued and then remove the bluing on the engraved scene. The next step was to then add ink into the cuts of the engraving. Finishing with some shellac over the metal.  I had seen a few of these come into the shop with shellac flaking off of the metal, noticing the potential for rust to damage the engraving.

For this reason, I developed my own "French Grey" technique that does not use shellac or any other finish sprayed on the metal. I selectively remove the bluing and coat the scene with carnauba wax to seal the metal. It gives the animals a finish that looks similar to a pen and ink drawing, giving the animals a very lifelike quality.

My family and I enjoyed many years working together producing some of the finest firearms in the world. Below you will find some pictures of the work that I did over the many years.

Below are some pictures of Paula's work on some Biesen firearms and products

Below is Paula's work on a project for Keith Heppler.

Pictures show progression of engraving with gold inlay work.

Below is Paula's work for Mark Morris

Various other projects

"The Ending of my Engraving Career"

Al Biesen passed away in 2016 after a long struggle with dementia/alzheimers.

The year after my Grandfather passed away, I decided to take a break from engraving and give my back a rest. For some reason engraving was becoming very physically demanding for me. I would be so focused on what I was doing that I did not realize I was straining my back and neck.

In June of 2017, I sustained a traumatic brain injury. I had an adverse reaction to drugs administered at a local hospital.  This allergic reaction caused sezuires that further tore the muscles in my back along with causing a severe brain injury.  When my husband was allowed to see me, I was unable to communicate and was crying because I could not color within the lines of a coloring book. Recovery was extremely difficult, I could not drive, cook or do most basic household chores. I had severe dementia like symptoms, and kept repeating myself. It was a very frightening situation and especially hard on my husband David, who was a trooper throughout the whole ordeal.   

I am happy to say, although I do have some lasting physical injuries, I consider myself fully recovered.  I know I am diminished from the injury and no longer have the same quick wit, but most people cannot tell that I have had a TBI.  I consider myself blessed and it is only by God's grace that I am still alive and doing so well.  

Due to my injuries it continues to be extremely physically painful for me to engrave, and for that reason, I no longer take commissions.