Secretary�Lindsay Hemmens�14 Rownham Mead�Bristol BS8 4YA�0117 929 3620�email:plhemmens@cableinet.co.uk�

Editor�Pat Johnson�51 Webbs Road�London SW11 6RX�020 7228 0011�email: pat.johnson@enamel.demon.co.uk�

Spring 2001�

Membership Secretary�Tina Cartledge�Limefield�2 Chandag Road�Keynsham, Bristol BS31 1NR�0117 986 8535�Email: info@limefield.com�

Glass on Glass� Enamelling at Its Extreme�by Diana East�

Glass enamel on glass is a huge subject. Within this�area I have mainly worked in the miniature world of�wearable glass: jewellery and glass beads. Larger�work has been course led or experimental. I find that�the exciting possibilities of using a canvas with prop-�erties allowing the passage of light, as well as opacity�or reflectivity, outweigh the technical difficulties.�

Even within the miniature world of the glass bead�there are many techniques and types of glass with�different properties. I will describe the flame work�method with soda glass which is the technique and�material used for this ‘Mosque Bead’ example.�

I like to work with Venetian ‘Effetre’ glass, which is�supplied in the form of coloured rods. The torch I use�is the Nortel Minor Burner which is surface mixing�oxy propane. It allows enough flow of oxygen to melt�the glass with no reduction, though reduction can be�an advantage and is easily achieved by turning the�oxygen down. The torch is bench mounted so that�both hands are free to hold and manipulate the�piece. This can feel like having to draw by moving�the paper under a static pen.�

To make the body of the bead, the glass rod is melted�in the flame and wrapped around a mandrel which�forms the hole. The mandrel is a stainless steel rod�dipped in a separating agent to allow for removal�when the bead is finished and cooled. The glass is�kept hot and shaped and decorated, after which it is�

Mosque Bead by Diana East�Enamel on soda glass with dichroic glass and gold fuming�33mm high�

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placed in an annealing oven kept about�520ºC. This removes any stress in the�bead. The time in the oven varies ac-�cording to the size and thickness of the�piece. The oven is then ramped very�slowly down to room temperature over�about twelve hours so as not to re stress�or crack the bead. If subsequent firing�were required, the bead would have to�be ramped up first over a similar period,�so it is advisable to finish each piece in�one operation if possible. Scale is an�issue with flameworking as it is very�difficult to keep a larger object at the�required temperature all over with such�a focussed heat source.�

Some perseverance is required to reach�a level of control over the hot glass,�entailing many hours of practice, but�once attained it is then possible to apply�a myriad of decorative techniques. One�of these might be the application of�enamel powders in a number of varied�ways. I use Thompson Enamels TE9000�range, which has been formulated for�use on Effetre glass but also seems to fit�on Plowden and Thompson glass. It is�available from Thompson Enamels�in the�USA and comes in thirty-two opaque�colours.�

The ‘Mosque Bead’ is loosely based on a�watercolour of ‘Old Cairo’ by Tiffany. In�its first stages, the bead is comprised of�transparent coloured glass with some flat�dichroic glass in certain areas. Dichoric�glass is vacuum coated with titanium�oxide crystals to look iridescent. Availa-�ble in different colours and even pat-�terns, it has to fit the type of glass being�used in terms of expansion. For flame-�work dichroic glass is especially made to�withstand the fierceness of the flame,�although it is still important that the�flame doesn’t touch the coated side.�

This bead is actually made from Plowden and�Thompson 100 COE (Coefficient Of Expansion) soda�glass as this is the only range I know of with the�particular transparent salmon colour. The dichroic�glass is Spectrum 96 COE, coated by Sandburgs in�the USA, which is just about within the possible�tolerance of 4 points but needs careful annealing.�

When shaped and whilst still hot the bead is coated�with three graduated layers of the coloured enamel.�

The technique is to put the enamel powder into a�small sieve and sprinkle it onto the hot bead out of�the flame. If the bead is hot enough to be sticky on�the surface the enamel will adhere to it. (It is only�possible to paint the enamel onto the bead with gum�if the whole thing is cooled and then brought back up�to temperature.) The attached enamel grains are then�carefully smoothed in the flame, avoiding boiling�with too much direct heat. This all takes seconds. The�next layer is applied in the same way and so on. The�

In� this Indian Flower bead, the raised red petal pattern is made�of enamel. The basic form of the bead is hollow. Working with�an open flame, Diana East winds ‘Effetre glass’ around a mandrel�so that two cup shapes are produced. The lips of the cups are�brought together to produce the hollow bead. The red enamel is�then sprinkled on the surface of the bead, as described in the�main text of Diana East’s article. Strands of coloured glass,�twisted together to make ‘stringers’ are applied around the ends�of the beads. The central features of radiating glass stripes with a�very small clear glass bead in the centre are produced from�intricately manipulated glass rods and silver foil which are then�fused on to the enamel surface. Once all the components have�been assembled, the petal design is painted on with wood glue�which also covers the applied decorations. With these areas�now protected, the bead is sandblasted to cut through the�enamel down to the glass underneath, leaving the enamel on the�petal shapes and all other protected features untouched.�

Indian Flower Bead by Diana East�‘Effete glass’, enamel and silver foil�29mm long�

(Continued on page 12)�

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Exhibition Opportunity in Spain�

The Fourth International Exhibition organised by the�Spanish enamelling association CIDAE is entitled�"World of Enamelling". It will be held in Salou, Spain,�from 15 June to 15 July 2001.�

The theme of the exhibition is "The Box". Any shape�and size of box will be allowed, with the enamelled�surface (copper, silver, etc) to be at least 50% of the�total piece. All techniques are admitted.�

The enrolment forms must be returned before 1 May,�accompanied by a cheque for $35 (US). The work�should arrive at Salou between 15th May and 1st of June.�

Further details and the enrolment form can be obtained�from the editor or by emailing Nuria Ribalta at�<cidaes@suport.org>.�

Competition Results�

The 14th Cloisonne Jewelry Contest, organized by The�Japan Shippo Conference and sponsored by The Main-�ichi Newspaper, was successfully held at the La Pola�Gallery, in Ginza, Tokyo, from 23rd to 27th January,�2001.�

There were 142 works by 72 Artists from 10 Countries�including Japan. It is worth mentioning that the jurors�were unanimous in their conclusion that the level of�artistic expression this year was the highest throughout�the history of the contest.�

The web site of The Japan Shippo Conference is :�<http://village.infoweb.ne.jp/~shippo/>. It has just been�updated to include a page on Award Winning Works.�

Exhibitions To Visit�The Bilston Craft Gallery exhibition ‘Fusion’ will show�both its Bilston Enamel Collection and a selection of the�best British contemporary enamellers. Members of the�BSOE, including Elizabeth Turrell, Ann Gover, and Pat�Johnson, will be among those represented. ‘Alloy Tour-�ing’, a jewellery show, will run alongside the enamel�exhibition. Taking place from April 11 - June 29, 2001,�the address is Bilston Craft Gallery, Mount Pleasant,�Bilston, Wolverhampton, WV1 7LU. Opening times�Tues-Fri 10am-4pm, Sat 11am-4pm. Tel. 01902 552507�

Member’s News�

Joan MacKarell was invited by the trustees of the Gil-�bert Collection at Somerset House to make an enam-�elled box based on the boxes in the Gilbert Collection�itself. Commissioned to celebrate the opening of Som-�erset House in London, the piece has been on display�in the shop since then. The engine-turned silver box is�4“ x 3” and has an abstract tracery enamel design�applied to the lid. There is also a large marquise-cut�amethyst set in the centre of the enamel.�

News Page�Short Courses at London Guild-�hall University�The schedule of short courses run over the Easter period�at LGU include a Vitreous Enamel Workshop taught by�Joan MacKarel and a Champlevé Enamel Workshop�course taught by Phil Barnes. Both last for four days and�take place the week of April 2, 2001. For further infor-�mation and booking, contact Central House, London�Guildhall University, 59/63 Whitechapel High Street,�London E1 7PF. Tel. 020 7320 1926.�

Later in the spring the brochure for the extended sum-�mer programme at LGU will be available. An�‘International Enamel Event’ involving Jane Short, Rob-�ert Ebbendorf, Deborah Lozier, and Elizabeth Turrell, is�included in the advance announcement. To receive�further information about the summer programme and�other future short courses, call Alan Craxford, 020 7320�1926.�

The exhibition "Fired With Colour - Aspects of Enamel-�ling" has been featured in a news item in Crafts No.�168 January/February 2001. Stating that 'the art of�enamelling is undergoing a small but significant�Renaissance’, the article mentions Jane Short and Mau-�reen Edgar as having 'revitalised functional objects,�revelling in colour and illustrative potential'. The exhi-�bition can currently be seen at Royal Museum of Scot-�land, Chambers Street, Edinburgh (0131 225 7534)�until 29 April. Irene Cockcroft will be writing a review�of "Fired With Colour" for the next newsletter.�

Fred Rich received first prize in the enamelling sec-�tion of the 2001 Craftsmanship and Design Awards,�the annual competition staged by Goldsmiths Craft�and Design Council. He also was awarded the Jacques�Cartier Memorial Award for outstanding craftsman-�ship, the second time that Fred has received this dis-�tinction.�

Enameller Honoured�

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Panels for the High Seas�Evangeline Long reports on her latest�

cruise ship commission�

Evangeline Long’s panels going into the kiln�1175mm x 750mm�Jewellery enamel on steel�

ing which accommodates all the operations - cutting�and forming, chemical cleaning, spraying and firing,�and packing for dispatch worldwide. They manufac-�ture ingredients for their enamels at another site but mix�the required colours at Wellingborough.�

The company has assisted a number of artists in the�production of one-off panels in steel, using screenprint-�ing, hand printing, or spray methods, but until my visit�they had never fired copper panels or seen powdered�jewellery enamels used.�

I had been shown round the factory nearly a year ago�and had discussed the possibility of hiring space or�working at home and bringing the panels to the factory�by car to be fired in their kiln.�

The LCA commissioning agent liked my work on cop-�per and I was given a free hand in the designing of the�panels, with the suggestion that shell images be incor-�

L�ast August I was approached by London Contemporary�Arts (LCA) and commissioned to make six panels for the�bathrooms in the owners' suites in the "Radiance of the�Seas", a new ship of the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.�It was initially proposed that they be enamelled on�copper.�

For some time I had been hoping for an opportunity to�test the large scale enamelling facilities available at�Escol Panels in Wellingborough, Northants. Pat Johnson�stated in the Autumn 2000 newsletter that worldwide it�is difficult to find facilities for large scale enamelling. I�felt fortunate therefore that Escol Panels (S+G) Ltd were�a forty-minute drive from home.�

Escol Panels specialises in the manufacture of vitreous�enamelled steel cladding panels for architectural appli-�cation. In addition, their factory space incorporates a�graphics department for signs and decorative panels.�Production takes place within a generously sized build-�

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porated and that all six could be variations on the same�design. The size had to be precise so that they could be�accommodated within wall recesses. The panels were�to have frames (the preference of the ship's interior�designer) and I received information regarding the col-�our scheme of the suites and the details of the bathroom�surfaces. I was also given a weight restriction. Deadline�for the completion was the end of October. Three�months might sound generous but much initial plan-�ning has to be undertaken for large commissions. Time�is spent on test firings, making designs on paper and�full-scale drawings, meetings, getting approval by de-�signers and architects, and obtaining purchase orders�from the shipping line. Not least there is costing, which�involves consulting metal and enamel suppliers and�calculating the number of firings, as firing is priced by�the kiln load.�

I finally commenced large scale tests at the factory in�early September, applying enamel to two sample sheets�of copper of different thickness. I worked at home and�did the firing in Escol's kiln. I should point out that my�previous experience of enamelling took place at Burn-�ham Signs, where work entered the kiln horizontally at�a high temperature and was removed about two and a�half minutes later. The kiln at Escol is an upright model,�heated by gas and electricity, with doors at both ends�and an overhead rail system to convey panels through�the process of firing. Firstly the panels pass into a�warming chamber, where they are heated to 300ºC,�and then they move into the kiln proper where the heat�rises to the required temperature over a period of about�seven and a half minutes. I have a preference for high�firing, upwards of 800ºC. However the 'slow cooking'�method of firing at Escol resulted in the two test pieces�coming out like burnt toast! I drove these home in�disgust, trying not to look, and then took a knife, file�and hosepipe to them to prize off the charred enamel.�After applying more colour, I returned to Escol the next�day for a second firing at a lower temperature. This was�a little more successful, with some beguiling effects�appearing as the enamel began to run down the sur-�face! However I felt uneasy about these unexpected�and risky problems, certain that all was going to fail and�aware that I was running short of time. I was also not�convinced that I could carry out, in copper, panels�which would not bend or buckle and still stay under the�weight limit. I made further tests at home, using pow-�dered jewellery enamel on steel, called a meeting with�the commissioning agent at which I outlined my diffi-�culties so far and sought permission to work on steel.�This was granted, with the proviso that I keep as close�as possible to the effects obtained on copper.�

I now had to wait for Escol to make the six flanged�panels, each 1175mm wide by 750mm high. Before�they came to me the panels had to be gripcoated, fired,�sprayed with a white basecoat and fired again. (One�

panel fell off its hooks in the kiln and had to be remade�which caused, I later learned, another delay.)�I�t was early October before the panels were ready for�me to work on. As I was already committed to a week's�walking in the Algarve in the middle of the month, I was�left with only 15 days to complete the commission. I�spent eight hours a day working in an area set aside for�me at Escol and used mostly Latham enamels, mainly�blues and yellows, both transparent and opaque. I had�prepared a number of card stencils which I used on�areas where certain repetition of motif was required.�The surface of the panel was sprayed with a dilute�wallpaper paste gum and after the gum was dry, I tooled�and sgraffitoed the unfired enamel surface extensively,�removing about two thirds of the enamel in order to�obtain a richly textured effect, close to some of my work�on copper. Three firings at 770ºC were required, with�all six panels fitting neatly into one kiln load. An�additional coat of counter-enamel was needed to keep�the panels flat. The factory was in the midst of manu-�facturing 4,000 blue cladding panels for a shopping�mall in Iceland, so my panels have a wonderful sap-�phire blue reverse.�

The experience of working at Escol Panels was very�satisfying. Negotiations regarding my stay at the factory�were made through the Business Development Execu-�tive, and day-to-day requirements on site were well�arranged with the Production Controller. Firing staff�couldn't have been more helpful. My feelings regarding�the commission (which did get finished on time) are�ambivalent; working on steel while trying to obtain the�effect of enamel on copper was a compromise. Some-�time in the future I hope to return to Escol to carry out�further work on copper, to prove that it can be done.�

Detail of a seashell from Evangeline Long’s panels for the cruise ship�Radiance of the Seas.�

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The meeting, held at Tina Cartledge’s house in Bristol,�was a lively event with plenty of discussion. It was well�attended by the following members of the committee:�Ian Robertson, Jessica Turrell, Lindsay Hemmens, Tina�Cartledge, Pat Schelper Jones, Pat Johnson, and Annie�Appleyard.�

Much of the time was spent finalising the details for the�AGM to be held on March 31 at the V&A. It was�decided that this year the bulk of the meeting should be�given over to members talking with and getting to know�each other as well as taking part in discussions as a�group. It was further agreed that members would be�asked to bring along either a piece of work or photo-�graphs of their enamels, labelled with their names. This�will be displayed on a table to encourage informal�conversations about enamelling concerns.�

A proposal for discussion at the AGM, sent in by a�member, received an enthusiastic response. This was a�request for workshop/studio visits where small groups�can meet to exchange ideas about work in progress,�problems, and solutions. It was felt that the best way�forward would be to appoint one person, a ‘social�secretary’, from the committee to co-ordinate these�

events. There was also some discussion about whether�the criteria for selection for full membership to the�Society should be reviewed. It was agreed that the�existing statement continues to fulfil its role in guiding�selection. It reads as follows: “Full membership for�professional enamellers resident in Britain is by selec-�tion with strong emphasis on original design in con-�junction with an understanding of and technical�competence in enamel as a medium using the qualities�unique to enamel”.�

Over the months that the committee has been meeting�there has been an ongoing discussion as to whether the�Associate Members receive good value for their £25�fee. There will be some discussion at the AGM about�the current aims and purposes of the Society.�

The exhibition at Sutton College will proceed, provi-�sionally at the beginning of October. This will be a�quite different event to the Woodstock exhibition,�scheduled for September 2002, and is intended to be�both fun and educational. Members will be given full�details as soon as they are finalised.�

Annie Appleyard�

Report of the Executive Committee�Meeting Held on 17 February, 2001�

The practice of enamelling on lava (matter brought to the�surface of the earth by volcanic eruptions) was developed�in the nineteenth century. It was in 1827 that the French-�man Morteleque, considering the durability of the mate-�rial and its resistance to the elements, hit upon the idea of�enamelling this material. Considering that in glazing�ceramics the earth is effectively enamelled, then applying�glass to lava should also be possible. In the Victorian era,�enamelled lava easily overcame the shortcomings experi-�enced with other materials used for murals and the deco-�ration of the facades of churches. Unlike paint on fresco,�which is vulnerable to cold temperatures, to the oil and�wax from burning lamps and candles, to atmospheric�inclemency and that produced by time and human nature,�this new process was virtually indestructible. In short, it�could have been substituted for or superceded the tech-�niques of fresco paintings and even mosaics.�

This attainment was certainly a success on a technical�level but the visual impact was not to the taste of the�people at that time. Vitrified enamels resulted in a splen-�dor of colours and a vivacity of lights, but these clashed�

excessively with the gray facades of the churches that were�mainly the buildings for which these works were destined.�For the sensibilities of the mentors of the day, this glisten-�ing result was a product of poor taste. Conceptually, it was�an 'immodesty' in regard� to the religious act. As a result the technique of enamel-�ling on lava was gradually forgotten and is almost lost to�this day.�

The French artist, Jolivet (1803-1871) created, after many�years of toil, an enamelled lava bell for the church of Saint�Vincente of Paul of Paris. This extraordinary work had to�be retired in 1861 because of ferocious criticism by the�priests and parishioners. Kept in warehouses for more than�138 years, it appeared with other works in an exhibition�of 'Laves emailles' at the Museum of the Vie Romantique�in Paris in 1999.�

T�his article first appeared in the March issue, No. 41, of L'Esmalt,�a periodical produced by the Centre d'Informació i Difusió de Art�de l'Esmalt. (�www.all-sa.com/Publiccaciones.htm�). It was subse-�quently translated and published in the Fall 2000 issue of The�Enamellist, the newsletter of Canadian Enamellist Association.�

Enamelling on Lava�by Andreu Vilasís, translated by Gina Barta�

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A Good Cracking Yarn�A Report from Jane Short’s Workshop�

The year 2000 was a very good year for me, with lots�of publicity for my recently completed commissions, an�exhibition at the Oxford Gallery, and a grant from�South East Arts to make some more experimental larger�pieces of work. I had just one job to do for Clive Burr�before I could start a much longed for period of experi-�mentation. Clive’s piece of enamel was to be an�engraved and enamelled circular plate of 22cm diame-�ter, which was to be set in a much larger silver dish.�Having already done a virtually identical piece previ-�ously I thought I knew what I was taking on - about�three weeks of engraving and a few days enamelling.�Hard work, but no problem. Little did I realise.....�

Several weeks later, having completed the engraving, I�began enamelling. One layer of flux was fired and a�second layer put on. When the second firing was�completed I left the piece to cool down and went to get�my boys from school. Later that evening I went to have�a look at it and it seemed fine, but when it was picked�up a small piece of enamel came off a carved area.�Having not put any counter enamel on at that point I�thought that I had better do so.�

A good layer of counter enamel went on, and a bit�more enamel on the front. Another firing, which was�cooled down slowly, and everything was fine - until I�picked the piece up and bang! A much larger area of�flux (JG139) came off with loud cracking and the scat-�tering of enamel fragments. I often put the counter�enamel on second or even third firing with no adverse�effect, so I was surprised that the enamel was still�coming off after counter enamelling and so much more�this time. Still, enamellers are quite persistent. I re-�placed the missing enamel, put more counter enamel�on, and fired it again. This time all was well until I put�the piece under water to clean it before laying more�enamel, when the enamel started to fling itself off with�much noise, not from the same place but from another�area completely. Now I was getting worried, but still�gave it three more firings until I had chased the crack-�ing area full circle back to where it had flaked. At any�one time at least 40% of the enamel was coming off.�By this time both the enamel and myself were looking�very tired and sad, and I tried to think of the possible�reasons that the enamel would not stay put.�

My instinct was that there was some inherent problem�of tension as the enamel was cracking off with such�force. I had the experience earlier in the year of a spun�bowl gently, after its first firing, shedding its layer of�enamel like a skin, with slightly strange colours appear-�

ing, and I was pretty sure that that was caused by faulty�metal. This, however, seemed a very different problem.�

A call to Maureen Edgar confirmed that she had also�had a problem with enamel cracking off which she was�sure was due to faulty metal. But in my case, as the�counter enamel was sticking like glue, I couldn’t make�sense of it. I made a list of everything that was different�about the current piece to the successfully enamelled�one. They were as follows: This piece had larger areas�of plain flux, fewer colours, and a little extra basse taille�detail; it has a stepped rim of silver of about 15mm�instead of a simple rim of 6mm; both were spun, but�the first was annealed during spinning and second was�not. Everything else was the same, except that it was�another piece of metal although from the same source�as the first.�

Next came a call to Phil Barnes to talk through the�problem. Phil speculated that the piece’s not being�annealed before enamelling could cause a problem,�

Detail from the bowl with central plaque by Jane Short�similar to the piece described in this article. The plaque is�silver and enamel with diamonds in the middle.�22cm in diameter�

8�

but he did not think that the stepped rim was creating�tension by restricting the expansion and contraction of�the metal, which I had wondered about. As I was about�to go off on holiday Clive and I decided to ask Phil to�strip the enamel so that the metal could be annealed,�ready and waiting for me to re-enamel on my return.�Which is what we did. However this time, after the�third firing, the enamel started reacting in exactly in the�same way. Despite applying the counter enamel from�the start and despite the annealing, it was flinging itself�off again!�

When I contacted Clive to tell him the bad news, he�told me that the metal manufacturers admitted that they�had had a ‘problem batch’ of metal from which our�piece may have come, that they would replace the�silver, but could I please test a sample before re-making�the whole thing. Which I duly did. The surface of the�metal was scratched with a scribe, nitric acid dipped,�and lots of enamel fired on the front without any�counter enamel. It stayed put, so I began re-engraving�a second blank of metal, thinking that lightning would�not strike twice.�

Despite being the third time I had engraved the same�pattern, the cutting went really well and looked better�even than the last piece. I was extra meticulous in my�preparations, but on enamelling, exactly the same prob-�lem occurred, except that it was worse. By now I was�getting confused. Surely the bullion deals had not given�us another piece of metal from the same batch? Gold-�smiths Hall had tested the first batch of silver and had�not found anything other than rather more oxygen in�the surface than normal. Maybe there was a different�problem I had not yet worked out.�

Finishing this piece was becoming highly critical. It still�had a large area of diamonds to be set and ultimately it�was destined to go to the Queen Mother as a 100th�birthday present. It had to be ready by the end of the�year, now only a few weeks away. So a few more�phone calls to more enamellers. Thank you Phil�Barnes, Sarah Wilson, Gudde Skyrme, and Alan Mudd.�The first plan of action was to cut off the outer stepped�rim of which I was suspicious and replace the missing�enamel. This made no difference at all. The next plan�was to strip the remaining enamel off and soften all of�the cutting by pumicing my lovely engraving, in case it�was the sharp cutting that was causing the problem.�Since the first successful piece had had the same en-�graving, this did not quite make sense to me, but I was�beginning not to trust my instincts, Phil had suggested�it, and I had run out of ideas. I had wondered if the�enamel was the problem. I was using the same enamels�as in the first piece except for some JG139, but Sarah�had had no reports back of this batch being faulty.�Before putting the plaque into hydrofluoric acid to�remove the enamel, I dipped it first into just boiled�water and then plunged it into cold. No more enamel�

came off. It was as if the tension in the piece had been�released and the rest of the enamel was happy to stick.�This made me think that Phil’s suggestion could work.�

In order to check that the engraving would look OK�after being softened off, I decided to do a test on�another spare piece of the same silver, also using some�softer, less ‘chippy’ enamels than JG139, just in case.�The test same was fired, cooled down, and looked fine.�But after the second firing I picked it up and the enamel�started flinging itself off. I then made two more tests,�one using more of the same silver and one using some�that had been lying about for ages. Both pieces were�engraved over half the surface and then enamelled over�the entire surface with JG139. The enamel flew off�only from the engraved area of the now suspect metal�but had happily stuck fast to the other piece of identi-�cally engraved silver. This made me feel slightly better�as I realised that this silver would not enamel at all on�an engraved surface, no matter what I did. The prob-�lem was not due to a lack of skill on my part but rather�to some inherent and subtle difference in either the�make-up or structure of the metal.�

Goldsmiths Hall’s technical department had become�involved in trying to find out if there was any problem�with the metal and initially had not been able to find�anything untoward in the silver. As I was by now�convinced convinced that our problem did lay with the�silver, I found it hard to accept some of their specula-�tions, especially that the kiln may be damp and some-�how putting more oxygen into the metal. I had�checked and rechecked all the variables that I could�think of: enamel, gas versus electric kiln, the nitric�acid, annealing, how the piece was supported, how�quickly it cooled down, etc. I was beginning to feel as�if the experience that I had gained over many years of�enamelling was invalid, even though my instincts told�me that it was the silver. It was also suggested that�another enameller should also try to enamel some of�the metal, which was duly done.�

The end of this sorry tale is that the Queen Mother�received a very beautiful engraved but not enamelled�bowl. Phil Barnes tested the metal and he too had�problems getting the metal to adhere. Clive is still�pursuing the matter with the bullion dealer. A final�report from Goldsmiths Hall suggested that the grain�size of the metal was larger than usual and this could�be linked to our problem. The time allotted to do some�experimental work was gone and I will have to find a�way to replace it in a very busy 2001. The final irony�is that the samples both Phil and I did were lost in the�post, as was my cheque from Clive.�

So if you have some metal that enamel will stick to�really well if the surface is smooth but erratically�throws it off an engraved surface and generally defies�the normal enamelling rules, please let me know!�

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Most of my work with enamels over the last few years�focuses on my delight in the use of gold and silver�foils and different carats and colours of gold leaf. I�like the decadence in using these materials with some�abandon, and the wonderful clarity and depth of�colour which can be�achieved when inlaying�transparent enamel col-�ours over them. From a�carefully planned ap-�proach where the foils are�meticulously cut and�placed, to a more free use�of the material using a de-�velopment of Bill Helwig’s�‘reticulation’ technique,�one can achieve some lus-�cious textures and colours.�

I have been experimenting�with the ‘reticulation’ of�the foils for a year or so. I�fire the gold and silver si-�multaneously at high tem-�peratures for an extended�period of time. A great var-�iation in the qualities of the�resulting colours and tex-�tures are achieved when�the foils are used over dif-�ferent brands and types of�enamel as a base. This has�been most rewarding in�terms of achieving an ex-�tended palette which can�be controlled quite suc-�cessfully. Some colours�tend to cause the gold to�go black, or produce a�wrinkled effect, which can�be quite interesting. They�also to change the silver.�The length of the firing is�critical.�

Reticulated foils have been�an appropriate medium for�the pieces made after a trip to Hanoi, Vietnam, in�which I depicted the peeling, faded, layered exteriors�of the original beautiful French colonial buildings,�and the red and gold of the crumbling temples and�pagodas.�

I form my imagery with stencils, using a sifting tech-�nique, and in most instances let the pieces ‘grow’ of�their own accord. This often gives me some most�unexpected results, which I would never think of de-�signing! These pieces are usually quite small, about 4�

inches square (102x102�mm). However, when I�am designing for a com-�mission I can make pieces�up to 16 inches square,�(410x410 mm), and build�these units up to any size.�I often make a paper col-�lage first, cover it with�shiny film to imitate the�look of the enamel, and�use this to describe the�proposed panel to the cli-�ent. From this ‘working�design’ I can cut my sten-�cils in a more structured�fashion to build up the�layers of forms and col-�ours, and then make a test�piece.�

For some time I have been�mainly working on�opaque backgrounds,�usually black or white,�using copper as a base.�The overlay of transparent�enamels can add depth to�the opaque colours as the�piece progresses, usually�through 20 – 30 firings.�Near the end of the proc-�ess I add the foils, with�other details and writing�produced using ceramic�oxides, painting enamels,�or “carefree™” lustres.�Finally I apply gold, silver�or palladium leaf accents.�

This fantastic medium of�enamel has offered me�

many opportunities for travel. Usually I can combine�attendance at conferences and exhibitions with work-�shop teaching to expand my horizons beyond the�rather limited enamel world in Australia.�I�have been�fortunate to exhibit in many countries, and am espe-�cially intrigued with Asia.�

Latest Obsessions�by Jenny Gore�

A Flame Flickers Within�

A Temple in Hanoi�

Two pictures by Jenny Gore Copper, gold foil, and�various enamelling media. Five inches square.�5 inches square�

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The creative potential of enamel on metal was demon-�started in the range of works that were shown in the�Surfaces II exhibition at Bristol Guild, held during�October and November 2000, which included glass,�jewellery, vessels and enamelled panels by seven artists.�The works ranged in colour from the subtly varying�shades of white in the stitched sampler pieces of Eliza-�beth Turrell, through the controlled, limited colour used�by Davina Kirkpatrick and Tina Cartledge, to the multi-�coloured works of Sheena McMahon, Tamizan Savill,�Lisa Hamilton and Patricia Schelper Jones. Each artist�exhibited a sense of continuity and fusion of ideas in�their work that delineated their personal area of interest.�

Two recurrent themes run through the work of Elizabeth�Turrell. Her stitched enamel foil pieces act “as a cele-�bration of the stitch, honouring the labour of women�through generations” (1). In contrast, the prolific works�from Elizabeth’s�In Mémoriam Series�give us images of�conflict that have been ‘sanitised’ by the media, “the�broad theme of conflict as seen almost daily on the�small rectangle of the television screen or newspaper�photograph”(2). These works can be of a personal�nature, being memorials for friends, or may draw our�attention to such issues as the Declaration of Human�Rights and the way we view conflict within its con-�straints. These works are contemplative and strong and�draw us to question our own beliefs and views and the�actions of others. Elizabeth may use traditional enam-�els, but she alters the surface of the metal by etching,�piercing or sandblasting to create rich surfaces that�would be unattainable in other media.�

The glass work exhibited by Davina Kirkpatrick was�inspired by a public art residency and commission in�Whitehaven, Cumbria, “a place that is built up of layers�of history from which only tantalising glimpses and�traces remain”(3). There is an elegant transience in this�work, its lightness and fragility making us feel that we�can only be caretakers of ideas and beauty, that perma-�nence in nature is not possible to achieve. This imper-�manence can also be felt in her enamel works. The ebb�and tide shown in some of her enamels, along with�boats that are “clustered in conversation or are quietly�alone” (3), are interpretations of sketches and images�from the sea found close to her Cornish home near�Mevagissey. Here the changing movement of the water�

is like the progression of time, where each image,�pictorial in quality, is like a snapshot in an album, that�captures the memory, the essence, but cannot make�time stand still within it.�

Tina Cartledge’s current extension of her�Screened Im-�ages� series involves the use of fluxes, foils and onglaze�colours combined with stencils and risoscreens to pro-�duce small memorial pieces that can be viewed individ-�ually or as a group. The colour emphasis here is the�interplay of copper with flux to produce reds from�honey tones through to burgundy. The newest enamels�in the series, however, contain coloured enamels. A�limited number of jewellery pieces have also been�produced. Her series of jewellery entitled�Work�in-�cludes text – the connecting line through much of Tina’s�work, and includes words on the way she works and her�sources of inspiration. The�Earth� series of brooches,�however, breaks away from previous styles of working�and uses earth-toned enamels – reds, ambers, greys and�muted greens – on engraved, photo-etched silver. But�perhaps the biggest change in her work is the produc-�tion of small bowl-shaped vessels, edged in fine silver,�whose interiors are glossy black enamel and exteriors�are coloured enamels rubbed down to pebble-like,�smooth surfaces, that are designed to be as good to hold�as to look at.�

Sheena McMahon’s enamelled works express her sense�of freedom, love of life, and her deep response to the�Earth and its elements. Drawn to enamel by the vi-�brancy of its colour and the quality and depth of layers�which could be achieved, Sheena ‘composes’ her dif-�ferent works, using enamels and firescale loosely, com-�bining sifted coloured enamels with poured liquids.�The interplay of colour and active, shiny surfaces thus�created give her works a free, lively appearance. How-�ever, the richness and depth of opulent colours found in�her work shows a resemblance to those of medieval�tapestries and traditional wallhangings which belies�their modern, somewhat flirty appeal.�

Tamizan Savill exhibited jewellery from three different�series of her work. Her�Deep Enamelled� series consist�of the use of a single colour of enamel over gold or�silver leaf with fine silver wires. The�Kite Tails� series�originated from displays at Bristol Kite Festival, and�have become more abstract with their development, the�

SURFACES II: Enamels at the Guild� 21 October - 11 November 2000�Guild Gallery, Bristol� by Tina Cartledge�

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range of colour in these being as varied, bright and�flamboyant as the kite tails themselves. Tamizan’s most�recent series of work, her�Miniature Landscapes�, depict�scenery as shown in the works of Harald Sund and from�other figurative sketches and photographs. Colours�here are more restricted, directly referring to the land-�scapes they portray. The close packing of the colours�without wires resemble miniature sand paintings with�their attention to detail and exactness of construction.�Tamizan contrasts the stillness of the silver against the�reflective light of enamel over the metal.�

The witty, assembled, multi-media pieces of Lisa Ham-�ilton are constructed using a metal mesh over printed�paper over board background. This same mesh is used�to cover geometric, raised enamelled elements adhered�to the front of each work, and acts to unify the pieces.�Shapes are geometric – some circular, smooth, friendly,�whilst others are angular or rough, with cut edges being�visible around most enamelled elements. Colour is�bright but restricted – white, black, yellow, red, with use�of fluxes also. This current series of work, entitled�Urban Jungle�, has developed over the two years Lisa�has lived in Washington DC. Inspiration for these�pieces have come from things as varied as road signs�blanketed in snow, rusty chain link fences, hot summer�afternoons with everyone trying to get somewhere but�no-one getting anywhere. They also refer to the mix of�styles, peoples and cultures she has experienced there.�Lisa also exhibited three jewellery pieces from private�collections – one from her�Sgraffito� series and two from�her�Flying Carpet� series.�

Patricia Schelper Jones’�Sacred Texts� show a use of�calligraphy and stencils that form a union with the freely�worked backgrounds against which the lettering is�

fused. Some pieces resemble graffiti on a wall, whilst�those mounted on steel have an almost industrial quali-�ty. Others are reminiscent of illuminated manuscripts,�holy writings or other textual objects of desire or praise.�Regardless of style, each shows a mastery of control in�her use of the enamels themselves, a skill which is also�apparent in Patricia’s�Reflections� series. Transparent�and opaque enamels are layered and built up succes-�sively in these freely coloured and manipulated pieces�to create a calm and unified whole. They are reflective�both in their ability to reflect successive layers over�others, in their contemplative nature, and in Patricia’s�reflective treatment of them, often returning to a work�after a considerable period to add details and further�texture.�

The first Surfaces exhibition was held in the Guild�Gallery in 1998. Two years on, sales totalled much the�same, although it was noted that there appeared to be�fewer visitors to the gallery over the same length exhibi-�tion. Indeed, fewer visitors to the Guild itself would�seem to have been the main reason for this. Those that�came were as appreciative of the work as ever, though�many had never seen enamel as an art form before. A�postcard stall, and information on Studio Fusion, was�available to further knowledge about enamel and its�place in the modern gallery.�

If a follow-up exhibition to this is to be organised, it may�prove beneficial to find a gallery or workshop space that�can provide a more interactive setting for what we all�know to be an extremely varied and seductive medium.�

1. Marjorie Simons� Surface Design Journal�2. Elizabeth Turrell�3. Davina Kirkpartrick�

Panel from the In Mémorium Series�by Elizabeth Turrell�Enamel, steel and�ceramic pigments�10cm x 10cm�

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bead off the mandrel which has been acting as a handle�throughout.�

This technique of applying these enamels to beads was�shown to me by Kate Fowle. She helped Thompson Enam-�els to develop them specifically for this purpose. It is one�of an amazing number of techniques using enamel col-�ours just with flameworking, in itself only one small facet�of hot glass work, each different discipline of which can�make use of enamel colours in staggeringly diverse ways.�

Diana East, glass beads and tuition.�www.diana-east.co.uk�tel. 0116 2867664�

whole piece must be kept above 520ºC�throughout. I�have found that this method allows me a much thinner,�more densely coloured layer than is achievable by any�other flameworking technique. Originally I was inspired�to develop this way of working after looking at 19th�th�

century cameo work at Broadfield House Glass Museum,�though the layers of colour in this work were achieved by�quite different furnace working techniques.�

The final coat is a layer of 24ct gold that is achieved by�fuming.�This entails holding a tiny blob of fine gold on the�end of a quartz rod in the hottest part of the flame at�nearly 2000ºC. The gold evaporates and travels up the�flame as a gas. The bead is held in the outer reaches of�the flame where the gold literally condenses onto it,�giving it a plating like coating.�

The bead is then cooled and masked with three layers of�adhesive plastic tape whilst still on the mandrel and the�image of buildings are cut around and the sky area peeled�away. I then sand blast through the enamel to the trans-�parent bead beneath using a grit blast gun housed in a�plastic water tank and hooked up to my husband’s com-�pressor. The next step involves removing more of the�masking to reveal everything but the tiny gold domes and�spires, with an application of nail varnish to mask streaks�in the foreground where the fuming is deliberately thinner�to give more purplish tones. The unwanted gold is dis-�solved away with etching paste which is rinsed off before�it has time to matt the surface of the glass but gives a very�slight eggshell appearance. The nail varnish is taken off�with remover,�the rest of the masking peeled off and a�little oil applied to the powdery sand blasted surface to�bring out the dichroic effect underneath. I finally take the�

‘Glass On Glass - Enamelling at Its Extreme’ by Diana East� Continued from page 2�

...�I want to draw attention to a broader analysis of why�people are attracted to bright things and why they polish�things and why they buy and ornament their houses and�their bodies with shiny things. Any religion, any time,�anywhere, will contain the notion of brilliant objects,�brilliant knowledge, brilliant light. Our liking for bril-�liance seems to me to be linked to the way our brains�make sense of visual stimuli…The important thing to me�is that it's a big part of what could be called the anthro-�pology of light.�

I had worked on brilliant objects before, in the Carib-�bean and the Americas. There, one of the clichés about�the contact between Europeans and Americans was�that’natives were “stupid” ‘ - that they made worthless�exchanges with the visitors or colonisers. The Europeans�following in Columbus's wake recorded trading cheap�metal junk and glass beads for wonderful treasures of�gold, silver, pearls, and emeralds. They were amazed�

that they could swap bits of broken glazed pottery for�bags of pearls.�

…You had to look not just at the gold and pearls that�the ancient Amerindians were trading, but at what lay�behind these shiny objects. And what lay behind the�objects were ideas about the sacred values, meanings,�and the power of light. Once you begin to look at�what these people thought about light, then you get a�handle on how light was transformed into brilliant�objects. You could then get a grip on a whole body of�knowledge about the value of light, meteorological�phenomena, astronomy, and objects that embodied�light. This is what the Amerindians were trading:�cosmic power, cosmic knowledge and religious signif-�icance.�

From the Oct 28, 2000 issue of New Scientist, p 43�Opinion Interview with Nick Saunders, written by�Maggie McDonald. The subject is Trench Art.�

Why Do We Do It?�

Product Information�

Thompson Enamels, including products for enamelling on�glass, can be obtained in Europe from Ellen Goldman, 36�Thomsonlaan, 2565 LB Den Haag, Netherlands. Her�email address is<jgoldman@hetnet.nl>.�

Mr. Carpenter of Thompson enamel writes:�Thompson Enamel stopped making lead bearing glass�enamels by have been selling lead free glass enamels since�1991. The 9000 series is compatible with Effetre. It is�available direct from Thompson as well as from our�distributors, with Frantz Beads being one. Many other�useful items appear in the Thompson catalogue. The 5000�and 6000 series are for those who slump window glass, and�the 7000 series is for stained glass and glass blowers. The�5000 and 6000 series also works very well on 400 series�stainless steel. Thompson catalogues can be obtained by�writing to Thompson Enamel Inc., 650 Colfax, Bellevue KY,�41073, USA. Their email addess is:�<sales@thompsonEnamel.com>.�