Broken Plates: Gillian Preston

Gillian Preston is the artist and founder of Broken Plates. She works out of Pittsburgh, PA, where she creates fine art in addition to her line of glass wearables. She studied glass at the Cleveland Institute of Art under Brent Kee Young with a strong emphasis on drawing, earning her BFA in glass. As a result of these dual interests, Preston combines the intimate qualities of hand drawn imagery with contemporary and traditional glass practices to bring light and character to her ideas and narratives. Her work has been recognized In New Glass Review 29 and 31 and is currently on exhibition in boutiques and galleries internationally.

Preston’s line of glass jewelry is called Broken Plates. These glass wearables are cut from the surface of hand blown glass. The process begins in a hot glass studio. Here, layers of bold, crisp colors are applied to molten glass and blown into a flat surface (or plate). This will serve as the canvas for the final products. The pieces are either infused with hand drawn imagery or left as a raw, organic surface. Each wearable is cut by hand or with the use of a CNC waterjet. Then, they get polished and fashioned into their final form. The name “Broken Plates” is a reference to the work’s origin. The result is a highly unique line of jewelry that transcends current trends and captures the stunning qualities of hand blown glass.

This sculptural series of glass wearables is an excuse to experiment with new textures and materials. The pieces explore the more tactile experiences one might only have once deviating from a two dimensional format.  Each glasswork plays with form and light and interacts with the contours of the body. These translucent terrains use repetition to create their undulating forms while they refract the light and hug the body.