Wax Carving Techniques for Jewelry Design

Elsa Tierney is a London-based jeweller, artist and author specialising in wax carving and Mitsuro Hikime techniques to create sculptural jewellery. Her fascination with wax as a creative medium has led her to author two books, Art of Wax and Mitsuro Hikime: Japanese Wax Sculpting, both of which have become valued resources for jewellers and artists exploring these techniques.

Alongside her own creative practice, Elsa teaches wax carving and Mitsuro Hikime at the Goldsmiths’ Centre and offers private one-to-one tuition in both disciplines. She has exhibited at Goldsmiths’ Fair and has received multiple awards from the Goldsmiths’ Crafts & Design Council in recognition of her craftsmanship.

With over 15 years of professional experience, Elsa has built a diverse career encompassing jewellery design and making, selling through markets, pop-ups, fairs and online platforms, promoting her work through social media, teaching both private and group workshops, and working closely with suppliers and specialist services across the jewellery industry.

Elsa's work is rooted in her background in fine art and is inspired by the artists of 1930s Paris, including Brancusi, Man Ray and Picasso, as well as the elegance of Art Deco. She also draws inspiration from the abstract bronze sculptures of Henry Moore and Barbara Hepworth, alongside African art and the ancient treasures housed in museums such as the V&A and the British Museum. She approaches each piece of jewellery as a miniature sculpture, designed not only to be worn but also appreciated as a work of art.

In addition to jewellery, Elsa applies her wax carving expertise to her fine art practice, creating wax sculptures that are cast into bronze and other metals using the traditional lost-wax casting process. Her ongoing research explores the creative possibilities of wax across both jewellery and sculpture, reflecting her commitment to pushing the boundaries of the medium.

Through her making, teaching and writing, Elsa continues to champion wax as a versatile artistic material, encouraging experimentation while sharing both traditional techniques and contemporary approaches with makers around the world.