Here are my first four little buildings. I am calling them places for dreams. These four are made using traditional silver smithing techniques – texturing the silver sheet, cutting out shapes and soldering them together before altering textures and polishing them. I have had a lot of pleasure constructing these little silver charms and will continue to make more work in this collection through the summer. If you would like to learn to make your own piece of jewellery, using traditional methods or metal clay, then please contact me. I will be taking part in North Yorkshire Open Studios from the 9th June 2012, when these pieces and other work will be for sale. Let me know if you would like a leaflet or more information.
Category Archives: drawing
Altered perspective
Another little building for dreaming, this is the corner of a cottage. I decided to try playing around with perspective drawing so took one of my tiny sketches and did a quick perspective sketch. I then traced out the pieces to make a paper template and transferred the outlines onto textured sterling silver sheet. After sawing out the pieces I soldered on a panel for the roof and a base before cleaning them up and giving the piece a polish. I haven’t polished it too much as some of the textures I have used are quite fine and it would be easy to polish them away.
This was an interesting experiment and something I think I will return to. I am enjoying making work from sterling silver sheet using traditional silver smithing techniques. It is something I enjoy teaching so if you would like learn to make you own silver pendant or ring then please check out my class schedule or email me for further information.
Secret places
I love teaching silver clay but it is also good to get a bit of studio time to work on designs for a new range of silver charm jewellery. These are the first two of a series of tiny buildings in a series called Houses for dreams.
They are constructed from sterling silver sheet using traditional jewellery making techniques. I have roll printed some of the textures and hammered and ground others direct into the surfaces of the silver. They are pieces that have been lingering in my sketchbook for a considerable period and my interest in buildings dates back to my time as a University tutor lecturing in the history of architecture and design. I also wanted to go back to using traditional silver smithing techniques for a series of pieces – it is always important to keep up these skills too, alongside the metal clay and lamp-working. I hope to make a few more pieces in this range before the beginning of North Yorkshire Open Studios. This year I will be open on 9th and 10th June, 16th and 17th June 2012. I will also be open by appointment during the week in between these dates. There are still plenty of opportunities for classes though and for further information please see my class schedule on the website or email me
A tiny frog
I am making it as part of a larger pendant in Art Clay silver. Here are some of the tiny pieces at an early stage, before I began to assemble the frog. It will be peeping over the edge of a leaf in the final piece.
If you would like to design and make your own unique piece of jewellery I teach jewellery making in many different media here in my studio in Yorkshire. Courses include traditional silver jewellery making, silver clay, enamelling, metal clay, bead making and jewellery using plastics. For more information see my website or email
Posted in Art clay silver, courses, Design, drawing, enamel, Enamel jewellery, enamel on silver, Enamel silver jewellery, introduction to enamelling, Metal clay classes, Silver and enamel jewellery, silver jewellery, workshops, Yorkshire
Tagged art clay silver, Enamel, enamel Jewellery, Enamel on silver jewellery, metal clay, silver, silver enamel jewellery, Tree frog
Not much change there then!
I was searching the Internet for something enamel related and came across an old article from 2008. It really made me smile to read it. I think my jewellery making skills have improved substantially since then. Although I gave up working as a University tutor I didn’t really give up teaching and now run jewellery making and enamelling classes in my own studio. I still like to experiment with non-traditional materials in jewellery making from time to time too.
Included in this montage are a ring made in felted wool and a necklace of white flowers made a few years ago from the very everyday plastic milk carton.
I have all kinds of interesting classes here this year, look here for more information or to book email
Posted in Art clay silver, cloisonne enamel, courses, Design, drawing, Enamel jewellery, enamel on silver, Enamel silver jewellery, introduction to enamelling, Metal clay classes, Silver and enamel jewellery, silver jewellery, workshops, Yorkshire
Tagged aluminium jewellery, Enamel, enamel on silver, Jewellery, silver jewellery making in Yorkshire
Ryedale Artworks
I am thrilled to have been accepted as a member of Ryedale Artworks
This is a fantastic group of very talented artists and makers based or working in the district of Ryedale in North Yorkshire. I applied with a little trepidation both because they are all such talented people but also because I strictly live ‘over the hill’ and just outside the district. I do sell quite a bit of work within Ryedale and often go off in that direction armed with sketchbook and camera, so do produce ideas for work there! Anyway, I am honoured that they have allowed me to join and am looking forward to meeting up with other members and collecting my directory at the meeting next week.
This is one of my landscape panels, done some time ago but from sketches made in Ryedale. I am hoping for a trip over to Ryedale Folk Museum again soon as it is also full of inspiring objects (and fantastic displays of old tools).
Posted in courses, Design, drawing, enamel, Metal clay classes, Riso Screen printing, workshops, Yorkshire
Tagged art, artists, colour, craft, north Yorkshire, Ryedale
Book now for exciting new class
Saturday and Sunday 7th and 8th July 2012
I am very excited to announce a Special Two Day Enamelling workshop with Guest Tutor Tilly Wilkinson here in my studio in Glaisdale. Tilly was formerly an Art and Design teacher but has now been enamelling for quite a number of years. She is a Craftsman of the Guild of Enamellers,
regional representative for the Guild for the Northwest of England and North Wales and the Guild’s Chairman for 2011-12. She works work mainly on copper and silver and design and make all of her own pieces.
Images into enamel with Tilly Wilkinson
Enamelling on copper and steel using riso screens. Learn how to make your own silk screens to produce a range of images, either from existing illustrations/ photographs or from your own drawings. Produce colourful and beautiful wall panels from these images on either copper or steel. Suitable for those who are new to enamelling or those with some enamelling experience. A range of ready made screens will also be available for you to use. There will be a charge for copper and steel used during the course. The maximum size of copper or steel will be 100mm x 100mm, smaller pieces will be available. Riso screen material will be charged at £3.50 per A4 sheet.
Enamels and equipment are included in the course fee.
The course fee is £150 per person for the weekend. A deposit of £50 will secure your place and booking is essential as there are limited places available. To book your place contact Lynne
(Bring a packed lunch)
This is the first weekend of the Guild of Enamellers Exhibition at the Pannett Art Gallery in Whitby so why not make a long weekend or short holiday and enjoy Whitby and the surrounding area as well.
Inspiring days out
I am extremely lucky to work in the creative industries and have had a couple of days feeding my own creativity. On Tuesday I went with a small group of volunteers from Whitby Museum to visit White Rose Candle Workshop, Wensley, near Leyburn. I love tools, processes and techniques and other peoples workshops so this was a real treat. Mick and Jen made us very welcome and it was great to hear Mick talk about the science of candles and how he works to make sure the candles they produce don’t smoke excessively or dribble wax.
He has devised an ingenious device to help with the dipping process and his warning notice made me smile
Today I attended a class with printmaker Dawn Brooks in Scarborough. I am taking a short 8 week course with her experimenting with a variety of print making techniques. I have never really done any print making before. Today we were introduced to this amazing press at Crescent Arts in Scarborough and were able to print from the Lino cuts we made last week.
I think Dawn said that this is a Columbian press?
I have left my prints in the drying rack but here is a photo of the final attempt
I prefer one of the earlier versions but couldn’t photograph them as they were a layer below on the drying rack.
I work quite slowly but here you can see that the group managed to produce quite a large volume of work in the two hour session. Next week we are doing transfer printing. It is exciting trying out these different techniques and I can already see ways of using Lino printing with my enamels – always good to try something new, get out of my comfort zone (even get a bit messy)!
Posted in courses, Design, drawing, workshops, Yorkshire
Tagged candles, North Yorkshire Crafts, print making, workshops
Pins and fasteners
I have been looking at some work I made a few years ago, this kind of a review is useful and at this time of year and I like to plan new projects for the Spring.
This is a brooch I made about 6 years ago, exploring the use of line by making a long narrow strip of silver, texturing and forming it. One of the aims was to make sure that the ends of the brooch pin were contained, not sticking out past the surface so nice and safe to wear. I will be teaching traditional silver jewellery making this year, please get in contact if this is something you are interested in learning.
Here are some of the exciting classes for 2012 including
2nd March 2012 Rings in metal clay
3rd March 2012 Introduction to art clay silver
10th March 2012 Introduction to enamel on art clay silver
30th March 2012 Hollow forms in art clay silver
17th, 18th, 31st March and 1st April 2012 Art Clay Certification Level 1
28th April 2012 Introduction to Art clay silver
30th April 2012 Hollow forms in art clay silver
5th, 6th, 9th, 10th May – one day workshops in enamelling
12th May 2012 – Keepsake pendant in silver clay at the Castle Museum, York
(booking through Castle Museum, York)
18th May to 21st May 2012 Art Clay Certification Level 1
13th June 2012 Special studio open day
14th, 15th July 2012 Two day class using art clay silver over glass beads
28th, 29th July 2012 Two day class art clay silver and plique a jour enamel
8th September 2012 Introduction to art clay silver
20th and 21st October 2012 Cloisonné enamelling and metal clay
Dates book up quite quickly so please get in contact if you are wanting a place.
For more information, booking, prices and terms please go to metal-clay.co
Designing for enamel
Although my workshop is undergoing major rebuilding I am still designing and making work. One of the things I enjoy about working with art clay silver and enamel is that they can be done in the minimum space and with relatively few tools. This is why they can be such rewarding crafts to take up as a hobby – as well as working, as I do, at the professional level.
At the moment I have a temporary workbench set up in a corner of the bedroom. Although it isn’t a huge work surface there is room for my mini kiln, my basic clay tools, hotplate and I even have a hairdryer on a hook underneath. I will be glad to get back into the workshop eventually but have no excuse to stop working in the meantime. At the moment I am beginning a commission for some enamelled beads but this is in its early stages, with a lot of work still to do.
If you would like to learn something about either enamelling or art clay silver I will be teaching lots of different classes in 2012. To find out more go to
These are small enamelled stud earrings.
Posted in Art clay silver, cloisonne enamel, courses, Design, drawing, enamel, enamel on silver, Enamel silver jewellery, introduction to enamelling, Lampwork glass beads, Metal clay classes, Silver and enamel jewellery, silver jewellery, Yorkshire
Tagged art clay silver, enamel Jewellery, enamelling on silver, glass beads, silver Jewellery
