CONTEMPORARY VITREOUS ENAMEL

I have been experimenting with enamel again while exploring the theme of Lost Relatives.

The label shape gives me a sense of freedom, I feel like I am making samples not pictures.

If one goes wrong I have not wasted a huge amount of time or materials, so I take more risks.

These pieces are all on enamel grade steel using a combination of wet and sifted enamels, digital and screen printed transfers, with bits and bobs sewn on.

PUTTING MY FACE ON

What a difference a couple of days can make, faces, wings crowns and shoes are on,

all I have to do now is attach the legs and pins.

In between all this brooch related activity I have been preparing my substrates for a new project. The lovely man who looks after my 2CV allowed me into his workshop yesterday to cut metal on his guillotine

and use his metal roller to shape these cow parsley sections...all for the price of a lemon drizzle cake.

How many of you hear me shout, 'I will never make jewellery', I do make the odd set of earrings for personal consumption and nothing is more odd than this pair of surreal inspired drops.

 

There has to be fun, in fact it is all fun!!

A FEW FINISHED LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

Ladies and gentlemen should be said in your head with a Franky Howard voice.

If Monty Python made brooches they would look like this...I hope!

PREPARATION

Cheltenham Open Studios starts 8 June, yes that does seem a long time in the future, but time goes by so quickly these days I thought I should make a bit of a start.

Here is a batch of my Ladies waiting for faces. The Fairies are waiting for gold and silver crowns and slippers.
 

GET FRESH

Yesterday I whizzed down to Bovey Tracy, Devon to see the Get Fresh exhibition at the Devon Guild of Craftsmen.

It is on until the 24th February.

The gallery is light and spacious and full of interesting emerging artists.

It is an interesting mix of contemporary craft

Jo Taylor ceramics.

Paul Stopler glass.

Rebekah Lockley ceramics.

Joshua Kerley mixed media.

Jennifer Rose Norris textiles.

 

And many more, there is also a cafe that does great cake.

STILL EXPERIMENTING

I am still playing with the enamel, still treating the making of these pieces like sketch book pages.

Layers of ivory coloured enamel over sgraffito through grey grip coat.

Stoning back through the layers to reveal the drawing.

Then adding the Victorian transfers and screen printed detail.

Thanks to my friend Brian who let me have these unnamed relatives and the post card messages.

 

I have now used up my Victorian photos, so perhaps my work will move in a different direction?

IF YOU CAN...

In between mucking about with enamel I am continuing to make collagraph prints.

A new Andalusian Bantam, feisty, yet with a chintzy edge.

An edition to my tropical bird collection, carborundum and polyfilla inked up in Blue Black ink.

Pass the Guinness!