By Rosalind Gibb

Published at 05:10, Friday, 08 May 2009

WHEN jewellery designer Deborah Hewertson-Tisdall was asked to choose an object on display at Carlisle’s Tullie House to use as a theme for a new collection of glass pieces, a Roman bowl caught her eye.

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The Staffordshire Moorland Pan dates from the period AD 122 to 138 and the inscription includes the names of four forts at the Western end of Hadrian’s Wall.

It is in the British Museum and a replica bowl is on display at Tullie House. The original will be brought to Carlisle in the summer.

Deborah, who works with dichroic fused glass, has designed a number of pieces using the bowl as inspiration, including brooches, pendants and rings and the collection is on display in the shop at Tullie House.

“I just think it’s an amazing object,” Deborah said. “I liked the lettering and the fact it has a mosaic look about it. I loved the colours, the turquoise, red and brown, and the fact that even though it is so old, it is still so vibrant.”

“There are circular symbols which reminded me of mandalas, and I liked that idea of symbols and forms being bred across different cultures.”

Deborah, who runs her business Dancing Peacock from her Carlisle home, says the design process wasn’t without its difficulties. “It was a challenge. I was using the bowl as a theme but working in a different medium – it isn’t like doing a drawing for example.”

“And working with glass is not a precise science; after the kiln the end result can be different to your original idea.

“But that is something that is central to my work: I never make something twice. I make something to fit an individual. Certain pieces will appeal to certain people depending on the colour and symbols.”

Deborah’s Dancing Peacock Spring exhibition is currently running at Talkin Tarn, until May 11.

Published by http://www.cumberlandnews.co.uk