Meet Your Maker: Fiction

Recently Lucy was lucky enough to have a chat with Tessa Blazey, the brains behind the jewellery label 'Fiction.'

SR: First up, who is Fiction? Where did the name come from? 

TB: Fiction is the name of my production range of jewellery - the name to me was evocative of anything feigned or imagined. I have always been a bit obsessed with the aesthetics of science fiction so I guess it came partly from there. The fiction series embodies faceted surfaces, haptic textures and geometric forms. The range includes a series of collections informed by diverse references such as Moorish architecture, mineral specimens and mimicry.
 

SR: Tell us a little bit about your background. How long have you been making jewellery for and what path has led you to what you do now?
 

TB: I previously practiced sculpture and interior design and was very fond of the scale of model making so the transition into jewellery seemed a natural progression. I eventually got frustrated just drawing my ideas and I wanted to enjoy process of crafting objects again with my own hands. I’m much happier working at this miniature scale. I find it a very accessible as I can imagine, design and construct everything myself from scratch. Jewellery can be so immediate and satisfying in that way.
  

SR: Do you design and create each piece independently or do you employ staff or outsource to have these pieces made?

TB: I am a sole practitioner, so I design and make each piece myself. The fiction range is designed to be quick for me to manufacture & reproduce so I do outsource the production of some of the elements. My production range is made from laser cut acrylic and cast sterling silver. These processes save me some of the labour/manufacturing time and therefore enable the prices of the work to be more accessible. 


SR: Can you give us a little bit of insight to the day-to-day operation of your business? What does a typical day involve for you?

TB: It varies depending on what is most urgent but generally I try to get working on orders at the bench as soon as possible after dealing with any urgent correspondence & invoices. I also spend a bit of time working on quotes for precious rings. I head into the city at least twice a week to deliver work, pick up castings & jewellery supplies. I am also currently teaching a jewellery elective at RMIT in the interior design department workshop on friday mornings. If I'm up to date with things the I will be lucky enough and have time to work on new pieces. I recently purchased a facetron lapidary machine (with the help of the ArtStart grant from the Australia Council) which will enable me to cut & facet raw natural stones which I'm very excited about.
 

SR: Geometry features heavily in your work. What inspires you when designing your ranges?

TB: I am inspired almost anything geometric but the thing that I continue to find most fascinating are the natural forms of mineral specimens. The structures of these minerals are extraordinarily beautiful – they often grow in very pure geometric forms that look artificial or manufactured. Many of them evoke a form of miniature architecture, like tiny buildings or fictive cities. I have recently made a 18ct white gold solitaire wedding ring with 2.63 carat raw cognac diamond (octahedral shaped crystal) from Australia's Arglye mine(see pic). 

SR: What are your future plans for Fiction?

TB: I am really looking forward to having some time to create some new pieces for the range. There are a few things in the pipeline that need to be further resolved and refined.
 

SR: What Fiction piece/s are you wearing right now?
 

TB: The sci-fi chain necklace in lilac.

Thank you Lucy,

Tessa
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Thanks Tessa! You can see Tessa's gorgeous Fiction range at Stockroom.