The Making of Jelly Glass

The transfixing nature of glass lies in its simplicity. On each edge and surface of this organic form, its beauty is forged in experimentations of artistic expression, encouraged by its fluid and non-conforming boundaries. In SKIN Drop II, the Jelly Glass story has the most intriguing narrative and connotations for jewellery making. From the glass being hand-blown and meticulously crafted by a local Australian artisan, to the invigorating sound it sings when the glass taps against itself; such pieces reveal themselves as even more illuminating once they’re captivated by a touch to the skin.

The Jelly Glass designs are inspired by the gelatinous form of invasive sea jellies and are a homage to Australia’s most treasured underwater environment. Our local Australian artisan, Mark Eliot, who crafts our glass designs is a long time glass blower and is an imperative component in the story behind these pieces as well, even though he remarks “this simple earring (the Jelly Hoops) is one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do”.

Craftsmanship is an integral part of our brand ethos and we are proud to support local artisans in our industry. When crafting the Jelly Hoops and the Jelly Glass Chain “there’s a window of variation that works and if you go slightly too fair it loses its subtlety in form” says Mark. This duality in outcome is a confronting possibility that he faces when delicately defining how each piece will come to its final form. He details, “it’s quite an interesting area to work between asymmetry and symmetry, and things that are superficially symmetrical, but when you look closely are not at all identical”. We relish in the idea that each piece is unique to its owner, and by using glass as a material we’re able to concentrate on each moment that it takes when crafting, as with one movement the form could become a newly unexpected shape. Mark insists “it’s got a rustic quality that nonetheless is inconsistent and it's in those imperfections that the stories lie”.