Flutter Pendant

I blend jewelry making, glass cold-working, & lapidary skills to create luminous color-shifting designs. The glass technique I use is called ‘cold-working’ & is similar to lapidary (cutting gemstones) because solid glass is sculpted while at room temperature, submerging in water to keep it cool. To begin, I formulate the color by laminating several sheets of colored glass to a thicker block of optical glass. I then cut the resulting slab with a wet diamond saw & sculpt it using flat-lap wheels or a slow spinning, water-fed lathe which grinds the glass with stone wheels or carbide grit. I hand-fabricate the settings out of sterling silver or gold using jewelry making techniques including sawing, raising, forging, soldering, and stone-setting. Using a combination of traditional and experimental techniques allows me to push the boundaries of my materials in ever evolving ways. My goal is to use color, light, luminosity, & shadows to convey a feeling of depth and movement in every piece.