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“I’m interested in the point where history, material and making come together.”
I am a jewellery designer-maker and lampworker based in Manchester, with over 15 years of experience in contemporary jewellery. My current practice focuses on borosilicate glass, working directly with the material in the flame. I use fine silver and 24ct gold fuming to create iridescent surfaces that shift and transform with the light.
My current collection, I Dedico: Encircling Identity, reimagines Romano-British glass bangles from the 1st and 2nd centuries AD through contemporary craft. Inspired by archaeological fragments, the work explores identity, memory and belonging, seeking resonance with the original objects rather than reproduction. Joins, seams and subtle irregularities are deliberately retained as evidence of both making and material history.
Although glass is now central to my practice, my background is in jewellery and product design, combining traditional making skills with contemporary design and technology. I am interested in the qualities that emerge when these approaches meet, particularly the balance between precision and experimentation.
Glass is a particularly rewarding material because it demands both control and responsiveness. Working directly in the flame means that variations in colour, form, pattern and surface are an inherent part of the process. I see these differences as evidence of making rather than imperfections to be eliminated, giving each piece its own character and identity. No two pieces are ever exactly the same; each carries the character of the material, the process and the maker’s hand.
My interest in craft began during my BSc in Sociology, where I became interested in Karl Marx’s ideas around the division of labour and the separation of people from the things they produce. This made me question how connected we are to the work we do. I wanted to be more directly engaged with making, understanding materials, developing practical skills and being involved in the process from beginning to end.
After graduating, I found myself looking for a new direction and travelled through Italy, particularly Florence, Rome and Venice. I became fascinated by the art, history, architecture and objects of adornment I encountered there, sparking an interest in jewellery and the possibilities of making. I went on to study an HND in 3D Design and New Technology, specialising in light metals.
After completing my HND, I began developing my own practice alongside working in a gallery. I established my independent jewellery business in 2011, and over the following years the work gained national recognition and was selected for initiatives showcasing emerging British jewellery talent.
As my practice developed, I became increasingly interested in materials and processes and wanted to explore them in greater depth. I undertook an MA in Craft, where I explored lampworking and borosilicate glass, eventually developing I Dedico.
I work primarily with borosilicate glass, chosen for its clarity, strength and durability. It has a low coefficient thermal expansion, making it highly resistant to thermal shock and well suited to the heat and manipulation involved in lampworking. Its strength and hardness makes it particularly suitable for jewellery, intended to be worn and handled.
I work with the glass directly in the flame, gradually building and shaping each piece. I use clear and coloured borosilicate glass to explore combinations of transparency, colour and depth. Fine silver and 24ct gold are introduced through fuming, where the metal is vaporised in the flame and deposited onto the surface of the glass, creating the iridescent surfaces central to my current work.
The balance between control and unpredictability is an important part of the process. Small variations in the glass, flame and making process affect the final surface and form, meaning no two pieces are ever exactly the same.
