I am adding new classes to my schedule and have just updated the website with dates and booking details. It is going to be an exciting year with my new studio, lots of space, lots of new ideas and some guest tutors! There will also be an exhibition by some members of the Guild of Enamellers in Whitby this summer so plenty of enamelling classes scheduled to coincide with that. You need to be a member of the Guild to be eligible to apply for the exhibition and it is worth joining even if you are a beginner as there are also lots of regional events going on.
Category Archives: introduction to enamelling
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
Introduction to cloisonné enamelling
I have had a very enjoyable day teaching a one-to-one workshop on the introduction to enamel on silver. After a short introduction and instructions on the safe use of enamel and the kiln, my student Ingrid did lots of small pencil sketches from which she selected her designs. She then learned how to wash and grind her chosen enamel colours and shaped very thin silver wires to match her design. After applying her wires to the silver base, she began to build up thin layers of enamel, firing each layer in turn.
Here are her finished pieces and very pretty they are too.
I had shown her examples of the kind of patterns I create and began this tiny pendant, that I finished off later in the day.
This is a very small pendant, only approximately 15mm x 12mm, smaller in scale than anything I have done recently (and not done any favours by the photography). It is nice to revisit the bird theme.












