Report From Kate Samules
“This joint venture with the Guild of Enamellers and the British Society of Enamellers was a rare and exciting opportunity to experience enamelling on a different scale”
I was fortunate enough to be able to take part in a unique opportunity, A Large Enamel Scale Workshop at the Vitreous glass enamel factory, A J Wells on the Isle of Wight.
I am an enamel artist who is interested in offering a message within my work, which is a response to a site, or exterior location that also signifies and suggests a juxtaposition of enamel as an art form. My work is an exploration of materials and surface decoration. I create vivid collections of experimental and resolved metal forms. I’m intrigued by the transferal of 2D mark making onto metal surfaces. Comprehensive visual research, film and photography are essential elements to the work. The development and attentive interpretations are reflected in my sketchbooks.
This was an ideal opportunity to refine, develop and extend my work. My aim was to produce a large body of work, which has the potential to be exhibited. This was an excellent opportunity to develop my practice through commercial techniques and skills.
The workshop was a group of enamellers from the BSOE and The Guild of Enamellers. Pat Johnson led the techniques and Carol Griffin organized teaching support and the event. We all had different levels of experience of working with enamels. This led to a diverse range of alternative and innovative outcomes.
We all stayed in a large house near to the Factory. I was slightly anxious about sharing a house with complete strangers for a week but everyone was friendly and everything was very organized. Everyone was focused and enthusiastic about the course.
I arrived during the weekend and I was able to gather imagery and record responses from the Isle of the Wight. It is important for me to have a visual reference and focus to work from. I produced a sketchbook and took many photos. I particularly became interested in maps and paths around the island.
On the Sunday evening we had informal presentations of our own work and also got to talk about what we wanted to experience during the week. We had a presentation from Laura Boswell, Printmaker who created a large-scale public enamel piece for Aylesbury bus station. It was really interesting to hear about her experience and have an introduction and overview of working in a factory.
Day 1: We had a tour of factory and met the staff. We were introduced to the different processes and facilities, including the screen-printing, spray booths and kilns. Everyone was very welcoming and friendly.
Pat Johnson demonstrated using the spray gun and the techniques and processes involved and we were able to produce test pieces. We had a dedicated spray booth for the group and a table each within the studio area.
A small kiln was available in our studio area enabling us to be able to test colours and the ink enamels. We were encouraged to be experimental. We set a production system in order to provide a constant firing process of drying and firing. Everyone was quite reserved and timid at the beginning and anxious to start their larger panels.
Day 2: We prepared the panels and continued to experiment and test colors. Everyone felt more confident and focused and were able to start our larger panels!
Day 3: we continued with our own work within the studio space and in the factory workshop. All the staff were very accommodating and always willing to offer advice and guidance. We were able to extend our working hours in order to prepare for the next day, enabling us to create as much work as possible! Time seemed to fly by!
Day 4: Everybody aimed to complete the majority of their panels. We all produced a diverse range of outcomes that explored a range of techniques and individual processes.
Day 5: we all finalized our work and had a mini exhibition of all our work, which was presented to all staff at the factory; it was excellent opportunity to explain work and have feedback from a commercial perspective. I left the factory at lunchtime, exhilarated from a fantastic week and also quite exhausted!
Overall it was fantastic experience. I produced a refined and marketable body of work, which will be part of an exhibition. The factory staff were very intrigued and really interested in our work. It was an excellent opportunity to meet fellow craft and industry enamellers. I experienced a commercial and wider perspective of enamelling as an industry and an art form. I was able to successfully produce large-scale professional looking final outcomes.
I would be really interested in returning to the factory to take part in future workshops.
A J Wells were very accommodating and had excellent facilities. The workshop was professionally organized and truly enjoyable experience.
www.flickr.com/photos/katiesamuels