Precision jewellery of glass and steel
- Blanche makes jewellery by hand to look machine-engineered
- She is inspired by architecture, industry and technology
- She gives functional objects a second life as precious personal jewellery
Blanche Tilden was educated according to the Bauhaus model at the Australian National University and in 2023 she completed her PhD. During this time, her work was featured in a major national touring exhibition, Ripple Effect – a 25-year survey. Blanche's work is inspired by the precision engineering found in industry, which she reproduces painstakingly by hand. To enhance the value of her jewellery pieces as adornment, she sometimes introduces elements such as gold rivets. Her material of choice is glass which she works using lampworking and cold glass techniques. The glass is sometimes repurposed from older components such as camera lenses. Her necklace pieces, in particular, are constructed to produce a kinetic flow when they are manipulated by the wearer.
Interview
- Why do you like to work with glass?
- Glass is an essential material for the times we live in. Its value lies in how it manipulates light. I was particularly inspired by the Crystal Palace, which was built in 1851 using a repetitive structure of rectangular glass panels and iron girders.
- What is a highlight of your career?
- A recent memorable moment was the first time that I saw my Ripple Effect exhibition installed. I went into the hall and saw 84 necklaces in that exhibition, of which pieces dating back to 1995. I realised that I had handmade every single item in that room. I remembered where I was in my life at the time that every one of those pieces was made.
- What is something people do not know about your work?
- People do not appreciate how long it takes to make jewellery out of materials like glass. I use borosilicate glass and very hard metals like titanium and stainless steel, which are much harder to work with than the ductile gold and silver.
- Are any of the skills that you practise endangered?
- I learnt scientific glassblowing in a factory setting which is rarely found in Australia anymore. The people who taught me the skills that I have were so rigorous, exacting and demanding. Their high standards do not seem to exist any more as the university courses are closing.
Blanche Tilden is an expert artisan: she began her career in 1995
Where
Blanche Tilden
