Summary

The history of technology, mechanical devices, industrial production and the built environment continually inspire Tilden’s jewellery. Her innovative approach to glass as a material for jewellery and focus on the power of repeating elements draws on observations of the everyday and the impact of technology on contemporary life.

Tilden references the visual language of the machine made to examine the value of handmade objects in a world full of mass production.

The connection between the maker and the wearer is a highly valued aspect of making jewellery for Tilden. Her work explores the social and cultural context of jewellery, and its ongoing life as personal adornment.

Tilden’s necklaces demonstrate an understanding of the machine made world of mechanisms, chains and linking systems. Her handmade chains discuss the potential of the chain as a mechanism for understanding ourselves.

Organisation

Inspiration/Method

Glass in architecture generates a visual language of squares and rectangles. These simple elements, combined and repeated in myriad different ways are symbolic of every modern city skyline. The Empire necklace takes the basic form of the rectangle and uses this one fundamental shape to build a translucent volume in glass, evoking the glass and concrete skyscrapers of the urban environment.

The components of this necklace are drawn in CAD, waterjet cut from borosilicate glass, then lamp worked and hand finished. These glass components are then combined with soldered sterling silver parts, building a necklace.

Design Challenge

My work continues to explore aspects of contemporary life in necklaces that use glass in new and innovative ways.

The connection between the maker and the wearer is a highly valued aspect of making jewellery for me. In a time of ‘compulsive consumption’ made possible by mass production, jewellery takes on new values once a piece becomes precious to the wearer, and becomes part of their experience. My work explores the social and cultural context of jewellery, and its ongoing life as personal adornment.