Early Slumped Glass Works
This brooch captures a kilim motif suspended within layers of transparent glass. It reads like a compressed architectural frieze or a fragment of patterned wall. Set within a clear, softly rounded glass body is a dense, rhythmic arrangement of coloured glass elements, cobalt blue, emerald green, warm red, amber orange, white, and black, assembled into repeating, geometric motifs.
The composition feels intentionally ordered: diamond and rosette forms emerge from carefully placed coloured glass seed beads, interspersed with small circular accents that punctuate the surface like tesserae. A dark, black glass seed bead band runs along the lower edge, anchoring the brighter motifs above and giving the piece a strong visual base. Above this, lighter tones and translucent whites create contrast and breathing space, allowing the colours to glow rather than compete.
Despite the clarity of its pattern, the brooch retains the organic qualities of slumped glass. Edges soften, shapes blur slightly, and tiny bubbles and surface undulations catch the light, preventing the piece from feeling rigid or mechanical. The clear outer layer acts like a lens, magnifying some details while gently obscuring others, creating depth and movement as the brooch shifts on the body.
Overall, the piece evokes traditional kilim, mosaic, tilework, or textile borders. It suggests cultural memory, ornament, and repetition, translated into glass. It balances structure and fluidity, order and chance, turning a wearable object into a small architectural and decorative landscape.