BSOE news

EXHBITIONS @ RUTHIN GALLERY - North Wales

2011-11-20T14:32:00.000-08:00

Posted by Ruth Ball I was fortunate to be able to visit the Ruthin Gallery this weekend and must recommend the set of exhibitions currently on show. The full set of works in the enamel exhibition Surface and Substance, has travelled from the joint venues in London, Electrum and CAA, and looks spectacular in Gallery One. The equally impressive solo shows showcasing jeweller Jacqueline Mina and textile designer Ptolemy Mann in the other two inked galleries are a delight. Well worth a visit - shows close 15th of January 2012. Click here for more details http://www.ruthincraftcentre.org.uk/08artists.html
		Ptolemy Mann 19 November 2011 – 15 January 2012 Gallery 1 The words ground-breaking and weaver don’t often appear in the same sentence but both are unavoidable when talking about Ptolemy Mann. She is a dynamic artist-craftsman-designer who never stands still, who continually pushes at the boundaries of weaving with her imaginative embrace of new technology and who always thinks big. Annabel Freyberg

		Jacqueline Mina Touching Gold 19 November 2011 – 15 January 2012 Gallery 2 Jacqueline Mina is a consummately accomplished artist, continually experimenting with techniques which produce the most exquisite, textured and coloured titanium, platinum and gold jewellery. Her outstanding skill is but the means to create highly recognisable and characteristic jewellery, in an inventive and innovative language of her own. Marina Vaizey Jacqueline Mina: A touring exhibition in conjuction with The Scottish Gallery, Edinburgh, and Contemporary Applied Arts, London.

		Surface & Substance International Contemporary Enamel Jewellery 19 November 2011 – 15 January 2012 Gallery 3 Curated by Jessica Turrell, Surface & Substance showcases the work of thirty jewellers from Europe and North America whose innovative exploration of enamel challenges traditional preconceptions. Ralph Bakker Carola Bauer Jamie Bennett Stacey Bentley Adrean Bloomard Patrizia Bonati Stephen Bottomley Kathleen Browne Jessica Calderwood Helen Carnac Bettina Dittlmann Lydia Feast Susie Ganch Carolina Gimeno Christine Graf Karin Johansson Ike Jünger Kaori Juzu Jutta Klingebiel Esther Knobel Ann Little Liana Pattihis Jacqueline Ryan Isabell Schaupp Vera Siemund Marjorie Simon Silke Trekel Elizabeth Turrell Jessica Turrell Annamaria Zanella A touring exhibition in conjuction with Electrum Gallery, London and Contemporary Applied Arts, London.

Post from Ellen Goldman - The Heat is On

2011-10-24T13:19:00.000-07:00

September was a busy, but very pleasant month for John and myself. The highlight of the month was our trip to England where we attended the preview of the BSOE exhibition in the Garden Gallery of the Oxfordshire Museum at Woodstock.

For me, this was the first time that I showed some of my work in an exhibition with other members of the BSOE and I felt proud to have been able to participate in this venture.

We travelled from the Netherlands to Woodstock by ferry and car and we arrived in Woodstock after a very pleasant trip. We found the Oxfordshire Museum without any difficulties. We were early and the Garden Gallery was still closed but we were welcomed by an attendant of the Museum who invited us to visit the Museum while we were waiting for the Garden Gallery to be opened and told us that the coffeshop would open in a few minutes.

We found the atmosphere of the entry hall with the museum shop very pleasant and spent some time buying small presents for our grandchildren.

When the doors to the Garden Gallery were opened and the Preview began I could not believe my eyes: the show was beautifully arranged with a number of show cases and the gallery walls were covered with a large number of panels. The large work by Pat Johnson, opposite the entrance, immediately struck me because of its size and its beautiful colours. This work, consisting of three panels entitled ‘Exuberance’ was - - at least for me - - one of the highlights of the exhibition.

In the glass showcases jewellery and small objects were displayed. It may sound strange, but it somehow seemed as if each of the showcases was a small separate exhibition while it still remained part of the entire show.

When John and I had returned home, I mentioned this to Pat in one of my emails and she answered that Annie Appleyard had been responsible for arranging the displays in the showcases and that she (Pat) agreed that Annie had created a unique atmosphere in each of them.

I myself was most impressed by the show case which held a group of small houses, huts and sheds, made by Evangeline Long. The severe display in this case stressed the forlornless of the landscape.

I was not surprised to notice that during this preview a good number of pieces were sold. It proves that the BSOE is on the right track and I hope to see many more BSOEexhibitions in the future.

Ellen Goldman

SURFACE & SUBSTANCE - Electrum & CAA

2011-10-20T00:27:00.000-07:00

FOR MORE DETAILS AND OPENING TIMES PLEASE CLICK
http://www.electrumgallery.co.uk/exhibitions/surface-and-substance
and http://www.caa.org.uk/

There is a very good review of the exhibitions written by Isabelle Busnell on her blog.
http://thinkingthroughthings.blogspot.com/2011/10/surface-and-substance.html?spref=fb

International contemporary enamel jewellery – Curated by Jessica Turrell

Part I: 7th October to 5th November 2011 at Electrum

Part II: 14th October to 12th November at Contemporary Applied Arts

Over the last few years there has been a significant revival of interest in enamel with a number of contemporary jewellers developing new ways of working with enamel that enable them to create exciting and innovative work.

This exhibition showcases the work of thirty jewellers of international standing who, through a varied set of practices, take enamel well beyond its traditional boundaries.

The title, Surface and Substance, has been chosen to emphasize that while this is clearly an exhibition that focuses on the use of vitreous enamel – the surface – of equal importance is the ‘substance’ that underpins the work on display; the thinking and the research, which along with the obvious material knowledge and skill, is evident in the striking and individual pieces on show.

Artists on show at Electrum:
Ralph Bakker, Carola Bauer, Patrizia Bonati, Stephen Bottomley, Kathleen Browne, Lydia Feast, Karin Johansson, Jutta Klingebiel, Ann Little, Nazan Pak, Jacqueline Ryan, Marjorie Simon, Silke Trekel, Jessica Turrell

Artists on show at CAA, 14 October – 12 November 2011:
Jamie Bennett, Stacey Bentley, Jessica Calderwood, Adrean Bloomard, Helen Carnac, Bettina Dittlmann, Susie Ganch, Christine Graf, Carolina Gimeno, Ike Junger, Kaori Juzu, Esther Knoble, Liana Pattihis, Isabell Schaupp, Vera Siemund, Elizabeth Turrell, Jessica Turrell, Annamaria Zanella

You Tube Video Links - Cartier

2011-10-20T00:15:00.001-07:00

Posted by Ruth Ball

Just came across these You Tube clips from Cartier - thought I'd post them together.

The Heat is On - Photos

2011-10-12T03:00:00.000-07:00

The BOSE exhibition at Woodstock 'The Heat is On' as been very well recieved, with sales doing very well. The exhibition ends on Oct 15 and is well worth a visit. An article about the exhibition is being written by Ellen Goodman which will appear in the BSOE web site magazine.

The Oxfordshire Museum, Park Street,Woodstock,OX20 1SN

T: 01993 811456 Web: www.tomocc.org.uk Email: oxon.museum@oxfordshire.gov.uk

The Heat Is On

2011-09-06T00:47:00.000-07:00

The Oxfordshire Museum are hosting 'The Heat is On', the latest exhibition of work by members of the British Society of Enamellers.

The exhibition opens 17th September and closes 15th October 2011

Open: Tuesday - Saturday 10.00am - 5.00pm
Sunday 2.00pm - 5.00pm
Closed: Mondays
Note: The Exhibition is also closed on Tuesday 4th October

The work of over 30 BSOE members will be on display, ranging from exquisite precious jewellery to large scale steel panels.

The Oxfordshire Museum, Park Street,Woodstock,OX20 1SN
T: 01993 811456
Web: www.tomocc.org.uk
Email: oxon.museum@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Deirdre Mc Crory - Enamels at 10 Downing Street

2011-09-06T00:21:00.000-07:00

No. 10 Downing Street is now the prestigous location of an amazing new enamel piece created by Cara Murphy, and enamelled by Deirdre McCrory.

Cara was commissioned by The Silver Trust in 2008 to provide the first piece from Northern Ireland in its Downing Street Collection. Her desk set, entitled Contour, has been three years in the making and has already crossed the Irish Sea eight times to undergo various processes including hallmarking, polishing and engraving.

'I am very honoured and excited at the thought of having a piece that will be used daily by the Prime Minister,' said Murphy, who is Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths. She presented her creation to Rupert Hambro, chairman of trustees of The Silver Trust, at a reception at Hillsborough Castle on Monday, May 23. The piece is now sits on the Prime Ministers desk at No 10.

The piece uses sterling silver, Wenge wood and enamel, and was inspired by elements of the Northern Irish countryside. 'I’m inspired by nature and the landscape,' said Murphy. 'By using enamel, I’ve introduced colour and experimented extensively with shades of green to get the perfect combination.

The various shade of green were enamelled by Deirdre, who researched and tested several combinations of colours in order to complete the creation of this magnificent piece.

To see more of Cara's work visit http://www.caramurphy.com/

Deirdre has also had work purchased recently by the Ulster Museum. Picetured below is a Pepper Pot and sugar Caster which is inspired by Deirdre's drawings and prints of prickly pears.

View more of Deirdre's work here http://www.deirdremccrory.com/

Goldsmiths Fair 2011

2011-09-06T00:20:00.000-07:00

Open from11am to 7.00pm Monday to Friday, 10am to 6.00pm

With an overall focus on superlative design, craftsmanship and excellence, the Fair is a magnet for discerning collectors from both the UK and abroad. Over two weeks 160 designer showcase their stunning designs.

CHECK OUT >

Enamellers in Week One - Monday, September 26 to Sunday, October 2

Vladimir Bohm
Rachel Gogerly
Tamar De Vires Winter
Grace Girvan
Indgo Henn
Alexander Raphael

Enamellers in Week Two - Tuesday, October 4 to Sunday, October 9

Regina Aradesian
Ruth Ball
Leo De Vroomen
Rachel Emmerson
Joan MacKarell
Alexander Raphael
Fred Rich
Melissa Rigby

For full information please visit
http://www.thegoldsmiths.co.uk/exhibitions-promotions/goldsmiths%27-fair/

Student Request

2011-09-06T00:19:00.000-07:00

A message from Natalie Niedzielski niedzielski@gmx.net

Please reply directly if you can help.....

My name is Natalie, I am 26 years old and I live in the South of Germany.
Three weeks ago, I received my goldsmith degree at the State College for Glass and Jewellery in Neugablonz.
(www.berufsfachschule-neugablonz.de)

During my three years there, I took part in a one week enamel course with Nikolaus Kirchner, who is a german cloissonne-enamel artist.
Since then, I started to work and experiment myself with enamel in jewellery.
Plique-a-jour became the main part of my journeyman´s piece.

Now, I would like to deepen my experience, learn about and work more with enameling.
To enable this, I am looking for a placement or the option to work for Enamel-Artists for short, or if possible a longer term.
My aim is to help with the work and to learn thereby.

May be, some members of your society would like to have a student apprentice ?

I would be very happy, if you could find the time to answer and I am looking forward to hear from you.

Thank you,
Kind regards,
Natalie Niedzielski niedzielski@gmx.net

BRITISH SILVERWEEK 2011

2011-07-13T03:11:00.000-07:00

The British Silver Week Festival of Silver launched in The Pangolin Fine art gallery in London’s King’s Cross the week of 9-13 May 2011. Five days of themed exhibitions featured more than 100 of Britain’s finest contemporary silversmiths.

Further selected national exhibitions can be visited nationally and internationally until the end of the year - check the list below.

For information please veiw full press articles here ;
http://www.britishsilverweek.co.uk/pangolin.html
http://www.britishsilverweek.co.uk/doc/BSW_Press_Release_May_2011.pdf

and the British Silver Week Web site http://www.britishsilverweek.co.uk/index.html

Pangolin Gallery, Kings Cross, London

Images from Day 3 : ‘Decorative Silver, Engraving and Enamel’ which featured collections by 22 master-silversmiths, chasers, engravers and enamellers.

Headlining the event was the Goldsmiths’ Company & Cartier Award winning , Fred Rich.

The event was a fabulous opprtuntiy to view several pieces ranging from

his smaller cups to his magnificent vases.

Ruth Ball displayed her recent collection of small bowls and dishes which

highlight patterns in nature and focus on themes of seasonality.

Gillie Hoyte Byrom had an exquist display of enamel portraits.

The finest details and renderings of the figures were typically awesome .

Rachel Gogerly displayed a range of small works.

Particulary beautiful were her stunning dishes.

Jenny Edge's sculptural table ware had facinating appeal,

her transparent enamels being fired perfectly into anti clastic raised froms.

Alongside the enamellers on day three where silversmiths who's work was a tour de force in engraving and decorative skillls. Promenient master craftsmen such as Allan Craxford, Malcombe Appleby, and Wally Gilbert exhibited the most amazing displays, alongside some exciting yougner emerging makers. The exhibition certaily backed up Gordon Hamme's quotes in his article :

“Contemporary silversmithing is enjoying a renaissance in the UK. In the last three hundred years there have never been more talented working silversmiths in the UK. The teaching by the art colleges of traditional silversmithing skills combined with contemporarydesign ideas has produced a remarkable group of modern silversmiths. Silversmithing is the great, unsung craft. People are only now starting to appreciate the craftsmanship as works of art, which are often beautiful sculptures, many with a practical use too.At British Silver Week events there will be pieces on sale from as little as £200 to £100,000. This is the best opportunity to meet the widely diverse and enormously talented silversmiths currently working in the UK and enables people to view, buy and commission works of art from these great British makers.”

Check out further exhibition dates and details of exhibiting artist here;





De Vroomen	Belgravia	6th to 30th June	www.devroomen.co.uk
Garrard	Mayfair	19th to 23rd September	www.garrard.com
Hamilton & Inches Ltd	Edinburgh	1st to 30th July	www.hamiltonandinches.com
Hamilton & Inches Ltd (closed Mondays)	London	6th June to 2nd July	www.hamiltonandinches.com
John Higgins Contemporary Silver	Lindfield, West Sussex	18th June to 3rd July	contemporarysilver@live.com
Payne & Son (Silversmiths) Ltd	Royal Tunbridge Wells	6th to 25th June	www.payneandson.com
The Scottish Gallery	Edinburgh	2nd July to 31st July	www.scottish-gallery.co.uk
Sheffield Assay Office	(Butcher Works)	14th to 25th June	www.assayoffice.co.uk
Urban Armour Ltd	Norfolk	16th June to 23rd July	www.urbanamour.co.uk
William & Son	Mayfair	6th to 17th June	www.williamandson.com
Worldwide

Oeding Erdel in Malaysia OE@Gurney OE@KLCC	Penang Kuala Lumpur	12th to 15th August 19th to 22th August	www.oejewellery.com www.oejewellery.com

Duru Artspace Gallery	Seoul, Korea	25th October to 8th Nov	www.duruart.com

Stacey Bentley

2011-07-13T02:51:00.000-07:00

Check out this link to Stacey Bentley's recent exhibition.

http://www.scottish-gallery.co.uk/exhibitions/page/contemporary_enamel_jewellery/

Stacey Bentley

04 June 2011 - 29 June 2011

Stacey Bentley graduated from Edinburgh College of Art in 2008 with a 1st class honours degree in Jewellery and Silversmithing. It was here that she first developed a passion for enamelling as part of the jewellery making process, inspiring her to embark upon an MA in jewellery, also at ECA.

Through material experimentation, Stacey’s work explores the new possibilities that industrial liquid enamel can bring to contemporary jewellery. Her aim is to challenge the pre-conceived ideas attached to enamel by questioning technique, process and aesthetic. Stacey’s elegant yet gritty structural work is informed and inspired by the industrial city.

Stacey Bentley

Red brooch 2011 -oxidised silver, iron, enamel, stainless steel pin

Mindful of Silver - Goldsmiths Hall

2011-07-13T02:47:00.000-07:00

Last few days of Mindful of Silver at the Goldsmiths Hall.
Check out the work of Vladimir Bohm who has been selected for this prestious show.

Friday May 27 to Saturday July 16
Monday to Saturday 10.00am to 5.00pm

Admission Free

Mindful of Silver

“Mindful of Silver” is an exciting and stimulating exhibition which challenges our perceptions of the modern day silversmith and illustrates the intellectual and practical design process involved in the making of innovative, design-led contemporary silver.

Twelve stunning, yet contrasting silver vessels form the core of the exhibition, each made by a different leading British silversmith. The participating silversmiths namely Vladimir Böhm, David Clarke, Rebecca de Quin, Sarah Denny, Alistair McCallum, Grant McCaig, Hector Miller, Peter Musson, Theresa Nguyen, Michael Rowe, Toby Russell and Lucian Taylor were chosen as they embody differing philosophies and approaches to their craft and demonstrate interesting, diverse making processes.

More info here : http://www.thegoldsmiths.co.uk/exhibitions-promotions/exhibitions/

Dale Devereux Barker Exhibition

2011-07-13T02:43:00.000-07:00

16 - 28 July
"enamels and assorted friends "

CRAFTCO
40A High Street
Southwold
Suffolk IP18 6AE
01502 723 211

http://www.craftco.co.uk/index.html

Get there if you can ! check out more of Dale's fabulous enamels !

Joan MacKarell - Enamel Courses at West Dene

2011-07-05T00:32:00.000-07:00

Joan Mackarell is an enameller and maker of smallwork and jewellery. She has taught at London Metropolitan University and is a founder-member of the British Society of Enamellers.
Joan is teaching courses at West Dean College through the year from July 2011 - May 2012

Enamelled sculpture for the garden
Suitable for all • 23 – 29 July • £597 (incl all dinners)
SS22096 summer school

Work with enamel and metal on a larger scale on the theme of ‘fantastical flora and fauna for display in a garden’. The first day is spent making enamel samples developing colour, texture and pattern using non- traditional techniques. On the second day you develop complex three dimensional forms in copper sheet with Mike Savage in the Forge. After you have chosen your final design you will be able to spend time in either area as required and should complete at least one finished piece short courses.

This is a link to some pictures that were taken at last year's summer school with images of the sculpture course as well as some other courses.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/80537323@N00/sets/72157624769306838/

EnamellIng on precIous metals
Intermediate/Advanced
25 – 28 November • £281 • LW2401
11 – 14 May 2012 • £281 • LW2687
Create personal designs in coloured enamels on silver. Designed for those with some experience of working with precious metals, you will enhance your work with the expert tuition in the techniques of cloisonné, champlevé, plique-à-jour and the use of foils.

SHORT COURSES AT WEST DEAN COLLEGE
West Dean College runs an imaginative programme of inspiring short courses in art, craft, music, photography, creative writing and gardening. Courses take place in well-equipped workshops and studios and in the magnificent West Dean House, where students may stay if they book a residential option.

These courses are included in the Short Course Programme. To see the full programme, please contact the College on the details below. For the full programme and booking details please contact:

West Dean College, West Dean, Chichester,
West Sussex, PO18 0QZ
T 0844 4994408 F +44 (0)1243 811343
E short.courses@westdean.org.uk
W www.westdean.org.uk/college
THE EDWARD JAMES FOUNDATION LTD
charity reg no. 1126084

COSTS
The fees listed overleaf are the non-residential fees and include course tuition, lunch, tea and coffee and the use of all the College facilities. Accommodation fees include breakfast and dinner. Standard and Superior rooms are available on a single and double occupancy basis. See table of fees in our full programme or visit www.westdean.org.uk to download a fees table and a booking form.

Why not stay an extra night before or after your course and explore all that West Dean has to offer or bring a friend on a residential-only basis?

Course Deposits and Cancellation Protection Course Deposits from £95 (per place) or full cost of course if less than £95 Cancellation protection from £9 (per place)
If you pay in full online you will receive a 5% discount for courses.

Visit to Collect 2011 - Ruth Ball

2011-06-19T02:01:00.000-07:00

My visit Collect was a great chance to get a feel for the latest happenings in design and get an overview of current practice. There is so much to see in a show of this type it’s overwhelming, a real visual overload, but never the less a great experience. It’s a privilege to see the work of so many national and international makers in the prestigious surroundings of the Sattchi Gallery. A perfect venue to showcase the diversity of our contemporary applied arts.

It would be impossible to review every piece and get a sense of each gallery on exhibition, so here in this report I will just highlight a few of my favourites.

My local gallery, The Bluecoat Display Centre, Liverpool, had a strong presence as one of the first displays in the show. The emphasis of their presentation was on the work of makers that centred their work on a radical theme. Their represented artists looked towards contemporary political issues in all their diversity including sexual politics, animal rights, warfare and current affairs, all quite intense subject matters. The work is further profiled in a follow on show at the gallery in Liverpool in the 'Collect(ed)' exhibition at the Display Centre. Artists featured included Stephen Bird, Michael Brennand-Wood, Stephen Dixon, Emma Rodgers and Paul Scott, with much of the work shown being newly commissioned for the Collect exhibition. The ethos of the work exhibited runs in tandem with the Liverpool “City of Radicals” theme which is a varied discourse in to examining and trying to identify just what - and who - is radical at the start of the 21st Century.

This approach seems refreshing to me as I think that it’s a move away from the examination of shape, colour and minimalist forms that have been a focus of late. It’s a reminder that the content of the work, why we do it and the message, is a key factor.

For more information check out http://www.bluecoatdisplaycentre.com/exhibitions&post=419 and http://www.cityofradicals.co.uk/events/view/events/956

The Bluecoat Display Centre Stand

The next gallery to leave an impression on me was Galerie Marzee, which is the largest of the galleries in the Netherlands, and apparently according to their website the largest gallery for modern jewellery in the world. Their display was mostly contained in large anthological style cabinets with draws that could be opened by the viewer. They had a lot of work to absorb and I confess that didn’t take a lot of it in but I did enjoy the childlike experience of opening the draws of their cases to discover the work of their selected artist. I delighted in finding a collection of Ramon Puig Cuyas Brooches, items I’ve much admired from the pages of books, nice to see them for real.

They didn’t allow photographs but I recommend a visit to their website.

http://www.marzee.nl/galerie/k-l/ramon-puig-cuyas/

Steffen Dam Glass Sculpture www.joannabirdpottery.com

My favourite work of the show was not enamel but the work of the glass artist, Steffen Dam, who was represented by Joanna Bird Pottery. My fondness these stunning pieces are led mostly by the admiration of how he has portrayed his subject matter. I’m really fascinated by microscopic forms, it’s a subject I want to return to in my own work, and I love the play on science and art. Above all these pieces are also just exquisite, really jaw dropping. It is said that work is a success when it works on several levels. It has to have an emotional response; it has to be something that you care about. It should stand out and have a presence and mean something. I guess be it should also be technically competent. This work has technicality in spades, but it does not overplay the work. It’s amusing to find from the catalogue that in part the inspiration for these pieces were borne out of finding the beauty in experimentation and making mistakes, as they appear flawless. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and for me they were a certainly a sight to behold. I found them very covetable - they are on my lottery list for sure!

Helen Carnac Wall Piece – Lesley Craze Stand www.lesleycrazegallery.co.uk

Working along the list of galleries Lesley Craze was a stopping point. There I spied the work of Vladimir Bohm and Helen Carnac. Helen Carnac showed her signature bowls and had some hung enamel on steel plates. I was particularly drawn to her wall piece, which was a feat of mark making in pencil, paint and enamels, worked together in potent sheet of layered imagery. The value in the action of the work and its drawn elements are exemplary. CAA also represented Vladimir’s work. His strong blackened forms and use of red enamel I found earthy and organic. I like the raw dynamic of his recent work and I’m also pleased to note that Vladimir is also included in the next Goldsmiths Hall Exhibition “Mindful of Silver”.

Enamel Vessels - Naoki Takeyama www.yufuku.net

The work of Naoki Takeyama, profiled by The Yufuku Gallery, Tokyo was another head turner. The pieces are fairly large and elegantly rendered.

It’s a bit anal to try and work out how something is made in a show like this, but I enjoyed the simplicy of how he overcame the issue of how to deal with a joint on his larger vessel by making it a feature. Conversely, in his is crimped vessels I couldn’t work out a join and decided to think it better anyway that some things remain a mystery. ( Though, there is some technical description in Issue 81 of Craft Art International if like me you cannot help yourself and want to try and fathom the work out.)

His application of small perfectly placed foils to create the mesmerising patterns add further awe to the mastery of technique. However it is on learning the translation of the titles to the work I was brought back to the meaning and aesthetic of the pieces. They carry such names as “Devotion”, “Ephemeral” and “A Thousand Years”, thus a reminder of the dialogue within the enamel. For me the work was also a parallel in the ideal of perfection expressed in Japanese Enamel Ware, deftly joined with a key pointer to the modernity of looks akin to “Op Art” artists such as Bridget Riley.

In terms of how enamel was used there were other indicators of very innovative practice in several gallery displays.

I was captivated by the cosmos like droplets of enamel suspended in the works of Italian Jeweller Giovanni Corvaja, displayed by the Adrian Sassoon Gallery, who also had some handsome pieces by Jacqueline Ryan. The tiny particles of fired enamel in his works cling to ultra fine wires woven and inter bound in gossamer like fashion. The random placing of colours combine with the mathematical precision in the construction of the jewels. The enamel is an adjunct to the work but also very much part of it. They are not just fine jewels, but as is the case with contemporary adornment, they are sculptures in miniature. You could well imagine them working on a much larger scale.

Giovanni Corvaja - Adrian Sassoon Gallery www.adriansassoon.com

Alternatives from Rome hosted displays by two other Italian enamellers, Giovanni Sicuro and Graziano Visintin. As is Giovanni Corvaja, both artists are from the famous Pauda School, each use enamel as a surface that adds to the eloquence of their work. Their pieces are wearable conceptualised jewels in fine metals, but the enamel is employed in roughly worked technique to express a rawness in the qualities of the materials used. I particularly liked one of the pieces by Visintin who artistically married 18ct gold with blackened red opaque enamel that was textured and not smooth. It was applied directly to the surface of the metal and not fired into a recess. It seemed liberating.

Brooch - Graziano Visitin - Image scanned from Alternatives Promotional card.

http://www.alternatives.it/gallery/slide_designer/Sicuro.html

http://www.alternatives.it/gallery/slide_designer/Visintin.html

At Gallery Ra I really enjoyed the work of Bettina Speckner.

View www.galerie-ra.nl and more images here http://www.bettina-speckner.com/40983.html

The techniques listed in her photographic pieces are described as Ferrotypes or as Enamel photos, and some are noted as photo etchings in zinc. Her fine art representation of the narrative is evocative. The treasured imagery combines with collaged found elements set into the works. You are led into the pictures to try and discover meaning. They give the sense of a time past and allude to the art of memento and commemoration. I left wanting to know more about the stories behind the jewels, which reminded me again that it was important to have more than an aesthetic agenda.

Bettina Speckman – Image scanned from Gallery Ra promotional card

Gallery Lousie Smit had several pieces by Ralph Bakker. I took interest in the recent book about his collection and the neckpiece that promoted the solo show, hosted by the gallery in March. A stunning piece, which demonstrates an observation to the “white enamel paradox” * that has been witnessed in recent contemporary enamelling exhibitions.

* Ref to Isabelle Busnell Blog http://thinkingthroughthings.blogspot.com/2011/03/contemporary-enamel-paradox.html

Information about Ralph Bakker http://www.ralphbakker.nl/web/mentaliteit.php

Gallery Louise Smit website http://www.louisesmit.nl

Ralph Bakker - Neckpiece – scanned image from Gallery Louise Smit promotional card

Having mentioned opaque colour renditions and the all white phenomena, it is also good to report that richness and subtly of colour was still evident throughout the galleries, not just in enamel but also within the practice of other makers. Fine examples were represented by The Scottish Gallery and Bishopsland showing pieces of Jane Short's beautiful work.

“Court Cup” for The Goldsmiths Company - Jane Short - Image from Collect catalogue

As ever, you can see house styles and the elements of trends but I came away with the impression of a lively and diverse world. My big reward visually came at the end of the show as I discovered the Project Space area, where along the full wall of the gallery I found the vivid “Chromatic Landscape” by Lubna Choudray and Ptolemy Mann, a collaboration work hung as a large scale intuitive response to colour. The impact of this piece was just fabulous. You didn’t need to intellectualise about it all, merely just drink in the colours and admire the view. It was a great finale to a very thought-provoking day.

Ceramics by Lubna Choudry (pictured sitting on bench) and Textiles by Ptolemy Mann

www.lubnachowdhary.co.uk www.ptolemymann.com

More images from the show can be found on my flickr page for collect

Goldsmiths’ Craft and Design Council Awards

2011-03-20T05:25:00.000-07:00

Tuesday 8 March – Friday 11 March 2011
Report by Ruth Rushby

Last night on Monday 7th March Stephen Webster presented awards to the winners of these prestigious awards at Goldsmiths’ Hall in the presence of many key players in the industry.
The Goldsmiths’ Craft and Design Council was founded in 1908 it’s intention has always been to promote, encourage and celebrate excellence in jewellery, silversmithing and associated crafts. It certainly does that.

I write in haste as the exhibition of selected work submitted for the competitions and of course the work of award winners is on show only until Friday 11th March.
If you are able to visit Goldsmiths’ this week you will be able to see work spanning a broad selection of the industries craft disciplines including enamel work.

Congratulations are due to a number of society members:

Joan MacKarell received a Commendation in the Smallworkers section for her enamelled silver box pendant lid and a Silver award in the Enamellers (Senior) category for the silver and enamel box pendant.
Rachel Gogerly also gained Silver in this category for her enamel necklace
Ruth Ball received a Commendation for her enamelled silver dish.
Jane Moore was awarded a Commendation for a silver and enamel monochrome necklace in the Gold and London Assay Office Special Award.
Congratulations to all !!
Fred Rich received the prestigious Goldsmiths’ Company Award with his extraordinary and superbly enamelled “Birth of Venus” vase, a tour de force of skill, craftsmanship and imagination. This award is presented at the discretion of the Council to the piece of work judged to have achieved the highest standard of craftsmanship and design.

Dates for your diary - What’s on at Goldsmiths’ + links to London jewellery week:

Goldsmiths’ Craft and Design Council Awards
Tuesday March 8 – Friday 11 March 2011
Free exhibition
The 2000 Year Old Corieltavi Silver Bowl
May 3 – July 16 2011
Free exhibition
Mind Full of Silver
Creative explorations by 13 Silversmiths
May 26 – July 16 2011
Free exhibition
London Jewellery Week
A variety of shows and exhibitions taking place across the capital
June 6 – June 12 2011
For listing of events visit: www.londonjewelleryweek.co.uk
Goldsmiths Fair 2011
Week one: Monday September 26 - October 2
Week two: Tuesday October 4 - Sunday October 9

Many Thanks to Ruth Rushby for this posting.

FUSED

2011-02-16T15:11:00.000-08:00

Contemporary Enamel
9 March - 28th May 2011

click here for more images and information

This show curated by Melissa Rigby, the Chairman of the British Society of Enamellers, aims to challenge the pre-conceived ideas attached to enamel by questioning technique, process and aesthetic.

Artists include :
Carola Bauer, Stacey Bentley, Kirsty Brown, Helen Carnac, Bettina Dittlmann, Lydia Feast, Kirsten Haydon, Hiroki Iwata, Karin Johansson, Astrid Keller, Evangeline Long, and Kye-Yeon Son.

Please join us at the private view on Wednesday 9th March 2011 commencing 6pm.
The artist Helen Carnac will give talk about her work in the context of the exhibition.

FLOW GALLERY 1 - 5 Needham Road, London W11 2RP

http://www.flowgallery.co.uk/

info@flowgallery.co.uk

TEL : 020 7243 0782

First International Bauges-Masriera Award

2011-02-16T15:09:00.000-08:00

The members of the jury of the First International Bagues-Masriera Enamel Award, met on 12th November 2010, and awarded the Prize to Mr Ennio Piero Cestonaro from Vicenza (Italy).

An honourable mention was awarded to:
Mrs Sophie Baumgarten (Germany)

The finalists were:
Rafael Arroyo (Catalonia, Spain)
Silke Alma Klopsch (Germany)
Vera Siemund (Netherlands)
Jessica Turrell (Great Britain)

'The organisation congratulates the winner and gives thanks for the collaboration of all the enamellers that participated in it. The Award was given on December 15th and the exhibition of the selected pieces took place at the Reial Academia (Royal Academy) Catalana de Belles Arts de Sant Jordi, Passeig d'Isabel II, No. 1, 2on. pis, 08003 Barcelona, Spain from 15.12.2010 - 15.01.2011.'

Giggleswick Summer School 2011

2011-01-27T14:16:00.000-08:00

Water-based Screenprinting for the Enamelling Process

Tutors: Elizabeth Turrell and Dave Fortune
25th-29th July 2011

This summer school will help you develop your vitreous enamel work with a focus on the creative application of enamel (waterslide) transfers/decals and direct screenprinting on both steel and copper. The skills you will learn can be applied at both large-scale and small-scale.

Giggleswick is an intense, hands on Summer School, which will suit lecturers and teachers of the ceramic and enamelling fraternity. We will be using affordable, portable equipment which has been designed and built for education and home studio use. The summer school will be of great help to those who wish to set up and organise their own screenprinting area using a completely water-based system. This course is suitable for those without previous experience of working in enamel, although a practical background working within art and design is recommended.

The course will cover:
• Introduction to print techniques for enamel including historical and contemporary examples to inspire you.
• Making enamel transfers using both on-glaze and over-glaze ceramic colours.
• Direct screenprinting onto a pre-enamelled surface.
• Direct screenprinting onto copper with a water-based resist for etching.

During the course you will be given plenty of time to produce samples using the techniques demonstrated. The application and procedure of firing your finished samples will also be covered. Full technical support will be given throughout the duration of the course.

Giggleswick School:
David Knight is the Head of the Art department and for many years has kindly helped organise and hosted this summer school. See the school website www.giggleswick.org.uk . The school is nestled in the Yorkshire Dales close to Settle in the North of England amidst breathtakingly beautiful countryside. Good accommodation and food are included in the price and arrangements can be made to use the schools tennis, squash and fives courts.There is also a swimming pool in Settle. Some evening walks are usually organised, which frequently end up at a local pub. Last year was a great success and enjoyed by all.

The Tutors:

ELIZABETH TURRELL
Elizabeth Turrell is the Senior Research Fellow in Enamel at the Centre for Fine Print Research. She runs the enamel research programme and large-scale enamel facility. She is currently creating an international contemporary vitreous enamel archive and is involved in a series of public commissions in enamel. One of her long-term commitments has been to promote and raise the profile of vitreous enamel and to make enamel a more established area of the visual arts by exploring its creative potential on metal. Elizabeth exhibits nationally and internationally and in addition she has taught widely, both in the UK and overseas.

DAVE FORTUNE
Dave Fortune has worked at UWE for many years managing the water-based screenprinting department at The School of Creative Arts in Bristol. In 1989 Dave spent time at the University of Berlin researching water-based screenprinting. On returning to the University of the West of England he proceeded to set up and run a completely solvent-free screenprinting area. His involvement in the story of water-based ink development and water-based ceramic decal development at UWE, Bristol was invaluable. His enthusiasm during those early days of the changeover from oil-based to water-based inks to his present commitment to disseminating the information to schools, colleges and universities is boundless. He also regularly organises and runs workshops, seminars and summer schools in the UK and internationally. Dave has recently returned from Australia where he lectured at the National Art School in Sydney and Griffith University in Brisbane. Giggleswick Summer School has become very popular in the UK and internationally, so book early.

Dates: 25th-29th July 2011
Time: Each day runs from 09.30-16.30 with some later access.
Price: £650.00 inclusive of food and accommodation.

Booking: To book a place or for more information please contact
Dave Fortune / T: 07973 776 019 E: fortune.eden@virgin.net

The British Society Of Enamellers New Graduate Award

2011-01-27T13:49:00.001-08:00

This award commenced in 2010 and is to be awarded annually.

The winner in each year will receive £250 for the purchase of enamelling equipment, have three pages to showcase their work on the BSOE website gallery for 18 months and a feature article of their work on our online magazine.
In addition the winner has membership of the BSOE for 18 months with the opportunity to exhibit in our exhibitions and take part in all events and workshops and 18 months membership of our online community site.

The BSOE selection committee is very pleased to announce that the winner of the New Graduate Award 2010 was Debra Townend. She graduated from the University of Hertfordshire with a BA Honours degree in Applied Arts specializing in jewellery. She took part in New Designers 2010 and recently exhibited in the Kath Libbert Gallery, Saltaire.

Debra first encountered enamel when she attended an evening jewellery course during her second year at university. Although the course only touched on enamelling it was enough to inspire her and for her to realize the creative possibilities enamel could have in her work.

The next opportunity was not until the second semester of her final year when she was able to experiment with torch firing. “It was inspiring being able to make marks on metal. I tried everything I could, scraffito, stenciling, stamping, washes, rubbing back and so on but it was also frustrating. I needed more skills.”

Winning the award will not only enable Debra to buy a kiln and develop her technical skills but as a member of the BSOE and of the online community site with its forum, blogs, articles, technical tips, events and links to publications and organizations, she hopes she can benefit from this association with other artists. She is looking forward to the exchange of information and ideas.

Application forms for 2011 will be available in the spring.
www.enamellers.org
www.webjam.com/bsoecommunity

Hilary Bolton Award secretary

Rebecca Gouldson - Buy Black Coutry

2011-01-27T13:36:00.000-08:00

Congratulations to Rebecca Gouldson for successfully completing her recent commission.

PRESS RELEASE - BLACK COUNTRY’S INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE CELEBRATED IN NEW RANGE

Made famous by Queen Victoria who asked for the blinds to her carriage to be shut on her way through the area, The Black County is a place synonymous with Britain’s industrial age. However within the pollution and darkness, master craftsmen and women were creating many objects of desire including the famous Bilston enamels which were sought after across the world.

Celebrating the Black Country as a centre for craft and design is a new handmade range of products. Launched in November, Buy Black Country comprises of five unique products, designed and made by some of the UKs most influential designer-makers.
The designers have each taken inspiration from the historic collections within the Black Country’s many museums and art galleries. The result is a range of limited edition items which capture the history of the area and the breadth of traditional industry associated with the Black Country.
The first release from the range includes two elegant timber candlesticks which incorporate leather layers reclaimed from Walsall’s saddleries and leather workshops. Designer Sarah Thirlwell usually produces vessels and jewellery which incorporate recycled and reclaimed materials such as yoghurt pots and vending cups. Thirlwell then creates blocks of materials which are turned in the same way as wood using a traditional craft in a contemporary way.

Designer Rebecca Gouldson is usually known for creating richly decorated metal wall-pieces, which incorporate etching techniques. For the Buy Black Country range Gouldson has produced two enamel and copper brooches in collaboration with the Black Country enamel workshop. Inspired by the renowned enamel collection at Bilston Craft Gallery, the design uses an OS Map of Bilston as its design reference, creating an abstract pattern with recognisable street names delicately etched onto the facia.

Internationally recognised and known for his one-off pieces of acrylic jewellery, Adam Paxon was inspired by the world-class glass collection at Broadfield Glass Museum, Paxon has made a striking pin brooch which teases out the hidden qualities in the material by emphasising the ability of acrylic to act as a receptacle for light. Made from layers of acrylic, the pin is shaped and polished to look like glass, attaching to its wearer with an innovative spiral coil which makes the pin stand to attention.

Corinne Miller, Head of Arts & Heritage, Wolverhampton said "Buy Black Country is a unique range which celebrates the rich heritage of the area. We are delighted to have commissioned a number of high profile UK designers, all have been greatly inspired by the collections we house in the area’s museums."

"Our collections reference the industry and materials which the Black Country is associated with, including glass, leather and enamelling. Buy Black Country offers Black Country people and those with a proud connection to the area a chance to own and cherish a contemporary token of its history."

The first release of items will be on sale from 5 November, followed by a further two commissions in spring 2011. But Black Country is available from Wolverhampton Art Gallery; Bilston Craft Gallery; Walsall Leather Museum; the Black Country Living Museum and Broadfield Glass Museum and online at http://www.culturelabel.org/

" Chained " Liana Pattihis Art Jewellery Book

2010-11-27T10:35:00.000-08:00

Liana has published a book to accompany her exhibition that took place recently in London.

DESCRIPTION:
Title: Liana Pattihis -Alysodeméno (Chained)
Liana Pattihis Art Jewellery 2010
Technical data: Softcover+ flaps, 21cm x 15cm (A5 size), 80 pages
full colour images.
ISBN 978-1-4507-3419-6
Price £14 plus p&p
To order the book please email Liana lianapattihis@aol.com

Some images from the exhibition...

View more of Liana's work on the following links:

www.lianapattihis.com

http://www.klimt02.net/jewellers/index.php?item_id=8555

http://www.whoswhoingoldandsilver.com/search/portfolio.asp?did=365

Goldsmiths Craft & Design Awards 2011

2010-10-29T12:07:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year again and the entry forms are now available for the Craft & Design Awards for 2011.

The awards are part of the Goldsmiths' Craft & Design Council's programme to promote excellence amongst all engaged in the Trade. Anyone in the United Kingdom involved in silversmithing, jewellery and the allied crafts may enter.

Printed entry forms for the 2011 competition are available for collection from
The Assay Office, Goldsmiths’ Hall, Gutter Lane, London, EC2V 8AQ.
Tel: 020 7606 7010 other Assay Offices,
or by contacting Brian Marshall (GC&DC Secretary) on 01895 420052
or by email.

Also keep checking the craft & design council website as they get published there too. From this site you can also view the winning entries from 2010.

The Goldsmiths’ Craft and Design Council was founded in 1908 and today it still carries forward its original remit to encourage, stimulate and promote the pursuit of excellence in craftsmanship and design amongst all those in the United Kingdom engaged in Silversmithing, Goldsmithing, Jewellery and the Allied Crafts.

Guild of Enamellers - Student Bursary 2011

2010-10-29T10:54:00.000-07:00

Message from Gillie Hoyte Byrom
Photography by Ross Hill

The Guild of Enamellers is delighted to announce the winner of their annual Bursary Award for 2011 to Victoria Lemon who graduated this year from The Glasgow School of Art, where she gained a first class BA Honours Degree in Design, specialising in Silversmithing and Jewellery.

Victoria has already won several awards for her enamel designs and a Precious Metal Bursary from The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths. She has been exhibiting her work in Glasgow, London and West Sussex over the past four years and took part in a student exchange to The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in 2008. It was during the semester she spent in Australia that Victoria was taught the basic knowledge and skills of enamelling by Kirsten Haydon.

“Her classes sparked my love for the experimental and creative possibilities that enamelling allows.” says Victoria. “I use vitreous enamel to create the desired decayed aesthetic which I build up through stencilling and layering using the theme of typography”.

Victoria describes the feeling of excitement and anticipation, (which many of us share) while waiting for a piece to cool down after firing and her application listed ways in which she thought the Guild could have a positive influence on her work. We hope that an association with the Guild will broaden the way this talented designer uses enamel help develop technical confidence with vitreous enamel.
The Guild is deeply grateful to joint sponsors - Craft&Design Magazine and W G Ball Ltd for continuing to fund the Bursary Award and we look forward to introducing Victoria Lemon at the 2011 Spring Conference where she will have the opportunity to exhibit her enamel jewellery; assist a workshop tutor; attend lectures and the master class. In addition to a free place at the popular annual conference, Victoria will immediately benefit from free membership of the Guild for the next three years and will have the opportunity to join any of the workshops in her region and around the UK in the course of those years. A programme of events and interesting contributions from enamellers are regularly advertised and reviewed in the Guild’s quarterly journal.

Runners-up, Jessica Howarth from Dundee and Jeanette Ward from Plymouth, have been awarded free membership of the Guild of Enamellers for the next three years. They have also been encouraged to attend the annual conference and to reapply for the 2012 Bursary after graduating from their degree courses next Summer.

All those who were disappointed not to win the Bursary should not lose heart but continue their personal journey with enamelling and possibly consider joining the Guild of Enamellers in the coming year for a membership fee of £20. See www.guildofenamellers.org

Bursary application forms are available from next Spring for the 2012 Award and the closing date is 30th September. We look forward to hearing from you.

Gillie Hoyte Byrom
Bursary Secretary

In Memory of Allan Heywood

2010-10-29T10:45:00.000-07:00

Message via Sharon Scalise USA.

It is with Great Sadness that I send out this news .........

The enameling world has recently suffered the loss of one of its finest craftsmen. Allan B. Heywood Australian enameller, musician, writer, webmaster, Masters Tri-athlete, and resident of Skipton, Victoria, Australia passed away Tuesday 28th September 2010.

Allan is survived by his two children Katherine and Chris. Allan was laid to rest in a characteristically practical, unique, and eco-minded way on October 4th 2010 in Camperdown in Western Victoria, Australia. (Link: Victorian man has first ever upright eco burial at vertical cemetery:

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/victorian-man-has-first-ever-upright-eco-burial-at-vertical-cemetery/story-e6frf7l6-1225934150299 )

Allan Heywood’s work his been included in such Exhibitions as the International Exhibition of Enamelling Art, Tokyo JAPAN; International Exhibition of Miniature Art, Toronto CANADA; Guild of Craft Enamellers ENGLAND; Pacific Enamelling Symposium USA; "Focus on Fire" USA; "Kunstverein Coburg" Germany; And numerous Australian exhibitions including the Alice Craft Award, C.C.N.T., National Enamel Exhibition, Sydney; National Craft Acquisition Award, C.C.N.T, Wildlife Art Society of Australasia; and the Australian Society of Miniature Art Among others.

Mr. Heywood has been the recipient of many Awards, including GRAND PRIZE WINNER, Sixth International Exhibition of Miniature Art; 2nd Prize Third International Exhibition of Miniature Art Toronto Canada; Joint Winner P. H. Wolfe Cloisonné Cup Guild of Craft Enamellers England; Winner of the Chairman's Rose Bowl for the Outstanding Exhibit Guild of Craft Enamellers England; 1st prize, open enamelling Special Prize; best metalwork exhibit Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria, Australia; Inaugural C.A.S.C.A.W.P. award for cultural achievement in the visual arts Shire of Hampden Australia; 1st prize decorated metalwork, enamel Ian McIntyre Memorial Award Australian Natives Association Award.

Several of Allan Heywood’s works reside in the collection of the Museums & Art Galleries of the Northern Territory including "Waratah Plate” Alice Craft Acquisition, and "The Miraculous Ascension of Clianthus Formosus" National Craft Acquisition Award, Darwin. And additional works reside in collections in Australia, Bulgaria, West Germany, Spain, France, Italy, England, The Netherlands, Scotland, South Africa, the U.S.A., Japan, Israel and Canada.

Allan B. Heywood was born in 1946 in Melbourne Australia, and he lived for over 20 years in Skipton Victoria, Australia. A full-time enameller he worked chiefly in cloisonné and related techniques, and the repair and restoration of enamelled items, many pieces antique, and historic, many of which has been jewellery.

As a teenager Allan Heywood worked for a small firm of stainless-steel fabricators in Moreland, Victoria, where he learned to work with metal, at collage Allan Studied Applied Chemistry. Allan served with the Royal Australian Engineers in South Vietnam in 1967-68. He also worked in Ford's Melbourne car assembly plant in the Manufacturing Engineering department in process control with respect to paints, sealers, adhesives, abrasives and other non-metallic materials. After 7 years with Ford he left to attend the Australian College of Entertainers. He was also pub-singer/guitarist, musician and a professional entertainer for many years.

Allan said that he came to enamelling by chance, “Some twenty-eight years ago I happened to see a commercial exhibition of Chinese enamels - pieces of all shapes, sizes and colours, mainly cloisonné and plique-a-jour. Part of the display was a small `how-to' vase set showing five major steps in making a Chinese-style cloisonné vase. I was hooked and set out with a naive blend of arrogance and ignorance to make cloisonné and there have been few days since in which enamel hasn't played some part.”
Information selected from Full History Allan Heywood Webpage – History: http://heywoodenamels.com/main/enamel_history.html

Allan Heywood has had a profound influence in the world of enameling through his exceptional original enamel works and his impeccable antique restoration work, as well as by authoring several comprehensive articles on enamelling techniques. As the creator and webmaster of one of the most informative websites about the art of enamelling on the World Wide Web he amassed a wealth of enameling and metal information. Allan helped to connect enamellers the world over by showcasing the works of the many great craftsmen in the field. The eNAMEL Online Newsletter is an online resource, which Allan wrote and produced from July 2001 thru February 2004. It is still available today along with the wonderful “eNAMEL Gallery” and “Useful Stuff”
(Links: eNAMEL Online Newsletter: http://enews.heywoodenamels.com/ - eNAMEL Gallery: http://gallery.heywoodenamels.com/
- Useful Stuff: http://enews.heywoodenamels.com/common/eNAMEL_useful_stuff_01.html )

Allan was very active on several online forums and frequently shared a generous amount of expert information with forum members on enamelling, metalsmithing and the chemicals used in those processes. Besides being an enameller and former musician Allan was also a Masters tri-athlete who enjoyed a level of fitness which defied his years. He claimed a podium finish in the Olympic distance triathlon at the world Masters championship in Geelong 2008-9.
(LINK: Allan Heywood Triathlete: http://www.ballarattriclub.com/ )

In the eNAMEL Online Newsletter Allan Heywood once wrote of expert enamelist (David C. Freda):
“We in the West generally fail to recognise our major artists in any useful sense while they are alive. In a more culturally-developed society David C. Freda would be classed as a "Living National Treasure" and treated accordingly - as would several other individuals who've featured previously in these pages. “Allan Heywood

I would offer that Allan Heywood is himself worthy of the sort of recognition he suggested for other exceptional enamelists who make consistent contributions. “National Treasure” would be a most fitting description for Allan considering his vast contribution to the field of enameling during his MANY years making exceptional original enamel work, and for his expertise in antique enamel repair. As well as for his generous sharing of enameling techniques, and for showcasing the works of so many artisans in field of metalsmithing and enameling on the World Wide Web. Allan Heywood is ONE OF A KIND – And He IS Sorely Missed!
Sharon Scalise

Links:
Victorian man has first ever upright eco burial at vertical cemetery: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/national/victorian-man-has-first-ever-upright-eco-burial-at-vertical-cemetery/story-e6frf7l6-1225934150299

Triathlete:
http://www.ballarattriclub.com/

Grains Of Glass (website) has added a notification and remembrance for Allan Heywood on their main page: http://grainsofglass.ning.com/

Allan Heywood History – About:
http://heywoodenamels.com/main/enamel_history.html

Allan Heywood - Awards and Honors:
http://heywoodenamels.com/main/enamel_awards_prizes.html

Allan Heywood - Exhibitions:
http://heywoodenamels.com/main/enamel_exhibitions_shows.html

eNAMEL Online Newsletter: http://enews.heywoodenamels.com/

Penny Davis - Evening Class

2010-09-06T03:35:00.000-07:00

Start Date	October 6th 2010
Duration	10 Weeks, on Wednesdays, 5.30-8.30pm
Tutor	Penny Davis
Fees	£190
Room No	CE520

During the course you can experiment with many of the traditional and non-traditional techniques of enamelling in order to add colour to jewellery, small work or panels.

Some of the areas covered will include champlevé, cloisonné, basse taille, use of foils, scrafitto, wet packing, sifting, and liquid enamels.

Tuition will be in groups and on an individual basis.
Suitable for beginners as well as those with some experience.

Please view more information and booking details here.

Goldsmiths Fair

2010-09-06T02:38:00.000-07:00

At The Goldsmiths' Hall, London EC2
Week One: Monday, September 27 to Sunday, October 3
Week Two: Tuesday, October 5 to Sunday, October 10
90 exhibitors each week - closed Monday, October 4 for change-over
Monday to Friday 11am to 7pm (last admissions 6.30pm)
Saturday and Sunday 10am to 6pm (last admissions 5.30pm)
Admission: By catalogue purchasable on the door (£7 for one week, £12 for two weeks)
Café open daily for sandwiches, salads and hot meals, champagne, wines, tea, coffee and soft drinks
www.thegoldsmiths.co.uk

With its irresistible array of fabulous designer jewellery and unerringly stylish silverware, Goldsmiths’ Fair stands alone as the largest and most inspirational selling event of its kind in Europe. The 160 designer-makers who exhibit at the Fair represent the cream of British talent, with established doyens of the trade and the most exciting breakthrough talent exhibiting their work side by side. The fact that each of the designers attends in person heightens the appeal of the Fair, as buying or commissioning a piece directly from the maker, and discovering its individual story, adds a vital human element to the process. Goldsmiths’ Fair takes place inside Goldsmiths’ Hall in the City of London, and offers members of the public a rare chance to explore the luxuriantly gilded interiors of this exquisite 19th Century treasure.

Enamellers, & Jewellers with enamel items at the fair are :

Week 1 : 27 Sept - 3 Oct

Rachel Gogerly
www.rachelgogerly.co.uk

Vladimir Bohm
www.vladimirbohm.com

Alexandra Raphael
www.araphael.co.uk

Fred Rich
www.fredrichenamedesign.com

Barbara Christie
www.barbarachriste.com

Wk 2 5 Oct - 10 Oct

Ruth Ball
www.ruthballenameldesign.com

Melanie Ankers
www.kokkino.co.uk

Grace Girvan
www.gracegirvanjewellery.blogspot.com

Alex Raphael
www.araphael.co.uk

Joan Mackarell
view images here on who'swho

Sheila McDonald
www.sheilamcdonald.co.uk

Tamar de Vries Winter
view images on who'swho

Alan Craxford
www.alancraxford.com

Ingo Henn
www.hennoflondon.co.uk

Thanks to Janine Partington for comping the information.

ORIGIN

2010-09-06T02:31:00.000-07:00

The London Craft Fair (www.originuk.org) is in a new month and a new venue this year.
It runs for 7 days from 23 - 29 September, is open 10-6 each day and can be found at the re-vamped Old Spitalfields Market (nearest tube Liverpool St Station). With over 220 exhibitors, there will be plenty to see of a very high quality.

Enamel is represented as usual at this event, but as always there is no enamel category for a search, so after a long trawl through all the exhibitors here is who was found. There are probably more who use enamel in some way, so if you visit do keep an eye out for them.

Stacey Bentley

Stand K15

www.staceybentley.com

Stacey's work is innovative and exciting, challenging traditional views of how enamel is used.

Jessica Turrell

Stand P35

www.klimt02.net - click on 'Jewellers' and then select her name under 'Select a name'

Jessica has been experimenting with electroforming and enamelling and has also produced subtle and seductive jewellery based on the written word.

Jane Moore

Stand M07

www.janemoorejewellery.co.uk

Beautfiul enamel jewellery reflecting her research into the design and application of fine enamel transfers influenced by Japanese print design giving a feeling of 1950s nostalgia.

Grace Girvan

Stand B31

www.gracegirvanjewellery.blogspot.com

Elegant jewellery combining enamel, stone and wood with silver. Grace will be very busy as she is also exhibiting at the second week of Goldsmith's Fair (www.thegoldsmiths.co.uk) 5-10 October.

Janine Partington

Stand L19

www.janinepartington.co.uk

Enamel panels, jewellery and sculpture using sifted enamels and hand-cut stencils.

Maya Selway

Stand F45

www.mayaselway.com

Maya uses some enamel in combination with her silver jewellery.

Kathryn Partington

Stand K09

www.kathrynpartington.com

Sometimes uses enamels with her jewellery.

Thanks to Janine Partington for compiling this information

Liana Pattihis - Αλυσοδεμένο- Alysodeméno : 'Chained'.

2010-09-02T00:30:00.000-07:00

‘Istos’/ Webb Necklace 01, 2010

Silver Light Trace Chain, Enamel. L91cm
Inspired by the intricate lace patterns found on traditional Greek Costumes.

Αλυσοδεμένο-Alysodeméno meaning ‘Chained’ is my first solo jewellery exhibition.
'The title ‘Alysodeméno’ is used here not only in a literal sense, since my work involves enamel which is ‘chain bound’ but more meaningfully, metaphorically; as the future is inexorably linked to the past and the traditional is tied to the contemporary, so is the strong undivided link between what represents me as a person and my Greek-Cypriot heritage which is expressed through my art'.

Friday 12 November to Monday 15 November, at the Hellenic Centre London.
Preview on Thursday 11 November, 6pm-8pm.
Opening hours: Friday and Monday, 11am-7pm;
Saturday and Sunday, 1pm-7pm.
Supported by the Hellenic Centre.

View more works here
http://www.lianapattihis.com/ http://www.klimt02.net/jewellers/index.php?item_id=8555 http://www.whoswhoingoldandsilver.com/search/portfolio.asp?did=365

Melissa Rigby - A New Enamel Course

2010-09-02T00:29:00.000-07:00

Tutor : Melissa Rigby
When : Wednesdays, 6pm – 9pm
Start Date : September 22nd
Duration : 10 week course
Fee : £146
Skill Level : Beginners / Advanced
Where : Working Men’s College (for women & men)
44 Crowndale Road, Camden, London NW1 1TR

Course Description:
The course runs in blocks of ten weeks, with three terms during the year. With a practical, hands-on approach, you will cover a variety of traditional and non-traditional techniques of enamelling in order to add colour and textural surfaces to jewellery. Techniques include champlevé, cloisonné, basse taille, plique a jour, painted enamel, using foils and leaf, sgraffito, wet packing, sifting, stencilling, liquid enamels, screenprinting, printing with rubber stamps, working with oxides and using enamel transfers.

At the end of the year, you will have gained experience and knowledge of all the essential enamelling techniques, and will have a collection of samples and finished pieces on which to build further skills. Advanced students will broaden and enhance their skill base with personal projects. Basic materials, tools and enamels are supplied by the college. Precious metals are not supplied but advice and suppliers provided.
For further information and to enrol, contact: www.wmcollege.ac.uk

View Melissa's work here on the bsoe website.

Japan - 24th International Cloisonne Jewellery Contest

2010-09-02T00:27:00.000-07:00

It is our pleasure to announce that "The 24th International Cloisonne Jewellery Contest" will be held at the Ueno Royal Museum from 21-27 February 2011.
The deadline for our contest is 20th November 2010

We wish to express our gratitude to you for the co-operation in the success of the 24th International Cloisonne Jewellery Contest.

From : Yohko Yoshimura, President, Japan Shippo Conference NPO
Email : yohko-yoshimura@nifty.com

Address : The Japan Shippo Conference, NPO, 2-15-19, Sanno, Ota-Ku, Tokyo 143-0023, Japan

Phone&Fax : +81-3-3777-7304

The regulation and entry forms are below - Please click on the images to view.
You can then right click to save them to your files and then and you can paste them into a word document and print them out.

Rebecca Gouldson - Buy Black Country Commission

2010-08-31T23:56:00.000-07:00

Final design prototype for Buy Black Country

For the past 6 months, I’ve been working on a project for the Wolverhampton Arts and Museum Service, in partnership with Dudley, Sandwell and Walsall Museum Services. I won the commission in 2009 following a presentation and interview, responding to the brief for a limited edition, contemporary product inspired by the historic local collections aiming to celebrate the rich industrial heritage of the Black Country.

As one of three selected makers, I chose to work with the local collection of 18th century enamels at Bilston Craft Gallery and to work with local enamel manufacturer Halcyon Days, to produce limited edition brooches, so that they are, in part made in the Black Country. The products must retail for under £50, which proved to be a challenging aspect of the project.

Ruth Ball kindly helped me to produce a series of prototypes of different designs to present to the panel. This was a great opportunity to work in enamel and we had lots of fun over the two days.

The final design chosen by the panel was the simplest, utilising the copper hemisphere used by Halcyon Days in the production of the lid of one of their egg shaped boxes. Egg shaped boxes also feature in the museum collection, often as nutmeg graters or bonbonnieres. The hemisphere, which will be enamelled in an ivory colour, is topped by a circular etched metal plate detailing 19th Century maps of the Black Country which I will produce in my studio.

The three ‘Buy Black Country’ products will be launched in October 2010, and will be sold at the regional museum shops, including Bilston Craft Gallery and Wolverhampton Art Gallery, as well as on the http://www.culturelabel.com/ website.

The actual brooches will have etched map imagery.

This project is a Black Country Regional museums initiative, led by Wolverhampton Arts and Museums Service and funded by MLA Renaissance.

Rebecca Gouldson is a designer metalsmith with a growing interest in enamel, check out more of her amazing work here !

Joan MacKarrell - Short Courses at WEST DEAN

2010-08-31T23:35:00.000-07:00

November 2010 - May 2011
ENAMELLING ON PRECIOUS METALS
Intermediate/Advanced • 25 – 28 November • £274 • LW1607
Intermediate/Advanced • 12 – 15 May • £274 • 3D1848
Click here to view the enamel courses

Create personal designs in coloured enamels on silver. Designed for those with some experience of working with precious metals, you will enhance your work with the expert tuition in the techniques of cloisonné, champlevé, plique-àjour and the use of foils.

Joan Mackarell is an enameller and maker of smallwork and jewellery. She has taught at London Metropolitan University and is a founder-member of the British Society of Enamellers.

Tillly Wilkinson - Items for sale

2010-08-31T23:28:00.000-07:00

Dear all ,

I have just bought a large number of glass millefiori from a former member of the Guild.
Unlike most millefiori offered for sale these are in single colours.

I also have a well used British Flamefast LN 1000 gas kiln. £350

The main types I have, include transparent whites, lilacs, pinks, blues, greens and oranges. Whites with red and green. Opaque oranges and opaque blues. I’ve also got lots of other types in smaller quantities that I haven’t checked through yet including various other opaques.

The vast majority are single colour types and sometimes in different sizes, not the assortment bags generally available from the enamel suppliers (although I do have assortments too!).

All are available for sale at £2 per 50 gram bag. Examples can be viewed on my website here.
If you are interested in buying any, please just email me and I’ll send you a full list to choose from. twenamels@tiscali.co.uk

Alternatively, have a look on eBay! (ebay.co.uk). We are selling them there too. Just search for millefiori in the Crafts/Glass Art Supplies category. Our trading ID is finefocusx10

Best wishes
Tilly

Susie Ganch New Work

2010-08-11T02:33:00.000-07:00

Contemporary American Enameller Susie Ganch is exhibiting this month

at Velvet Da Vinci in San Fancisico.

Check out her images on Velvet Da Vinci here.

Colour Connections

2010-08-11T02:10:00.000-07:00

An exhibition of work by the enamel and wood design team Arto Salmien and Ulla Huttunen, with collaborative work by enameller Ruth Ball and textile artist Mary Brodie, is on display for the next six weeks at the

Cider Press Center - Dartington Devon - 6 Aug / 19 September 2010.

Wood and enamel containers by Ulla Huttunen & Arto Salmien

A new colour concept wall piece by

Ruth Ball & Mary Brodie - 40 enamels + 40 textiles - size 80x100cm

Check out the gallery website for details.

Janine Partington - Feature in BBC Homes and Antiques

2010-08-09T08:12:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to Janine who has a main feature article in the Antiques of the Future section of the BBC Homes and Antiques September issue - out now !

Check out more of Janine's work on her website www.janinepartington.co.uk

Her next show is at Origin in the new Spitalfields Market venue 23rd / 29th September 2010.

News from Ellen Goldman

2010-08-09T04:09:00.000-07:00

A special studio exhibition of works made by Ellen's enamel students will be on display at her studio in the town centre of Den Haag , in the first weekend of November.

Last year's exhibition was a huge success: Over a hundred people came to see the show, and several of the students were invited to show their work in the Museum of Vlakgas and Enamel Art, two others received invitations to participate in exhibitions and quite a few items were sold. Naturally the hope is that the second show will be equally successful.

Ellen has a lovely new website where you can view her work.
click here : http://www.goldman-arts.nl/index.php?id=6

If you would like to keep in touch with Ellen she runs her own newsletter which you can subscribe to on this page - click here : http://www.goldman-arts.nl/index.php?id=138

Liana Pattihis @ Joya Contemporary Jewellery Barcelona

2010-08-09T04:00:00.000-07:00

Liana Pattihis has been selected to take part in the prestigious Joya Contemporary Jewellery Exhibition from the 16-18th September in Barcelona.

All relevant information can be found on the link below:
http://www.klimt02.net/fairs/index.php?item_id=17380

Liana is also preparing for a solo exhibition in November in London - more news to follow !

Please check out her other links below.

http://www.lianapattihis.com/

http://www.klimt02.net/jewellers/index.php?item_id=8555

http://www.whoswhoingoldandsilver.com/search/portfolio.asp?did=365

Review - The Golden Age of Lettering

2010-08-09T01:52:00.000-07:00

Jessica Turrell's work featured prominetly in the recent exhibition titled

The Golden Age of Lettering at The Bluecoat Display Centre, Liverpool.

Read a review of the exhibition here in DESIGN WEEK.

Read about the exhibition here on the Bluecoat Display Center website

JOB OPPORTUNITIES at HOLTS

2010-08-09T00:54:00.000-07:00

Info from http://www.holtsacademy.com/Jobs.aspx

The Academy is entering an exciting period of expansion and has a number of new posts available. These posts will suit people who are self motivated and action-oriented in an environment committed to supporting the jewellery trade and furthering educational achievement.

Project Manager
ASAP start Fixed Term Contract to September 2011
Up to £25,000 to £29,000 dependant on experience
This position arises as a result of numerous externally funded projects. The Academy requires a staff member to be responsible for activities related to the delivery, coordination and management of our government funded projects. At least two years of successful project management experience (or equivalent) and experience in jewellery trade are essential.

Industry Liaison and Learning Coordinator
To commence September / October
Up to £21,000 - £23,000
Knowledge of the Jewellery industry, jewellery manufacture and a strong evidence base of competence in the sector is desirable but not essential. However a strong background in learner focused support will be required. This post will be critical in ensuring that learners are fully supported whilst on-programme and that outcomes are orchestrated to support them enter the industry upon completion.

Course Information Advisor
To commence September
Up to £16,000 - £18,000
The Academy requires a staff member to support and develop interest in learning and development activities and converting enquiries in to sales whether face to face or over the telephone. This is a varied and fast paced role that will suit an individual who is keen to put their selling and organisational skills to use in an environment that supports education and training. This role is a supporting role and exists to ensure that all enquiries for course information and are and that potential sales leads are followed up whilst also providing a supporting elements on preparing rooms for courses and responsibility for the acquisition of tools and materials for all programmes delivered at the academy.

Full Time Tutor
To commence September / October
Up to £24,000 with generous performance related pay scheme
This position arises as a result of the Academy’s desire to provide high quality accredited vocational training. Knowledge of the Jewellery industry, jewellery manufacture and a strong evidence base of competence in the sector are essential as is a commitment to undertake A1 assessor training and other relevant teacher training qualifications. This post will ensure that candidates on the NVQ programme are provided with the training and support required to enable them to achieve an NVQ qualification within a specified period of time. The holder of this role will be entirely responsible for the delivery, support and quality measures for entire groups of NVQ Students across Level 2 and 3. This varied role will play a vital part in the development and delivery of qualifications that meet the needs of learners and the jewellery industry.

Part time tutors – to commence September / October
Various rates dependant on subjects and quantity of teaching hours For full details of each role, job descriptions or further information please contact info@holtsacademy.com.

Exciting NEW Course - with Joan Mackarell & Mike Savage

2010-07-11T23:22:00.000-07:00

Enamel Sculpture for the Garden - West Dean Summer school, 2010

24th July to 30th July

Only a couple of places still remaining ! book now !

This is an unusual opportunity to work with Joan Mackarell and Mike Savage, both highly experienced in the areas of enamel and large scale 3-dimensional metalwork.
The theme is "Fantastical Flora or Fauna" for display in the garden. You will work in both the enamel studio and the forge and after making samples you will be helped to complete at least one finished piece to your own design.
There will be the opportunity to develop complex 3 d forms in copper sheet. Sections of the final piece can be enamelled and riveted on or forms too large for the kiln can be torched fired.

For further information please see the West Dean Website http://www.westdean.org.uk/

or email Joan Mackarell j.mackarell@gmail.com

New Graduate Award

2010-07-08T23:26:00.000-07:00

(worth £330 + free publicity)

· Prize money for the purchase of enamelling equipment £250
· Three pages in our website gallery for 18 months
with links to your own website value £40
· Feature article of your work in our online magazine
· Free membership of the BSOE for 18 months value £40
· Invitations to all BSOE workshops & events for 18 months
· Eligibility to exhibit in our exhibitions for 18 months
· Membership of our online community site for 18 months
- includes forum, blog, events, articles, technical tips, publications

Selection Requirements

· Personal Statement
Please explain why you think you are the most suitable candidate for this award, what equipment you would buy and why, how you would benefit, and your ambitions for the future in relation to the use of enamelling in your work (maximum 400 words)
· Artist’s Statement
A description of your enamel work and the thinking behind it
· A brief CV
· 6 images of your work – 300dpi jpegs, labelled with your initials etc
· 6 images to illustrate your design development – 300 dpi jpegs, may include drawings, photographs, notes, test pieces. Label clearly.
Application deadline: 30th August
Send your information on a CD - contact The Graduate Award Secretary for address details: Hilary Bolton - hilarybolton@googlemail.com (Selection in September)

www.enamellers.org www.webjam.com/bsoecommunity

Ulla Huttunen & Arto Salminen - new shop !

2010-06-25T02:29:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to associates Ulla & Arto on the opening of their first shop !

Their newly opened shop to catch the tourist trade is on the shore of the lake in the village of Korpilahti in Finland.

Ulla's link is in Finish but her blog has plenty of pictures !
http://ulla-enamelwood.blogspot.com/

Also check out their new website which has English translation http://www.emalipuu.fi/

A new website

2010-06-25T00:16:00.000-07:00

Dale Devreaux Barker has a great new web site - check it out !

http://www.daledevereuxbarker.co.uk/

Grains of Glass

2010-06-25T00:07:00.000-07:00

Grains of glass is an international open network.

http://grainsofglass.com/?xg_source=msg_mes_network

Some of the info and articles are worth having a look at - "on the trivet" currently has and article about a Genevan enamel company and the a recent report on the Saul Bello Competition http://www.saulbellaward.com/

UWE ENAMEL SYMPOSUIM

2010-06-23T03:16:00.001-07:00

UWE are hosting an enamel symposium on the 15th July 2010.

Speakers Include, Jessica Turrell, Elizabeth Turrell,

and guest speaker Christine Graf from Munich.

Please click on the text for a larger view of this information.

Tickets are £10 each - The tickets include lunch and Students can attend free of charge.

Please contact Jessica for booking and more information jessica.turrell@uwe.ac.uk

A New Enamel Competition - Spain

2010-05-10T13:42:00.000-07:00

The forms below are a call for entries for The First Bagues Masriera International Enamel Award.

Please click on the form to read / print out - if the form does not appear large enough, click again. If you cannot down load it email Ruth, to get a printed copy.

The comptetion is the first of an annual programme which aims to promote and acknowledge the contemporary creation of enamels.

Website http://www.racba.org/en/
Contact email on the forms concursesmalt@gmail.com

The 44th International Exhibition of Japan Enamelling Artist Association

2010-05-10T13:27:00.000-07:00

This is a prestigious exhibition that will be held at the Ueno Royal Museum, Tokyo February 4th - 10th 2011.

If you are interested, the introductory letter and application forms (8 in total) are attached for you to download. Please click on the page, then click again to read in larger print. If you cannot download them please email Ruth who will print them out and send in the post to you.

Several members have sent work and been exhibited in the past, and some have received awards (quite a lot of awards are given). A lavish full colour catalogue is printed with images of all the exhibited pieces. ‘All participants’ works which are recognized as proper enamelling work will be exhibited’.

A maximum of 3 pieces of work may be entered. The application deadline is September 30th, 2010. Application fee is US $60, plus all shipping costs.

If you feel that participation in this exhibition would benefit your professional practice as an artist, you may be eligible for match funding from our bursary fund. Details available from our bursary officer Hilary Bolton: hilarybolton@googlemail.com

New Work from Janine Partington

2010-04-08T14:27:00.000-07:00

If you are attending the British Craft Trade Fair in Harrogate, 11 - 13 April 2010 http://www.bctf.co.uk/ Please look up Janine and view her work at Stand 330a.

New for 2010 you will be able to see examples not just from her Copper, Fragments and Monochrome series of panels but samples from her recent Still Life series too.

Alongside her usual enamelled pendants, earrings and brooches, you will also be able to see brooches from the new 'Beyond the Garden Gate' collection (below). These brooches based on flowers and birds are matted acrylic with enamel discs set into them. With acrylic colours including black, red, pink, forest green and blue. These are bright, contemporary brooches which will enhance any outfit.

If you're not going to BCTF and want to learn more, please contact Janine directly.
The Still Life series of panels and 'Beyond the Garden Gate' jewellery collection are not available to view on her website, but image sheets will be available after 15 April 2010.

Janine will have limited (or no) access to emails while away for this event from 9 - 14 April, but you can contact by mobile 07742 740642 - please leave a message and she will get back to you.

Janine Partington Enameller
07742 740642
mail@janinepartington.co.uk
http://www.janinepartington.co.uk/

International Newsletters | Extracts

2010-04-08T13:44:00.000-07:00

Please click on the images to see larger views.

When you open the newsletter page click again to view text at a readable size.

There is also a copy of the North Californian Newsletter available to view. I haven't been able to upload it in the format I have it, but if you would like to have a copy please get in touch ruth@ruthballdesign.co.uk

PRINT WORKSHOPS | Theresa Easton | Newcastle

2010-04-08T13:37:00.000-07:00

Summer Workshops at 36 Lime Street with Theresa Easton, Printmaker with an interest in enamels.

Screen-printing onto Glass
Dates: June 5th & 6th
Saturday & Sunday 11-5pm £125
Places: 5
Screen-printing onto glass with enamels is a good introductory workshop for beginners new to working with glass or silkscreen. Working in a professional glass & print studio in the heart of Newcastle’s cultural quarter, participants will be able to create their own original designs onto glass.

Handmade Printed Books
Dates: June 2nd & 9th
Wednesday 6-8.30pm £60
Places: 7
This introductory workshop to simple printmaking techniques and book binding skills is a great way to create a series of special gifts.
Ideas to work from can be provided or bring your own! See them translated into colourful, textured prints, which will be transformed into unique, pictorial artist’s book.

Handmade Printed Books with Further Techniques
Date: 19th & 20th June
Saturday & Sunday 11-5pm £120
Places: 7
This two day workshop is ideal for beginners and those wishing to extend their skills and knowledge in printmaking combined with bookmaking techniques.

To book: Payment must be made in advance
Telephone: Theresa Easton 07981381830
Email: theresa_easton@yahoo.co.uk for further information about a course, booking and local transport & accommodation details.
Web: www.axisweb.org/artist/theresamariaeaston
36 Lime Street, Ouseburn Valley, Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE12PQ

GOLDSMITHS AWARDS 2010 | Congratulations

2010-04-08T13:00:00.000-07:00

Four full members of the BSOE were given awards at the ceremony held at Goldsmiths’ Hall on 1st March 2010.

Rachel Gogerly: Pill Box, Silver and enamel, 60mm diameter

Rachel Gogerly did very well, and gained two Silver Awards, one in the Smallworkers section for her bassetaille engraved silver purse mirror, and the other for her silver pill box in the senior enamellers section.

Rachel Gogerly: Purse Mirror, silver and enamel, 75mm diameter

Joan MacKarell received a Commendation in the senior enamellers section for the two brooches illustrated.

Joan MacKarell: Bird Brooch, Silver, 18ct and enamel, 40mm x 50mm

Joan MacKarell: Duck Brooch, Silver, 18ct and enamel, 40mm x 50mm

Janine Greenberg: The Journey of St. Dunstan, copper, gold foil and enamel.

200mm x 280mm x .5mm on wood

Janine Greenberg received a Gold Award for her wall panel ‘The Journey of St. Dunstan’.

Gillie Hoyte Byrom: The Pelican Portrait, Elizabeth I after Nicholas Hilliard.

18ct gold and enamel, 75mm x 90mm.

In the Enamel Painters section, Gillie Hoyte Byrom received a Silver Award for her “Pelican Portrait of Elizabeth I” on 18ct gold.

Joanna Hill: Bijoutiers Arm Piece 2009, oxidized copper, enamel, resin and perspex.

80mm x 80mm x 40mm

Joanna Hill, a recent graduate from Edinburgh College of Art, received a Gil Packard Post Graduate Bursary for her enamelled Arm Piece.

Congratulations to all of them!

Photographs of Rachel, Gillie and Janine’s work, by Bill Burnett.

Post from Melissa Rigby

EVENING CLASS | Penny Davis | London Met

2010-04-08T12:48:00.000-07:00

PENNY DAVIS is running an evening class at the London Met which starts on Wed 21st April at 5.30 to 8.30.

Click Here for more information

2010 sees the launch of a variety of short courses at the univeristy that are designed to introduce the beginner to Silversmithing and Jewellery as well as accommodating those with more experience.

Training and skills are essential in order to improve employability and earning potential as well as for enhancing the quality of experience. These short courses are designed to cover a broad range of skills and specialisms with enthusiastic staff and a friendly environment. Whether you are a jeweller or silversmith or just want an interesting and enjoyable pass-time there is a course for you.

Each course has a certificate of completion and every year there is an exhibition of the students work through all the different courses.

Please pass on the information to anyone you think might be interested - Thank You

Post from Penny Davis

AGM 2010

2010-02-28T02:41:00.000-08:00

This years AGM is to be held at

The Art Workers Guild, 6 Queen Square, London, WC1N 3AT

On Saturday 13th March 12pm - 4.30pm

Click here for a visual tour of the building !

The nearest tube is Russell Sq

Check out a useful journey planner here

or the map and details here

Show Time - Call for entries

2010-02-28T02:17:00.000-08:00

Its show time ! Here are the links for the latest round of trade show deadlines....

Origin - applications from 1st March- new website live on 1st March http://www.originuk.org/

Goldsmiths Fair - deadline 8th March

Hereford - deadline 8th March

Lustre - Nottingham - deadline 19th March

The Great Northern - Manchester - applications from 1st March

Liverpool Design Festival - deadline 31st May - check out the early booking offer

SOME LIKE IT HOT

2010-02-11T11:41:00.000-08:00

A selection of images from the BSOE exhibition which took place

12th September - 17th October 2009

THE OXFORDSHIRE MUSEUM Fletchers House Park St, Woodstock.

Gallery View

Veronica Matthews - Associate

Blue Mountain - 9 x 8 cms
Enamel on folded copper shim and slate with an ammonite fossil

Evangeline Long - Full

Weedon Barn - enamel on copper - 18 x 9 x 15cm

Penny Davis - Full
Asterionella necklace # 4
Silver, enamel, silk, gold foil, silver cable
Main bead – 35mm x 18mm

Jill Levengton - Associate

Ammonite
Approx. 10cm high by 8cm by 8cm,
copper shim (0.005" thick), corrugated, formed and enamelled

with Balls liquid flux and jewellery enamel.

Janine Partington - Full

'At the Edge of the Woods'
enamel on copper using stencils
15x15cm on 36x36cm frame.

Ruth Ball - Full

Mark and Change - Liverpool Series - Enamel on Copper

15x15cm on a 30x30cm frame

Bonnie Mackintosh - Full

'Boontje Bowl' Copper, gold and enamel

Method: all sieved. SOJE177 Black on inside; SOJE1 Copper Flux, covered by KJE125 Gold as separate firing. Cut newspaper stencil, with sieved fires cale over the Gold. 6 x5.5cm

Stencil design based on Tord Boontje papercuts.

Hali Baykov - Full Member

also with http://www.surreyguild.com/

Bowl - Copper, enamel, gold and silver foil 4” x 2”

Dorothy Cockrel - Associate

"Coral Reef" - Bracelet
Britannia silver and enamel
14 x 9cm

Linda Connelly - Full

At the bottom of the picture:
'Rock of Ages' Panel 503 x 93 mm exc. frame.

Textured enamel with found beach slate and pebbles.

On the upper left:
'Cakey Boxes' Enamelled cup cake boxes

with lift off lids and silver charms and candle holders. 48 mm - 35 mm.

On the upper right:Handbag vessels.

Enamel with knitted wire and hand sewn seed beads.

Largest is 122mm x 105mm x 17mm.

Melissa Rigby - Full

Enamel on copper set in silver, with silver foil, gold leaf,

garnets and freshwater pearls. Centre oval bead 4cm x 3cm.

Photos : Pat Johnson & Carol Griffin

KHALILI COLLECTION

2010-02-11T06:09:00.001-08:00

KHALILI COLLECTION OF ENAMELS OF THE WORLD
TO BE UNVEILED AT THE HERMITAGE MUSEUM, ST PETERSBURG

Enamels of the World 1700-2000 from the Khalili Collections, to be exhibited at the State Hermitage Museum, St Petersburg, from 8 December 2009 to 14 March 2010, is the inaugural presentation of a remarkable new facet of the Khalili Collections, perhaps best known for the their unparalleled Islamic and Japanese art. The exhibition will feature some 320 pieces selected from approximately 1,200 works in the enamel collection.

VIEW IMAGES HERE

For further information, please contact:

Sue Bond Public Relations
Tel. +44 (0)1359 271085, Fax. +44 (0)1359 271934
E-mail. info@suebond.co.uk,
WEB www.suebond.co.uk

Museum details :
Address: The State Hermitage Museum, 2 Dvortsovaya Ploshchad (Dvortsovaya Square)190000, St Petersburg, Russia

More Information: http://www.hermitagemuseum.org/ also http://www.khalili.org/
Tickets: On-line booking is recommended http://www.hermitagemuseum.org/
Enquiries tel. +7 (812) 710 90 79, visitorservices@hermitage.ru

Publications: Enamels of the World 1700-2000 by Haydn Williams with contributions by Julia Clarke, Tatiana Fabergé, Malcolm Fairley, Oliver Impey, Rose Kerr, Daniela Mascetti, Pedro Moura Carvalho, Jack Ogden and JM Rogers, is published by the Khalili Family Trust and is both a guide to the collection and an invaluable general introduction to the art of enamel. ISBN 1 874780 17 X, 450 pages, over 400 illustrations, includes CD Rom of the entire collection. Available from Oxbow Books/David Brown Book Co: http://www.oxbowbooks.com/ price £49, US$7

A catalogue in Russian to accompany the exhibition will also be available.

Post from Melissa Rigby

Guild of Enamellers Bursary Award 2010

2010-02-04T03:37:00.000-08:00

Information posted by Gillie Hoyte Bryom

The Guild of Enamellers is delighted to announce the winner of their annual Bursary Award - Bronagh Mullan who has recently graduated from Birmingham City University, School of Jewellery where her interest in enamelling was sparked when she attended a part-time course by a visiting tutor and practising enameller, Penny Davis. This motivated Bronagh to use enamel throughout her remaining jewellery projects at university, experimenting with opaque and transparent enamels.

The Selectors for the Award were particularly impressed by Bronagh’s rare gift for combining traditional enamelling techniques with modern technology such as laser marking and JewelCAD but all her jewellery is hand-finished. Using plique à jour she brings delicate colourful enamel detail to the more aggressive shapes in her work, harmonizing these two opposing styles to produce a balanced end product. Her passion for enamelling results in well executed detailed pieces in precious metal, incorporating enamel and stone setting in interesting positions.

Bronagh is currently working as a jewellery designer for a manufacturer in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter. Meanwhile in her own time she continues to experiment with enamelling and hopes to exhibit in the New Year. The Guild of Enamellers is proud to support Bronagh’s ambition to further develop her skills.

The Guild is deeply grateful to joint sponsors - Craft&Design Magazine and W G Ball Ltd for continuing to fund the Bursary Award and we look forward to introducing Bronagh Mullan at the 2010 Spring Conference where she will have the opportunity to exhibit her enamel jewellery, assist a workshop tutor, attend lectures and the master class. In addition to a free place at the popular annual conference, Bronagh will immediately benefit from free membership of the Guild and the opportunity to join any of the workshops in her region and around the UK in the course of the coming year. A programme of events and interesting contributions from enamellers are regularly advertised and reviewed in the Guild’s quarterly journal.

Runner-up, Lydia Feast, has been awarded membership of the Guild of Enamellers for one year. She is also a largely self-taught and well-motivated enameller who has focused on creating surface pattern and exploring the beauty and diversity of enamel through her experiments with enamel transfers and reso screen stencils in particular. Lydia looks forward to the opportunity to learn from others and develop her enamelling techniques through association with the Guild.

Such enthusiasm for enamelling expressed by all entrants for the Bursary Award gave pleasure to the judges on the selection panel who meticulously examined each application followed by close discussion resulting in a unanimous decision. All those who were disappointed not to win the Bursary should not lose heart but continue their personal journey with enamelling and possibly consider joining the Guild of Enamellers in the coming year for a membership fee of £20.

Bursary application forms are available from Easter for the 2011 Award and the closing date is 30th September. We look forward to hearing from you.

Gillie Hoyte Byrom
Guild of Enamellers Bursary Secretary
http://www.guildofenamellers.org/

Helen Carnac - Talk at Metroplitan Works

2010-01-31T15:28:00.000-08:00

REMINDER about Creative Dialogue:
There are a series of FREE evening networking events hosted by Metropolitan Works in London.

The event next will take place next Thursday 4th February (6 - 8pm) and will feature a talk by guest speaker Helen Carnac.

If you have not already booked your place, please go to www.metropolitanworks.org and click on 'EVENTS'

Exhibition Sucess - Ellen Goldman

2010-01-31T15:09:00.000-08:00

Ellen Goldman has sent news of her recent exhibition.
Her work has been on show at De Haagse Kunstkring' -The Hague Art Circle Gallery.
Presently, this gallery shows an exhibition of graphic art. Included in their selection is one of Ellen's experimental works which is, as far as she knows, the first time that an enamelled art work has been included in a show of graphic art at the Gallery. It is also one of the first enamels she made using an experimental print technique.

If you visit www.proofdruk.nl and then look for Ellen's name in the column on the right of the screen, you will see her piece . The Dutch title, translated into English is, ' An Impression of donkeys, waiting for their bosses" (or you can click on title )

Ellen received a number of very positive reactions on the piece, one of them was a request to write an article on the technique that she used, and another was a request to run a workshop for an international art group.
View more of Ellen's work here www.goldman-arts.nl

Walker Art Gallery Liverpool - Enamel Talk

2010-01-26T03:44:00.001-08:00

Ruth Ball will be giving a talk about her work in enamel at the Walker Art Gallery Liverpool on the 17th February 2010 between 1 / 2pm - All welcome.

Please Contact the Walker Art Gallery Directly for free tickets > Walker Art Gallery Liverpool

View more information here > Glass Metal Fire - Educational Enamel Display at The Walker

MELT - David Knight & Michael Forest

2010-01-26T03:23:00.001-08:00

An exhibition of enamel panels by David Knight and Michael Forest.

Sat, 30 Jan 2010 - Sat, 06 Mar 2010

Rope Store & Cafe Wall Gallery

Quay Arts Center, Isle of Wight

Drinks reception on Saturday 30 Jan 2010 - All welcome

Working separately, Island artists Michael Forrest and David Knight explore the world of vitreous enamel in a show that will take full advantage of the material’s complexity and durability. Michael and David both create artwork that is graphic and bold. Their work, although different in subject matter, complements each other, creating a playful and thought provoking experience for visitors.

The exhibition will flow throughout the Café, dramatic statement pieces will fill outdoor spaces, and the show will then conclude in the Rope Store Gallery producing a more intimate setting, surrounding the viewer within a nucleus of creativity.

More info here > Quay Arts Website > David Knight > Michael Forrest

An exhibition sponsored by A J WELLS

Palladium Report - Rachel Gogerly

2010-01-25T01:52:00.000-08:00

Rachel Gogerly has published information about her experience enamelling palladium.

There are two articles to look at, the first one here at The Goldsmiths Online Magazine.

VIEW THE FULL ARTICLE

And there is also a detailed account on the Guild of Enamellers web site.

READ IT HERE

View more of Rachel's work on her website.

http://www.rachelgogerly.co.uk/

UWE Bursary - Enamel on Metal

2010-01-07T15:33:00.000-08:00

(JM/ET) Faculty of Creative Arts School of Creative Arts, UWE, Bristol.

Twelve month bursary for a traineeship in enamel on metal at the Centre For Fine Print Research sponsored by the Newby Trust

Applications for this bursary are invited from candidates who have a demonstrable practice-led interest in enamel. The aim of the bursary is to retain craft skills within the field of enamel on metals for the Twenty First Century, although we are also interested in receiving applications from practitioners in other related disciplines who are interested in working in enamel on metal.

The project will be team supervised by Elizabeth Turrell, Professor Stephen Hoskins and Jessica Turrell and candidates should have an appropriate qualification at Postgraduate or Undergraduate level. The trainee will have access to the full range of new technologies currently available at the CFPR including rapid prototyping, laser cutting and wide format digital print.

In addition, the selected candidate will be expected to make a meaningful contribution to the subject area in the form of professional development teaching for industry and artists. They will be expected to take part in the Centre's seminars, exhibitions and conferences.

The bursary will comprise a stipend of £8,000 + travel and materials
Candidates should send a CV and a letter of application (no more than 2 sides of A4 and a font no smaller than 12 point) to:
Centre for Fine Print Research, Faculty of Creative Arts, Bower Ashton Campus, Kennel Lodge Road, Bristol. BS3 2JT

The closing date for applications is 12 February 2010.
For further information on the Centre for Fine Print Research please click on the following link http://amd.uwe.ac.uk/cfpr/

For an informal discussion please e-mail Elizabeth.Turrell@uwe.ac.uk

Playing with Fire - final dates

2009-12-30T23:46:00.000-08:00

Jessica Turrell

The exhibition is now at it's final tour venue and will close on the 24th of January 2010.

For your last chance to catch the exhibition !

Click here for more information on The Cheltenham Art Gallery website.

UWE - New Courses 2010

2009-12-29T07:35:00.000-08:00

Please Check out the latest courses on the following links

http://www.uwe.ac.uk/sca/courses/drawing_vitreous_enamel_cpd.shtml

http://www.uwe.ac.uk/sca/courses/waterbased_enamel_cpd.shtml

http://www.uwe.ac.uk/sca/courses/laser_stencils_cpd.shtml

For more information on courses/bookings please contact: 0117 3284810 sca.cpd@uwe.ac.uk

GLASS METAL FIRE

2009-12-29T07:23:00.001-08:00

An Educational Display of Enamels by Ruth Ball.

The Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool.

On display until late 2010

For gallery open times and more about The Walker http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/walker/

Ruth will be giving a talk on enamelling at The Walker Gallery from 1 - 2pm on the 17th February 2010. The event is free but you need a obtain a ticket from the Gallery.

Please click here for more images and information about the display.

2009 Goldsmiths' Fair & Origin - Review

2009-12-04T08:25:00.001-08:00

By Melissa Rigby

GOLDSMITHS' FAIR

The two week long Goldsmith’s Fair, at the Goldsmiths' Hall in London (28th September – 11th October) had more enamellers exhibiting this year than possibly ever before.

Vladimir Bohm was exhibiting his understated hand-raised silver dishes, many of which were oxidised black. Sadly, he told me that he rarely uses enamel any more as his customers do not understand or appreciate the skill involved. Vladimir displayed a single red enamelled dish as a colourful contrast to his pure silver and blackened pieces.

Rachel Gogerly was exhibiting her highly polished basse taille engraved and engine-turned small work and jewellery. She reported her ‘best show ever’, despite the recession

Fred Rich had some beautiful new work; silver vases, hand engraved/textured all over with enamel confined to a few dragonfly motifs scattered randomly over the surface. The most pleasing of these had fine silver enamelled dragonflies applied to a Britannia silver vase, with delicate basse taille engraving and gold cloisonné wires. These recent pieces have a restraint that is a welcome contrast to his more usual flamboyantly designed and coloured designs.

Rachel Emmerson displayed a range of jewellery using her characteristic basse taille engraving and clear enamel colours. She also had a new collection of bespoke enamel bangles and gold rings with opaque white and turquoise enamel bands.

New full member Regina Aradesian was showing her ever expanding range of plique-a-jour silver jewellery. In her bespoke pieces she now combines coloured precious stones to compliment her kaleidoscope enamel colours.

Harriet St Leger was exhibiting for the first time this year. A member of the Guild, her botanically inspired work is characterised by richly coloured layers of opaque enamels with sgraffito decoration. Liana Pattihis was also a first time exhibitor. Her bold experimental brooches and necklaces crafted from layers of sifted red enamel fused onto lengths of silver chain and copper mesh, made a strong contemporary statement and refreshing contrast to the more traditional techniques seen on the other stands.

Scottish jeweller Grace Girvan was showing her understated silver and enamel jewellery, combining stoned back soft transparent enamel colours with stone beach pebbles and wood. The simplicity of these pieces are in stark contrast to the richly coloured work of fellow Scottish jeweller Sheila McDonald, who was exhibiting a vibrant collection of jewellery and small work, with characteristic use of gold and silver leaf and semi-precious gemstones.

Alexandra Raphael had an interesting new range of 3D faceted brooches set with large geometrically shaped gem-stones. These pieces displayed her characteristic style
of cloisonné enamelling, but the fabrication of her work showed a new level of technical achievement.

Alexandra Raphael
Brooch “within the stone” series, silver, gold cloisonné, gold foils, aquamarine.
4 x 4.5cm

Technical virtuosity is also a hallmark of first time exhibitor Jenny Edge, whose highly polished syn- and anticlastic silver tableware and sculpture are extraordinary tour de forces, especially when you learn that she makes them entirely herself: she does all the hand raising, tig welding, engraving, enamelling and polishing. An extraordinary feat when you consider the complexities involved in making such large sinuous and convoluted forms.

Jenny Edge: Sterling silver and enamel sculpture on ebony base, 20cm wide

Tamar de Vries Winter has recently been experimenting with fusing photographic images in the form of enamel transfers onto her jewellery and silverware. As first seen in the Playing with Fire exhibition, she has developed her use of tree branch images, and has been using sections of these over coloured enamels as a new decorative technique.

Joan MacKarell displayed a characteristically colourful collection of enamelled bead and stone necklaces and other jewellery. She had some particularly beautiful basse taille engraved brooches with ancient Egyptian bird motifs, which were snapped up by private collectors.

Joan MacKarell: Duck brooch, silver, 18c gold 40 x 50 mm

ORIGIN

Origin, the contemporary craft fair hosted by the Crafts Council at Somerset House (6th -18th October) had, as you would expect, a very different collection of enamellers exhibiting (although Grace Girvan exhibited at both Goldsmith’s and Origin), with some recent graduates using enamel in a very simple, elemental way. One of these was the Korean jeweller Sangeun Kim, who uses recycled mild steel and stainless steel mesh to make geometric architecture inspired pieces with a dusting of enamel on them.

Sangeun Kim: brooch 3.5 x 4.5 x 2.5cm
Recycled steel, stainless steel, enamel, magnet 2008

Jeweller Maya Selway also used sifted enamel in her work, confining herself to just black and white opaque colours with an uneven surface texture on simple silver disc stud earrings and small round vessels. Simple convex circles also characterise the very commercial work of Rachel Llewellyn, who uses single transparent colours in various shades of blue on her multiple silver disc jewellery.

Kathryn Partington used white enamel to print decorative lacey patterns onto some of her pieces. And recent graduate Leila Arzaghi had a few enamel pieces amongst her collection of mixed media jewellery based on memory. These were beautifully delicate brooches incorporating old photographs as enamel transfers. These can be seen on her website: www.leilaarzaghi.com

Jane Moore, a master of enamel transfers, exhibited a lovely display of her oxidised silver and enamel jewellery, with a new collection using black transfer designs over transparent colours.

Sally Grant: Oxidised silver and enamel necklace

Scottish jeweller Sally Grant displayed a strong range of jewellery using her plant photographs in etched and printed designs combined with single colours of enamel. New full member Janine Partington also uses nature as inspiration for her work. She was exhibiting for the first time, and had a significant display of large and small wall panels, as well as free-standing enamelled tree sculptures, which had been water jet cut from steel.

AJ Wells Workshop

2009-12-04T08:14:00.000-08:00

Report by Carol Griffin

During a warm and sunny week in September 2009, AJ Wells & Sons hosted a large scale enamel workshop at their purpose built factory on the Isle of Wight. Pat Johnson led the workshop, and I acted as facilitator/organiser for all involved.

The event has been nearly a year in the planning. It was a first for AJ Wells, working with so many artists all at once, and a new development for workshops run by the Guild and BSOE.
Eight students applied and were accepted onto the workshop. These were a mixture of Guild, BSOE, and non-members, who had either been told about the workshop by a Guild or BSOE member, or had seen it announced on one of the websites. Most had enamelled before, but a few hadn’t.

Accommodation was found in Ryde, where everyone stayed at the same house. Laura Boswell came over Sunday afternoon to give us a presentation of her work on the Aylesbury Project, produced at AJ Wells earlier this year. This also gave our students an opportunity to ask Laura questions concerning large scale commissions, working at AJ Wells, and how she coped producing 6 very large enamelled panels by hand, every day for over 2 months!
Transport was arranged to give everyone a lift to the factory at Newport each day. Breakfast and a self-serve packed lunch were provided for within the cost of the workshop, (as there was no canteen at the factory).

The real work started on Monday. Having arrived at AJ Wells just after 8.30, the students were taken on a tour of the factory. I thought we’d lost them! All found the experience fascinating, seeing how large and small panels are batch produced within a factory environment, and getting their first glimpse of the very large furnaces (the size of a small room!)

Large Kiln

Spray Booth

Screen printing room

After that exciting start, Pat showed the students some examples of her own work, and then demonstrated several techniques for using the spray gun in a spray booth. With the use of a small test kiln in the studio space, which proved invaluable, not only was everyone able to experiment with combining the three types of enamels – liquid, lead-bearing ground enamel, and enamel inks – the small kiln also ensured that no time was lost while large scale work was drying or being fired. By combining the three types of enamelling, some ground-breaking pieces were produced during the course of the workshop.

Photo: Rebecca Gouldson

Each student had pre-ordered individual steel panels to work on during the week, at an additional cost to the workshop fee. Included in the fee was a test panel, and AJ Wells also supplied extra test plates throughout the week for further testing. All steel was costed to cover liquid enamel and several firings. Enamel inks were also supplied for use as an additional technique - this did not include silk screen printing, although some students did use the inks with riso screens.

Photo: Gill Ledsham

The studio where the students were based was ideal - spacious, well lit and big enough for each student to have a large table and work area. Also in the room were tables set out with tools, equipment and materials, which included a range of liquid enamels and enamel inks. This studio was a hive of activity all week, with panels being worked on and then taken downstairs on large trolleys, to be sprayed or fired. The students worked independently but everyone shared tips and problems with the rest of the group, encouraging each other along the way.

During the whole time we were at AJ Wells, all the staff were extremely polite, helpful, interested and supportive to what was going on. David Gatrell is the General Manager over the enamelling side of the business and frequently popped in to see how things were progressing. David Knight, our appointed Project Manager was at the end of a phone almost 24/7 and quickly responded to any problems or questions we had. He very kindly allowed Pat and me to set up the workspace on Sunday morning prior to our start on Monday. Towards the end of the week, other employees and senior management visited the studio, and were impressed with the variety and quality of work produced.

An extra bonus for the students was an evening out with David Gatrell, David Knight (an artist and enameller as well as project manager) and Michael Forrest, another artist enameller who works part time at AJ Wells in the print department. Again this allowed the students to ask questions informally to find out more about AJ Wells, how they approach artists, how artists can work within the factory and costs etc. This proved to be a very informative but relaxing evening for all.

Having costed each part of the workshop with AJ Wells, once we were there, the firm were very generous and flexible with use of the spray booth, firings, test plates, and access to their library of liquid enamels and inks. We had full and sole use of the studio space which included a small kitchen, and toilet area, and access to a larger room for eating lunch. For those students who couldn’t carry their work back with them, AJ Wells arranged post and packaging (at the students expense), and bubble wrap was supplied to protect all panels on their journey home.

Based on the evaluation forms, and verbal and emailed comments received from the students, I believe the workshop was very successful. It provided a unique opportunity to work within a modern busy enamel factory and produce work on a different scale, and to use techniques not normally available, as well as the more familiar enamelling processes. Many felt that they could now approach large scale commission work with confidence, knowing what to expect and how to go about it.

Display of work by Kate Samules

A copy of the ‘Student Pack’ is available from the Guild / BSOE secretary, which includes all details about the workshop, accommodation etc. A DVD is also available showing all photos taken throughout the week, by myself and other students on the course. (All students have agreed for their images to be used in the promotion of another similar workshop and on the Guild, BSOE & AJ Wells websites – with acknowledgements where possible).

More IMAGES OF STUDENT WORK

Rebecca Gouldson

Carol Griffin

Iris Wallace

Monica Murphy

Lesley Millar

Work in Progress - Saber Gillmartin

For more images and info please view the reports by RUTH BALL and KATE SAMULES

AJ WELLS Large-scale Enamel Workshop

2009-11-23T01:21:00.000-08:00

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

AJ WELLS Large-scale Enamel Workshop

2009-11-23T01:10:00.000-08:00

Report from Ruth Ball

In September I spent a very industrious and busy week learning about large scale enamelling on a workshop supported by the BSOE and the Guild of Enamellers. The expert tuition was given by Pat Johnson and the workshop was facilitated with excellence by Carol Griffin.

To start the report I must say that the effort and professionalism of the entire workshop was extremely impressive. The facilities and welcome at A J WELLS a leading manufacturer of enamel products and signage, couldn't have been better. The support and encouragement shown by the team there was truly wonderful.

I was one of eight lucky participants and the week long course went very quickly indeed, each day was action packed. At the start of the workshop on the Monday, we were given a full tour of the enamel facilities. Watching the large scale kiln being operated was one of the first sights. The kiln is quite a leap in scale for enamellists normally used to firing jewellery !

The Large Kiln at A J Wells

Artwork for screen printing

Screens

Above and below are typical signage projects undertaken at the factory. The general process in production involves firstly the spraying of ground coats and then base layers. The panels then go through various firings with screen printed images. Photographic imagery can be applied if required and the quality of work produced is very notable.

Signage

Pat Johnson demonstrating spraying techniques.

Our sessions went underway by first observing Pat's demonstrations on how to spray the liquid enamel and a host of techniques were discussed. The amount of possibilities were inspiring.

Test Piece – Ruth Ball

My first test piece explored a variety of effects. The primary skill to try was using the spray gun. The initial layer I sprayed was white over the black ground coat, in which I also made sgraffito marks to get a feel of what sort of drawings I could achieve. The second spraying of enamel was a fine layer of black which was sprayed from the side. This, although it looks greyish fired, and it is not apparent in my photo, the effect gave a slight relief effect to the image. The final layer on this piece was an application of inks, which I loved. I enjoy using painted enamel, and they are similar, so for me they were great to use as I felt familiar with them as a media. I particularly enjoyed the fact that I could layer the effects and the enamel inks had good colour strength.

My first panel started life as a "Rolf Harris" moment...!

Armed with my sketch book I embarked on an adaptation of my winter birch tree sketches.
I decided to keep my process experimental. I had four panels to work on so I planned to learn something with each one. Rather than drawing each tree as you would on paper, I formulated a plan to create a tree "texture" and then I would cover the layer in the sprayed liquid white and sgraffito through an impression of the trees to create a semi abstract piece.

This was effective in terms of continuing with the series of images I have and it was also conducive to the limitations in time and factory processes. The restrictions of each panel we had to work on were such that we were limited to four colours / four firings. Before I attended the workshop I couldn't get my head around how to do this as I normally just keep firing until I'm happy with something ! But planning work in this way is actually quite interesting, and I never actually got to four firings with any of the pieces.

Drawing through the white layer to reveal the previous firing.

Finished Panel - Winter Birches - Forest Series - 40cm x 120cm

In my second panel I chose to explore more drawing and mark making. The ground coat of the enamel is black so I realised that I could exploit this. I also wanted to see if it was possible to combine a range of mark effects with the sgraffito technique in order to make something illustrative.

Images in this panel are referenced from my series of sketches and photos of cityscapes. I am currently interested in transformations within urban landscapes, building sites and reclaimed areas provide a good source of information for visual research. Again, on this panel instead of copying a specific "scene", I made a selection of images and drew them in several sections, visually blending each image together to form an overall picture.

"Urban Surface" - enamel on steel - 60x60cm

This panel never got its subsequent layers. This was it's one and only firing ! Initially I planned to work over the drawing and add slashes of colour and possibly would have developed more in the image. However, apart from the fact it was a more time consuming process than I had hours for, the response from everyone in the workshop was that it was fine as it was ! The less is more approach seemed to be the order of the day !

On starting panel three, I realised a bit of speeding up was needed, by this time I was well into Wednesday and there was only a couple of days left to finish everything. Apart from this I also had brought my collection of riso screens and wondered if they would work with the inks. Although the inks are oil based and the riso screen is water based (therefore once used I'd have to discard them due to the fact I'd not be able to clean the screens up) I resolved that I would at least be able to pull a few images from each screen.

Keeping to my urban theme, and enjoying the black and white look, I varied the effect on the first layer by only using sgraffito in selected areas in order to leave sections free for printing. The photo above shows the panel in the initial stage of the second layer where I have started screening on the prints. In the sgraffito layer I continued the visual effect of drawing at the edge of the piece, something that I'd become involved in the previous panel, as I wanted to put emphasis on a strong graphic approach. Moreover, developing interest on the outer points of the panel provided a quirky focal point. This breaking away from the confines of a format and thinking about the edge of the work is a process I'm starting on other pieces in my urban series, and I was quite pleased with this more stylised effect.

The sgraffito layer is slightly raised and really adds subtlety to the work.

The final piece - Rebuilding - enamel on steel - 60x60cm

My final panel followed the same process, by now I was into the swing of it all and had found a way of working that I could have expanded upon for another week again. This time I wanted colour back, so my second firing was a layer of ink that I sponged on.

The consequent layer was the riso screen printed images, which were applied in true "Blue Peter" fashion. I worked on different areas of the piece, bit by bit, waiting for the ink to dry before applying the next part of the image. It was a bit like building a jigsaw, and rather than use frames with my screens I found that sticking and stretching the screen down with sellotape tape worked adequately ! I managed to add all the printed images in one firing, though if I'd have had more time I might have done it over two or three instead. Printing can also be done "in house" and this a facility I hope to explore more fully in the future.

The final piece - Urban Changes - enamel on steel 60x60cm

This panel was my favourite piece from my week's endeavour. I really felt as though I'd achieved a lot and had discovered many possibilities, though in reality I have only just touched the surface. The potential for working in enamel on a large scale are very exciting. The resulting artworks are ideal for public and corporate commission work as enamel on steel can boast the fact that it is durable, colourfast, hygienic, easy to maintain and is even fireproof up to 800C!

In conclusion, the opportunity to be able to explore the media in a creative workshop setting within the workings of a busy factory was awesome. I reiterate the credit and much thanks which must be given to Pat and Carol for their unbelievable dedication to making the week work so well. The team at A J Wells were equally fantastic. Their generosity in allowing us into their time, space and excellent facilities was overwhelming and nothing was too much trouble. Additional highlights of the event were also really appreciated. An evening meal out for the whole group was a lovely start to the week, and a great bonus was meeting printmaker/enameller Laura Boswell, who gave an illuminating talk on her recent commission for a large enamel artwork sited in Aylesbury Town Centre.

Put simply, the week was just amazing, and a truly valued experience.

I would like to add my deepest thanks to all involved and to the British Society of Enamellers for their generous bursary award that enabled my participation in this event.

23rd International Cloisonne Jewellery Contest - JAPAN

2009-11-06T05:47:00.000-08:00

If anyone is interested in learning more about this competition / exhibition please get in touch with Ruth Ball who has a copy of the forms.

The deadline for submissions is the 15th January 2010.
Each artist can submit up to 5 Entries - no fee.
Work is juried by the actual pieces and not slides.

The Exhibition is to be held at the Ueno Royal Museum Tokyo, from 6th - 12th March 2010.

The contest is organised by the Japan Shippo Conference NPO
If you would like to contact them directly their email is jewelrycontest@nifmail.jp

Goldsmiths Craft & Design Awards

2009-11-06T03:34:00.000-08:00

The call for entries for the 2009/10 competition has been released.

Please visit the Goldsmith Craft & Design Awards Website for information.

You can download the application from on the site - click here.

ORIGIN

2009-10-07T14:26:00.000-07:00

Check Out Week Two of Origin !

The London Craft Fair at Somerset House, London takes place from 13-18 October 2009

(open daily 10-6, open late on Thursday until 9pm - entrance fee £10 on door).

This second week of 150 makers includes the stands of five makers who use enamel as an integral part of their work: Jane Moore, Grace Girvan, Sally Grant, Honeybourne Jewellery and Janine Partington.

To find out more about this great opportunity to see a wide range of their work visit www.craftscouncil.org.uk.

Posted by Janine Partington

SOME LIKE IT HOT

2009-09-01T07:57:00.001-07:00

THE OXFORDSHIRE MUSEUM
Fletchers House Park St Woodstock Oxfordshire OX20 1SN

12th September - 17th October 2009

Open: Tuesday - Saturday 10.00am - 5.00pm Sunday 2.00pm - 5.00pm Closed: Mondays

This selling exhibition is an excellent opportunity to discover contemporary enamel in all its diverse and exciting forms and features the work of some of the country’s leading enamellers.

Work on show will include jewellery, boxes, bowls and panels.

Playing With Fire - Update

2009-07-26T08:29:00.000-07:00

The tour schedual continues !

The exhibition is now closed at Rhyl Arts Center, however "Playing with Fire" is now touring to :

25 July - 30 August > CRAFT IN THE BAY, Cardiff

5th September - 31 October > BILSTON CRAFT CENTER, Wolverhampton.

Please check the venues for open times and directions.

Ed Silverton - Cactus Display

Beate Gegenwart - Innenraum 2007 (detail)

Kimberly Scott - Urban Diary 2008 ( detail )

Photos: Taken by Ruth Ball at the Rhyl Exhibition

Emerging Enameller Awards

2009-07-26T08:13:00.000-07:00

REPORT by Jilly Morris"The Things We Leave Behind" (detail ) 2008

Photo from Playing with Fire - Rhyl Arts Center Exhibition

I would like to thank you for awarding me the prize of 'emerging enameller' at the 'Playing with Fire Exhibition' it is wonderful to receive recognition in my enamel work.

I have recently accepted an artist residency, which takes place in Highgreen in Northumberland from an organisation called VARC. This stands for 'Visual artists in Rural Communities' and is a yearlong residency starting in October 2009. This is an incredible opportunity for me to spend a whole year devoted to my practice in a beautiful remote location with my own studio and remote converted Dovecote apartment, without the pressures of my usual city life in Bristol. In October my nearest shop will be ten miles away in a village called Bellingham and part of the Pennine Way is my front garden. The scenery is rolling moorland that stretches for miles and miles around me. It is a very exciting opportunity to see what remoteness and isolation does for my creative practice and to myself, I am both excited and slightly scarred by the prospect.

I will be taking my kiln to Northumberland and intend to do some experimental enamel work whilst I am there. Part of my residency contract is to initiate activities that include the local community and schools for a seven-week period; therefore I intend to hold enamel workshops regularly for both adults and children. The rest of the time I get to spend solely on my own practice and at the end of the year I have a solo exhibition and a catalogue printed.

My residency includes a very small income, enough to survive on dhal and rice for a year but I will need extra money to help fund materials and other needs. As it is so isolated I will also have to buy a car for the duration of the residency (I usually bicycle around Bristol). Therefore the money that you have awarded me will go towards my experience of my residency, it will either be spent on materials during the year or go towards buying a car that will help me explore my environment. I was reluctant at first to get a car but have been informed it is essential in such an isolated area. I cannot stress what a wonderful opportunity this is for me to spend such time exploring my art, I currently work part-time as a receptionist to help fund me being an artist and this takes so much time away from doing what I really want to do, that of being a fully-fledged artist.

I am currently conducting some research for some large enamel pieces, which I would like to make. As a child I had major heart surgery and as a 'memory' of the major event I am interested in researching into the development of heart surgery. It all sounds rather gory, yet there are fascinating details and incredible old engravings of anatomy that I may use. It all is at a very early stage at the moment. I am also waiting to here from an interview from a new gallery that has opened in Bristol called 'View' in hope that they will want to exhibit my work. I am also facilitating some enamelling workshops at UWE for children aged 14 - 15 and have recently sent some enamel work to Studio Fusion in London.

You can get updates about my work from my website http://www.jillymorris.co.uk/ and the residency details can be found at http://www.varc.org.uk/

Once again many thanks for the award. Jilly

............................................................................

REPORT / letter from Kimberly Scott

Kimberly Scott - Ubran Diary ( detail )

photo from Rhyl Arts center Exhibition

I am delighted to have won the Emerging Maker prize for my piece "An Urban Diary" in the Playing with Fire exhibition.
I plan to put the prize money towards buying a kiln. Unfortunately my financial situation is not ideal for buying one at the moment and, as I work full time, I am not eligible for most of the funding/grants available. However the prize money is in my savings account (hopefully earning interest!) so once I save up the rest I will purchase one.
I sold my piece from Playing with Fire to a private collector in Devon, to be displayed in his home so when I receive the money late 2009/early 2010 this will go towards it. I am noting my new ideas for when I do get a kiln! I was in particular pleased to see the exhibition review in Crafts Magazine.
I really do want to continue developing and improving my enamelling work and to pursue my passion for enamelling. I always feel so at ease when working next to the kiln and I am missing it very much. I am keeping up to date with all the enamelling news (as much as I can!) with what is happening in the enamelling world and checking the BSOE blog regularly.

Kimberly Scott

UWE Visit

2009-07-26T03:21:00.001-07:00

Workshop Report by Ruth Ball

The following photographs were kindly posted to me by Melissa Rigby, Jeanne Crosse, Rachel Gogerly and Rebecca Gouldson, BSOE members who visited the group workshop to UWE in June. The full group also included, Jill Leventon, Jannie Partington, Annie Appleyard, Chis Jorgenson, and myself.

Elizabeth Turrell and Jessica Turrell generously facilitated a day that was very actioned packed and encompassed a range of study which included:

A talk and viewing of enamel samples and experimental works
A demonstration of screen printing for enamel transfers
A demonstration of a panel being fired in the large scale kiln
A tour of the printmaking department & extended UWE facilities
A tour of the Illustration BA Hons and MA Design/Printmaking Degree Shows

The day started with an informal talk and the viewing of a cumulative display of samples and experiments, undertaken as part of Elizabeth / Jessica / their student's research projects. The photo here reveals only a small section of what was on show, the amount of work was extraordinary.

A short demonstration was given showing the firing of a panel in the large scale kiln. Here Elizabeth is inserting a panel into the kiln. The process is much the same for firing in a small kiln though obviously a much more industrial kit is required to support the work.

The demonstration of screen printing transfers for enamel was of great interest. The group were lucky enough to be able to view the entire process, from the making of a mark to the final printing of the specially developed transfer sheet (UWET paper available from the paper suppliers John Purcell)

The following photo's give a brief outline of the methods involved:

The artwork was prepared with a variety of products (inks/crayons/torn paper/lace etc)

Next, the artwork and prepared screen was then placed in an exposure unit.

Once exposed to light, the screen is washed to reveal the image.

The following step is to carefully register the transfer paper.

Then a mix of specially formulated enamel ink is screened onto the transfer sheet.

Finally the printed sheets are stacked, to dry off.

Generously, several sheets were printed, enabling us all to take a sheet home to experiment with, so below are some results from Rachel and myself of transfer experiments. These were done after the event in our own workshops.

The process for applying the transfer is relatively simple.

The printed paper is cut to shape.
Then it is dipped briefly in a shallow bowl of water, which results in the backing paper becoming loose.
Next, holding the image over the enamel surface you can then slide off the backing paper.
The transparent film remaining, which contains the enamel ink, is smoothed over the enamel surface and should be left to dry.
Additionally the transparent film that the enamel ink is printed onto should be carefully burnt off before a full fire - this smokes a bit so full venation is essential.
The piece is fired as per requirement to the design / the enamels you are using - firing is much the same I would say as for painted enamels. (ie. don't over fire, otherwise the ink will burn out ! )

Rachel Gogerly - UWE transfers over transparent colours - fired on silver.

Ruth Ball - UWE transfer over a base of flux & a center strip of opaque black - fired on silver.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to show photos of the degree shows, but needless to to say the standard of work on view was totally amazing. It left a few of us wishing to start a second degree, and enrolment on MA programmes seemed to be a most favourable route! This desire was particularly enforced as the tour from the shows led into room after room of facilities. The departments at UWE on the Bower Ashton Campus boast laser cutting, and mind boggling 3D printmaking technologies, in tandem with an enviable selection of traditional printmaking processes.

To conclude it is needless to say that the visit was a great success and yet another great learning adventure ! Many Thanks to Elisabeth, Jessica and all the staff at UWE for sharing their knowledge and providing an excellent range of inspirational events.

BSOE at The English Bridge Workshop, Shrewsbury

2009-06-30T16:08:00.000-07:00

Workshop Report by Jane Ball

The English Bridge Workshop in Shrewsbury, Shropshire hosted two days of BSOE workshops held on May 9th and 10th May 2009.

Day one saw 11 keen enamellers with a range of backgrounds coming together to learn about and take part in “Experiments with high firing and corrugated copper shim” facilitated by Van Long.

Van began by displaying a range of test pieces and final pieces showing how from one enamel it is possible to get a range of colours depending on:
· how high the firing temperature is
· how long you fire for
· how thick the enamel is
· how thick the metal is

Whites and ivory enamels give a wide range of colours such as gold, blue, green, pink and of course white. Enamels Van used on the pieces she had on display were:
SOJE 159 White
SOJE 88 Ivory
SOJE 157 White
SOJE 0141 Hard White
SOJE 625 Super Soft White
LJE 0137 Rose Pink
LJE T214 Ochre
LJE 0100 Soft White

All give different colours at different firing temperatures [820-850 degrees] from those gained at lower temperatures as intended by manufacturers.

Samples of opaque white and ivory enamels, high fired - Van Long

Van showed a range of 2D and 3D pieces using thin copper shim often corrugated to allow a combination of colours to emerge from 1-2 enamel coverings.

Test pieces and experiments - Van Long

The group then spent time crimping and shaping copper shim and experimenting with white and ivory enamels on their own 2D and 3D pieces. Van was on hand to guide and support these personal experiments, sharing her knowledge and expertise with each person in turn. Group members ended this inspiring day with ideas for future “experimentation” and designs.

Samples of experimental shapes - Van Long

Day two saw the group eager to learn from Ruth Ball about how she uses Riso screens and other methods to build layered images in her work. She started by showing a slide show of her work involving Riso screens. She supported this stunning display of work with insights into her thoughts/design process as well as technical information on how the various effects were achieved.

Ruth explained she uses a range of techniques within each project (Riso screens, cloisonné, foils, transfers, painting enamel, sgrafitto, stencils, stamps, etc). Her designs are inspired by a wide range of elements from architectural structures/urban features to nature and textures. Click here to view examples of enamel panels on her website.

A quick ‘run down’ on how ‘Adobe Photoshop’ can be used to create Riso screens followed, though I got the feeling a specific evening course would be required to fully understand the extent of what could be achieved using this software tool. A free version can be downloaded from gimp.com, Ruth explained, which could be used to gain negative and positive images as well as ‘stamp’ and ‘line’ effects. More of a 3D image can be obtained when a series of screens are created from one picture and enamels built up one upon another using these various effects.

Applying riso image with sponge

Then Ruth demonstrated her method of using Riso screens. She uses repositional spray adhesive (the more expensive type she finds better than cheaper versions) sprayed very lightly over the piece, lays the screen in place on the piece and smoothes it down. Enamel is sieved onto the screen and rubbed across using a dry sponge. (Boots make-up sponge wedges were shown to be a valuable part of the enameller’s toolkit!) The screen is then gently removed.

She initially counter-enamels the metal by spraying the back with Klyr-fire or diluted wallpaper paste. A layer of enamel is then sieved over the metal, another spray of Klyr-fire made (the more Klyr-fire, the better the enamel will ‘set’) and left to dry. The piece is then turned over and enamelled on the front before the first firing. When ready to be fired Ruth places her pieces counter-enamel side down on a ceramic fibreboard tile slightly larger than the piece.

The piece made during the workshop demonstrated how Ruth builds her designs layer by layer. It was initially counter-enamelled, two separate Riso screens laid on opposite sides of the bare metal (care was taken not to lay the second screen over the enamel laid by the initial screen) and additional sieving of enamel over the piece, where some pieces were masked, using T6 white only. The fire-scale was used for effect (creating different coppery hues of green) within the second and consecutive firings. Blythe’s T6 Medium White was mostly used with a couple of other colours. The repeated firings and gradual build up of white gave interesting colour effects. Consecutive firings involved building on the Riso screens, using stencils and areas masked off using paper or wet newspaper. A useful tip when using paper stencils was to spray them before use with a fine spray of water. This traps the sieved enamel and allows the enameller to remove the stencil without enamel particles falling unwanted, back onto the piece when the stencil is removed.

An instructive 20 minutes was spent ‘rifling’ through Ruth’s stencil and stamp collection. She has a unique collection of all types of materials and objects, anything which can create a pattern in some way.

It is not necessary to use a frame with the repositional spray adhesive method of working with Riso screens. However if liquid enamel is to be used a framed screen is advised. The spray adhesive is easily rubbed off the screen when dry. Riso screens have a finite life and it is therefore prudent to make additional photocopies of the original images sent to create the screens if you wish to use them for a series of pieces.

A huge thank you needs to be given to both Van and Ruth for such an inspiring weekend.
JANE BALL

Additional Report:

Rosmary & Jill - Veronica & Maureen - Ursula & Melissa

A convivial group of twelve: Ruth Ball, Van Long, Hilary Bolton, Melissa Rigby, Rosemary Zeeman, Carol Griffin, Hilary Lawler, Jill Leventon, Veronica Matthew, Dyana Symonds, Maureen Carswell and Ursula Taylor (recruited from the Guild, together with Jane Ball) gathered together on the Saturday evening for a sumptuous Chinese meal and lively conversation at the popular ‘China Rose’ restaurant. Many thanks to Jill Leventon for organizing this, and to her and Maureen Carswell for so generously giving B&B to members over the weekend (Jill had 5 to stay on the Saturday night!)

Melissa Rigby (workshop organizer)

Playing with Fire - Rhyl Arts Center Wales

2009-06-12T00:32:00.000-07:00

Posted by Ruth Ball

6 June - 18th July 2009

"Playing With Fire" is currently on show in Rhyl Arts Center in Wales.

Just thought that I would share a few photos from my visit !

"Bowlscape" - Enamel on Steel Vessels - Helen Carnac

"The things we leave behind" - (detail) Panel - Jilly Morris

"Rememberings" - (detail) Panel - Jessica Turrel

Home & Antiques June 2009

2009-06-11T23:57:00.000-07:00

Enamelling featured in several articles in the June issue of the BBC HOME & ANTIQUES. Notably, there was a beautiful four page spread about the stunning work of Jane Short.

Associate members Deakin and Francis also had a handsome profile in an article displaying an array of antique cuff links and the "ask the expert" section has a mystery to solve in the way of identifying a small antique panel bearing the image of mother and child.

I have taken the liberty of showing photos of the articles for perusal, as I think the July issue may already have replaced this edition on the news stands. You might have to go to the magazine website to order a back copy. http://www.homesandantiques.com/backissues.php

First page of the four page article about Jane short

Deakin & Francis feature prominently in the information about antique cuff links.

A puzzle to solve on the maker of this beautiful small panel.

Posted by Ruth Ball

Open Studios North Yorkshire - Lynne Glazzard

2009-06-09T13:24:00.000-07:00

NORTH YORKSHIRE OPEN STUDIOS ‘09 - JUNE 20/21 and 26/27/28

If any of you happen to be in the area it would be lovely to see you!

There are over 100 artists taking part right across North Yorkshire and you can order a brochure by going to the website http://www.nyos.org.uk

During the last two weekends in June, artists and makers across thewhole of North Yorkshire invite you into a host of intriguing studio spaces – which range from caravans on the North Yorkshire moors, harbourside baiting sheds in Scarborough, suburban living rooms in Harrogate to beautiful back gardens in the remote Yorkshire Dales.

There are events in addition to visits to the individual artists' studios, NYOS 09 features a programme of exhibitions, talks, workshops, demonstrationsand other activities taking place in venues across North Yorkshire.

The new North Yorkshire Open Studios dedicated website is now live...The website features all the participating artists and makers, with a profile page for each studio/artistan events page, displaying NYOS events such as artist talks, workshops and exhibitions, interactive studio maps and an index of the artists and makers sorted by discipline.

Visit http://www.nyos.org.uk

For further information regarding Open Studios or to request a freebrochure, contact Art Connections admin@art-connections.org.uk or tel. on 01756 748529

David Knight @ A J Wells - Open Studio Invitation

2009-06-08T11:46:00.000-07:00

Please join David Knight & Michael Forrest at A.J. WELLS for their Open Studio Events !

Please contact David for more information - events & have a go sessions are planned ! but

numbers are limited so don't delay getting in touch ! > Email > david.knight@ajwells.co.uk

David Knight > http://www.davidknightartist.co.uk/

Michael Forrest > http://www.michael-forrest.com/

Book Opportunity

2009-06-07T04:57:00.000-07:00

Letter from publishers Robert Hale Ltd.
Please reply directly to the contact & address below.

Dear Sir or Madam,

I am a commissioning editor at Robert Hale publishers in London and I am keen to explore ideas for practical books on enamelling.

If any of your members are interested in discussing this further, I would be delighted to hear from them.

With best wishes.

Alexander

Alexander Stilwell Commissioning Editor
Robert Hale Ltd 45-47 Clerkenwell Green London EC1R 0HT
Tel: 020 7251 2661

Enamelling Course - Tamizan Savill

2009-06-03T00:00:00.000-07:00

Enamelling Jewellery - An Introduction

21st - 23rd July 2009

Tutor: Tamizan Savill

School of Jewellery, Vittoria St, Birmingham, B1 3PA

Cost: £335

This three day course is a starting point for adding colour to jewellery using traditional vitreous enamel. Basic techniques of enamelling,including finishing and attaching findings, and incorporating enamel at the design stage.

For information http://www.jewellery-innovation.co.uk/Courses.asp?id=46

Vladimir Bohm - Open Studio Event

2009-06-01T23:16:00.000-07:00

OPEN STUDIOS 2009 at Kingsgate Workshops

Sunday 7th June 2009, preview evening Friday 5th. Admission free.

Come to Kingsgate Workshops Trust Open Studios 09 and meet local artists and craftspeople. See behind the scenes at an artists studios and buy unique art works from £5 - £5,000.

Support talented artists and designers making work in the UK. Enjoy the art workshops, take part in our treasure hunt and the other attractions on offer. A fun and inspirational weekend for all the family.

Plus, register for the following free workshops held at Kingsgate Workshops Trust Education building on Saturday 6th June and Sunday 7th June.

For events, please contact Adam Holmes-Davies directly.

E-mail: adam@kingsgateworkshops.org.uk or Tel: 020 7328 7878

EVENTS

Saturday 6th June 2009 13.00 - 15.00 - Origami Workshop (ages 6+)

Kingsgate Artist Naori Priestly will be teaching participants techniques in the ancient art of Origami creating colourful Japanese Carp. Fun for all the family.

Saturday 6th June 2009 15.30 - 17.30 - Printing with Clay (ages 6+)

Kingsgate Artist Josie Warshaw will be teaching participants exciting techniques for printing on clay, using simple but effective printing materials. Finished fired work can be picked up at a later date to be arranged. Work can be made to hang as a decorative piece or formed into a simple dish.

Sunday 7th June 2009 13.00 - 15.00 - Shaky Pots (ages 6+)

Kingsgate Artist Chris Bramble will be making Shaky Pots using clay, create pots using the artists wheel stick them together with a ball of clay in side making a stick and then decorate. Finished fired work can be picked up at a later date to be arranged then shake away and hear it rattle.

Sunday 7th June 2009 15.30 - 17.30 - Story telling theatre (ages 6+)

Kingsgate Artist Maria-Theresa Ross will be teaching participants the art of story telling, using card and paper you will create your own miniature theatre, develop characters and create your own stories. Through out the day on the Saturday and Sunday, Kingsgate Workshops Trust will also be holding 'drop in' Life Drawing held in our Kingsgate Gallery giving you the opportunity to draw and paint from a real life model.

Vladimir's Studio will be open by appointment.

Please contact Vladimir directly:

VLADIMIR BÖHM
STUDIO G2
KINGSGATE WORKSHOPS TRUST
110-116 KINGSGATE ROAD
WEST HAMPSTEAD
LONDON NW6 2JG
PHONE: + 44 (0)20 7794 9886
MOBILE: + 44 (0)7944 551 428

http://www.vladimirbohm.com/

Pat Johnson - Summer Course

2009-06-01T11:16:00.000-07:00

West Dean Summer School

'Enamelling: Art and Craft'.

Tutor: Pat Johnson & Phillip Clayton Gore

25 - 31 July 2009

'The Summer School enamelling course, which lasts six days, will include a programme of demonstrations and work sessions showing how to produce images and designs on small panels and bowls, including standard enamelling procedures and the exciting practice of high firing. Since students on average complete between 10 and 20 pieces during this Summer School course, there is ample opportunity to try out a wide range of processes. Comprehensive instruction sheets will be given to all new students, and I will bring the thermal imager along for those who want to work with small silk screens.

At West Dean, it is possible for the class to continue from 9am to 10pm, with breaks for coffee, lunch, tea and dinner. This year I am sharing the teaching with Phillip Clayton-Gore, which means that one of use will always be able to offer advice and support.

To find out more about the course, visit West Dean at www.westdean.org.uk or email short.course@westdean.org.uk or phone 0844 4994408.

More information about West Dean Enamel Courses CLICK HERE

Fred Rich - BRITISH SILVER WEEK

2009-06-01T10:59:00.000-07:00

http://www.britishsilverweek.co.uk/

Celebrate the sumptuous world of vibrant colour with
FRED RICH AT BARBARA TIPPLE

4 – 18 June 2009

LEAD PATRON
Invite you to celebrate British Silver Week and join them on a magical journey, from
frolicking mermaids to a poppy strewn summer meadow.

1 Albemarle Street
Mayfair, London W1S 4HB
Tel: 0207 495 8831

E: info@fredrichenameldesign.com
www.fredrichenameldesign.com
FRED RICH ENAMEL DESIGN