Small fragments of brilliant worlds
- Isabelle designs jewellery with micro-mosaics
- Her creations are made with ancient techniques adapted for today's world
- She is self-taught in her jewellery making
Through her colourful, contemporary mosaics, Isabelle Carpentier breathes new life into the ancient technique of micro-mosaics, in which small mosaic pieces are used to make abstract images. She learned the craft on her own after coming across a book on mosaics. “I was working at a painting restoration workshop when I became fascinated by micro-mosaics,” Isabelle explains. “I could not find an artisan who could make jewellery on which I could put my mosaics. So, I enrolled in classes to make them on my own, and taught myself micro-mosaics.” Isabelle developed her own approach with different metals, glass wire and other materials. “All these techniques are vast domains, and I believe that one can never fully master them. Fortunately, this means that there is always a lot more to discover," she shares.
Interview
- What was your first creation?
- When I was just three years old, I drew a butterfly with oil pastels on a stone. I still keep it in my studio.
- How does your creative process unfold?
- If I am working on a project with a specific theme, I dream about the subject and make drawings and glass wires before embarking on the making process. If I am working on jewellery without a specific theme, I start directly with the material, colours and shapes.
- Do you only work with local materials?
- Unfortunately, this is not possible for me. For instance, the specific glass paste I use, which is crucial to my craft, is only available in Italy.
- How do you combine tradition and innovation?
- I would not personally say that I innovate, but I do use an ancient technique in my very own way. Modern technology does not play a dominant role in my process, I like to work in a traditional manner, doing everything myself from A to Z.
Isabelle Carpentier is a master artisan: she began her career in 2002 and she started teaching in 1997
Where
Isabelle Carpentier
