Glenn Godden

Inspired by images of galaxies & nebulas the glass of Glenn Godden is always colourful. Handmade directly in the flame every pendant is totally 3D inside, with a lens on the front to magnify the effects inside, using scientific grade 'Pyrex' glass to ensure the best clarity & light weight.Along with striking pendants & jewellery he also produces a range of dip pens with both traditional glass nibs, & for metal nibs too. He puts pure silver & gold directly in the flame which creates wonderful metallic lusters & colours directly on the surface in a process called 'fuming,' creating patterns unique to that pen. From Australian feature films, to presentation pens for Nobel prize winners, his work is often in demand in the most surprising places. With over 15 years experience of making glass he creates a wide range of giftware, from delicate flower pendants, to punk inspired horror shot glasses, and of course his trademark space inspired jewellery.

Q&A

Artist Statement

From Australian feature films, to presentation pens for Nobel prize winners, his work is often in demand in the most surprising places. With over 15 years’ experience of flameworking he produces a wide range of giftware, from silver & gold lustre pens, delicate flower pendants, & of course his trademark space-inspired pendants.”I took up flameworking as stress relief from my day job supplying electrical & engineering parts. I used the name ‘SteamPunk Glass’ instead of my name as my bosses took a dim view of anyone with a side hustle. In 2011, I quit to melt glass full time. Since then I’ve taken my glass to some amazing & often very geeky places, getting to meet scientists, astronomers & illustrators who all provide me with further inspiration for my glass. My background in retail & b2b sales also makes me aware of what businesses need from me when they buy, I’m happy to do small test orders for shops to make buying stock less of a financial risk.”He creates real 3d effects to make tiny galaxies & nebulas locked inside solid glass, using the toughness & clarity of laboratory grade ‘Pyrex’, all individually hand-worked in a super hot flame. This tough ultra clear glass creates an ideal lens on top of each pendant to magnify the effects inside. Inspired by the mirrors on the James Webb Space Telescope he recently launched new hexagonal shaped space pendants at ‘Astrofest’ international conference for astronomers.One of his most popular gift items is his range of glass dip pens. Each has pure silver, & even gold, ‘fumed’ onto the surface to create unique patterns on the glass, which are then permanently locked under a layer of clear glass. These striking pens are available with traditional glass nibs, or very practical metal nibs which can easily be changed making them very popular with illustrators, calligraphers & artists.

What craft do you work with?

Glass lampworking (also called flameworking)

What inspires you to work with this craft?

Borosilicate glass for its clarity and unique working properties