Saturday 7 April 2012

VITREOUS ENAMEL - GOING LARGE

I have just come back from a blissful 4 day course at the College of West Dean near Chichester.
Enamel for large -scale public art with Elizabeth Turrell explored enamelling onto a steel substrate and culminated in a day on the Isle of White visiting AJ Wells & Sons to work on a larger sample.
These samples were made in the first 2 days of the course and are about 4in x 4ins.


Flexing our artistic muscles and warming up for our visit to the factory.


AJ Wells is the company that makes the Underground station signs...yes they are enamelled. The tour of the factory was fascinating and a real eye opener to see enamel on an industrial scale. They work with artists to create public art projects too...I can only dream.

Here is my panel after screen printing the colour onto the surface and the mask is being removed.

This kiln is a touch larger than mine at home, but the same temperature. Here my panel is going in for a 15min firing.

Waiting for it to cool down. I had the opportunity to do one firing on my panel, so I have a cunning plan to finish it and when I have I will share the piece with you all.


It is very exciting to make larger work and has given me a taste for it, the possibilities are amazing. Thankyou Elizabeth, West Dean and particularly AJ Wells for letting artists loose in their busy factory.













4 comments:

Sharon McSwiney said...

oooh Sue! Looking forward to seeing the large piece. What a fab opportunity to explore x

Sara Bowen said...

Isn't West Dean great? Did you get a chance to look at the gardens? I remember all their fabulous chillis and tomatoes! Can't wait to see what you're doing...

Caroline said...

How exciting! Looking forward to the reveal later!

RosieK said...

What an exciting and marvellous experience - thank you for sharing it Sue