CONTEMPORARY ENAMEL EXPERIMENTS

Lost relatives is a relevant theme for me at the moment.  

I am enjoying creating fantasy narratives around these images. 

Some lend themselves to obvious visual hooks.

My grandfather as a boy, lost because he died decades before I was born.

Is this a long lost aunt, I found her image in my fathers photograph album and will never have the chance to find out who she is.

I am thrilled with how well these etched steel labels enamel.

Did I notice that the cut outs look like an extension of her dress?

Does my father look like my children at the same age? Lost 30 years ago, but continuing as part of the next generation.

This work could easily become mawkish, but it is sad that these faces should be hidden from view and who knows someone might recognise who they are.

Found relatives, now there's a theme!

AN ENGLISH COUNTRY GARDEN

I am working in the shed this weekend, of course the weather was going to be fantastic!

Looking like an extra from Star Wars, but preparing steel for enamelling with Spirits of Salts this look is essential.

And here I am a Minion from Despicable Me.

All to make work ready for Art in Action in July.

But most of the weekend has been taken up with tidying the garden

in readiness for Cheltenham Open Studios.

We open for a week from 8th June.

By then I should have a garden full of Scarlet Tiger Moths.

WORKING AT HY-TECH ENAMELLING LTD

Remember at the beginning of November, the post, Great Expectations I proudly announced that I had undertaken a commission for Cheltenham Connect. 3 enamel panels that would celebrate 200 years of trading on the Bath Road, Cheltenham. Well that project is progressing.

Rachel and I had a very exciting day working with John at Hy-Tech Enamelling Ltd, www.hytechenamellers.co.uk having a practice before launching onto the large panels in May.

I have cut stencils which Rachel and I will be drawing through

onto the bisque enamel (that is as technical as I will get).

The panels are then put on a continuous conveyor 

and taken through the furnace and fired at 800 degrees

An extraordinary sight.

Rachel and I now know what to expect. John and his team were really welcoming and generous with their expertise. I am so looking forward to working on the real thing.

BLACK SWAN ARTS OPEN

I have just had notification from Black Swan Arts, Frome, that

this piece has been selected for their Arts Open exhibition.

From April 26 to May 25, 2013.

See www.blackswan.org.uk for details.

ETCHED COMPONENTS

I have just taken delivery of a set of etched steel labels.

I am looking forward to working on these with enamel

                                   to extend my lost Relatives project.

I have most of my shapes etched out at Etched Components in Birmingham, I am very pleased with the results.

LOST RELATIVES

These enamels are A5 in size.

Still working on the Lost Relatives.

Although this lovely image is of my maternal grandmother and grandfather, so not exactly lost, but what a fabulous holiday snap.

ENAMEL EXPERIMENTS

I am working on a set of labels based on The Lost Relatives theme.

But I find myself experimenting more and more with the juxtaposition of text and imagery.

These people, above and below I found tucked away in my fathers photograph album. An album I have known all my life, but I have not come across these relatives until now.

Who are these little girls?

Who is this woman...some relation, but that information is now lost.

The enamels may look quickly put together,

but I spend a great deal of time planning in my sketch books.

This is my teenage mother, who is now in her 90s...but don't worry, she is not lost.