Making Of: Pillars Candle & Companion Dish
This sculptural double wicked candle and dish were designed in reference to motifs characteristic of Highlow Jewelry. Nodding to the use of warm white tones and glass shapes from previous collections, this candle bridges Highlow Jewelry into homewares, a first for designer Sonya Gallardo. Place this candle in the center of your dining table, or rest it as an art object on your bookshelf.
Wax is poured into the mold and creates a perfect candle every time, with clean, crisp lines.
All candles are hand-poured in Australia by You, Me and Bones.
Paper mockups of the design were made and assembled to confirm the dimensions of the candle before it goes into production.
About The Design
The idea for the shape and color of the candle was drawn from former jewelry collections. I started with tiny clay sketches, then moved onto paper, cutting and making 3D models in my dining room that were to scale. Often my boyfriend, who I now work at home with everyday, would give me feedback and ideas. I realized that this casual collaboration with my partner had given meaning to the design. The shape of two paired pillars is reminiscent of two matched individuals, glowing and connected.
After revisiting sketches from former jewelry designs, I made tiny clay models to get an instant idea of what the candle could look like.
Photo by Julie Tran.
Our first sample was this one, in a periwinkle color. I think the candle maker just used what was on-hand. It was fun to see, but we always knew we wanted the candle to be in a creamy ivory color that was more reminiscent of my earlier jewelry collections.
The Companion Dish was designed to pair with the candle, its shape complimenting the pillars. Cut from locally made glass and finished in our studio kiln.
The Companion Dish is cut from quarter inch glass using a water jet. I work with a local glass studio to manufacture it. The water jet creates perfect cuts using water, abrasives and pressure to slice through it. Always so amazed at what this machine does.
I always ask to keep the scrap glass with the intentions to use it for another project.
These are the cuts of glass from the water jet. From here they will go into the kiln.
The kiln is loaded up and set to reach 1425 degrees. This will leave the glass with a smooth and glossy finish and soft edges. The heating and slow cooling process is called annealing. Through this process, the molecules in the glass are aligned, thereby reducing residual stress and making the glass stronger.
About the Collaboration
When Julie of Aacute approached me with the idea of designing a candle, I was so excited to work with her. Knowing Julie’s curation for her shop, I knew this would be a fun project. Our web-ship started years ago on Instagram when we were both making jewelry and bonded over our processes and materials. Doing this project with Julie felt so serendipitous. Although we’ve never met in person, it flowed so effortlessly.
Photo by Tremella Botanicals.
