Eva Burton

Flashera

Jewellery maker | Bilbao, Spain

Channelling life through jewellery

Eva's objects merge technical skill with emotion
She studied art restoration, artistic jewellery and stone carving
Her workshop is open for visits and activities during artistic events in Bilbao

Eva Burton's extensive training in Mexico, Argentina, Spain, Germany and Austria has shaped her multicultural, playful and hybrid jewellery practice. She brings together traditional jewellery techniques with experimental approaches, which allow metal, stone, porcelain and wood to reveal their own character. "Through jewellery, I explore the relationship between the body, emotion and matter. Each piece is born from a direct dialogue with the materials and a deep respect for manual processes,” Eva says. She completed a bachelor's degree in artistic jewellery at Escola Massana in Barcelona and earned a master's degree from the Jewellery and Gemstones department at Trier University of Applied Sciences in Idar-Oberstein, Germany. Later, she moved to Bilbao and founded Flashera, where she was able to balance jewellery making, motherhood and teaching at her own pace. “I think of jewels as small symbolic territories – poetic objects that connect technique with emotion,” Eva explains. “Jewellery accompanies the wearer by becoming a bridge between inner and outer worlds."

Interview

Did you always know you would become a craftsperson?: I used to be fascinated by makers at craft markets in my hometown, Buenos Aires. I deeply admired the connection between people and their objects. For me, craftsmanship has always been a noble title earned through years of hard work. I felt it was unattainable, but at the same time I knew it was a challenge I wanted to take on.
Why did you choose to pursue jewellery making?: My workbench is my temple: it is the place where everything makes sense. I am constantly looking for new ways to create, from both a technical and personal standpoint. I transform my experiences into materials and symbolism within my work. Jewellery is my way of channelling life, and giving it form and meaning.
What are your sources of inspiration?: I am inspired by urban art and everyday surroundings, but also by pre-Hispanic art and the Mesoamerican iconography of the Aztec, Mayan and Inca cultures. At the same time, I am fascinated by classical art, ancient Greece, Visigothic art and ancient Egypt. My work is a crossroads of times and symbols.
How do you express tradition and innovation in your work?: I incorporate elements from the iconographies that inspire me. I apply traditional techniques such as jewellery making, carving, enamelling and wax modelling with materials such as metal, stone and wood. At the same time, I introduce a visual language influenced by the present such as street art, colour and the energy of graffiti.

Eva Burton is a master artisan: she began her career in 2006 and she started teaching in 2018