Elsa Tierney - Artist-Jeweller
www.elsatierney.com
Insta @elsatierney
Stratford Workshops, 104B Burford Road, E15 2SP London, UK.
Profile
Elsa Tierney is a London-based artist-jeweller with over two decades of experience in jewellery making.
Her practice explores the relationship between contemporary art jewellery, sculpture and the body, with wax as a central sculptural medium.
She specialises in intricate wax carving, figurative modelling and the Japanese wax-sculpting technique mitsuro hikime.
Alongside her studio practice, she is an author and specialist tutor in wax carving and mitsuro hikime.
Publications
2025 — Mitsuro Hikime: Japanese Wax Sculpting, co-authored with Kumiko Kihara. Published by ArtMatter.
2023 — Art of Wax: Carving and Modelling for Jewellery and Sculpture. Published by ArtMatter.
Awards & Grants
2025 — Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation Grant Award
2025 — Goldsmiths’ Award, Lapidary & Carving category
2023 — Goldsmiths Catalyst Grant Award
2019 — Goldsmiths’ Bronze Award, 3D Modellers category
2018 — Goldsmiths’ Bronze Award, 3D Modellers category
2017 — Goldsmiths’ Award, exhibitor
2016 — Goldsmiths’ Silver Award, QVC category
2016 — Benchpeg Award, finalist
2015 — Goldsmiths’ Gold Award, Raw Pearls category
Selected Exhibitions & Artistic Projects
2026 — Box of Dreams, group exhibition, Goldsmiths’ Centre, Clerkenwell Design Week
2026 — Mitsuro Hikime: Tracing the Line – Past and Present, book launch, Goldsmiths’ Centre, London
2025 — Melee The Show, Paris Fashion Week, Paris
2024 — Vices and Virtues, Gill Wing, London
2024 — Art of Wax book launch, The Forge Space, London
2023 — Goldsmiths’ Fair, London
2022 — Goldsmiths’ Fair, London
2021 — Goldsmiths’ Fair, London
2020 — Goldsmiths’ Fair Online
2019 — SEEKD exhibitor, Goldsmiths’ Centre, London
2018 — Jewellery exhibitor, Gill Wing and JeDeCo
2017–2020 — Jewellery exhibitor, Lone Design Club
2014–2018 — Member and jewellery exhibitor, Craft Central, London
Research & Publications Development
2025 — Japanese research trip supported by the Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation
2024 — Japanese research trip supported by the Goldsmiths Catalyst Grant
Teaching & Professional Experience
2021–present — Artist-jeweller, creative studio practice, bespoke and specialist tuition.
2021–present — Wax Carving and Mitsuro Hikime Lecturer, Goldsmiths’ Centre, London
2020–present — Private wax-carving tutor, intensive one-to-one tuition
2023 — Wax Carving and Sand Casting Lecturer, West Dean, London
2020 — Collaborating artist and sculptor, KINstinct Arts
2019 — Wax-carving teacher, Aoyama Jewellery School, Japan
2017–2019 — Jewellery tutor, Made by Ore
2017 — Workshop Manager, Jewellery Studio 117
2014 — Lapidary Technician, private course with Charlotte De Syllas, Norwich
Professional Development & Specialist Training
2026 — Bronze Patination, Robert Worley Studio
2025 — Bronze Sculpture Modelling & Casting, Morley College, Henry Moore Studios
2024 — Figurative and Portrait Clay Sculpture course, Candid Arts Centre, London
2024 — Mitsuro Hikime wax sculpting Jewellery School, Japan
2024 — Lapidary course with Charlotte De Syllas, Norwich
2023 — Mitsuro Hikime wax sculpting Jewellery School, Japan
2021 — London Creative Network business course, Cockpit
2019 — Chasing and Engraving, Aoyama Jewellery School, Japan
2019 — Mould Making and Wax Modelling, Morley College
2019 — Pewter Casting, Robert Worley Studio
2018 — Bronze Sculpture Modelling & Casting, Morley College, Henry Moore Studios
2018 — Sand Casting, Made by Ore
2017 — Wax Carving and Tool Making, Russell Lownsbrough, Morley College
2017 — Hand Engravers Association Symposium with Malcolm Appleby and Angus McFadyen, Scotland
2017 — Jewellery P1 Small Business Course, London College of Fashion
2015–2017 — Member, Sidcup Lapidary Association; gemstone cutting, shaping and carving
2016 — Private jewellery workshop with Gustavo Paradiso, Vejer de la Frontera, Spain
2014 — Lapidary course with Charlotte De Syllas, Norwich
2012–2013 — Stone setting and silversmithing with Paul Ravn, London
2012 — Lapidary course with Charlotte De Syllas, London Metropolitan University
Education
2002–2005 — BA (Hons) Fine Art, London Metropolitan University
Subjects included screen printing, film, performance, life drawing and sculpture.
2000–2002 — National Diploma in Silversmithing & Allied Crafts, Sir John Cass University
Subjects included jewellery design and making, silversmithing, enamelling, engraving and chasing.
1998–2000 — Higher National Diploma (HND) in Fashion Design & Textiles, London College of Fashion
1996–1998 — National Diploma in Fashion Design & Textiles, London College of Fashion