This year has flown by and been a very exciting one for me. Since my last letter I have enjoyed a visit to Bath with a group of members, organised by Emily Kelly. We went first to see some enamels from the Holbourne collection currently in storage while the museum is being refurbished. They were laid out on tables for us to examine and gloves provided so that we could handle them if we wished. We were privileged to have the company and expertise of Erika Speel and it was pure pleasure to see Erika in action with her magnifying glass pointing out aspects that assist in the identification and dating of historic enamels. We then went briefly to the art gallery before having tea with the Mayor and his staff and viewing enamelled pieces of the Civic regalia.
 
I followed this by a visit to Region 4 for the workshop run by Jane Moore on using enamel transfers. It was great to meet everyone and Jane put a huge amount of preparation and energy into this very enjoyable workshop.
 
At the beginning of October I went over to the Art Clay Conference on Jersey where Joy Funnell and I each ran workshops. Congratulations to Joy who ran a very successful class entitled Enamelled Accents. Her Venetian inspired enamelled mask was used on all the conference publicity material, she won two awards in the themed exhibition as well as winning the prize draw which was her deposit for a trip to visit Japan next spring.
 
From a personal point of view I am still enjoying my year as artist in residence at Whitby Museum and now have a dual role as I have recently been appointed Deputy Keeper to the museum. I am in the midst of planning and research for a jewellery exhibition at the museum due to open in March next year.
 
The plans for the 2010 conference are finalised (subject to any last minute alterations). The conference will be held at Nottingham University. It is a large out of town campus with good access from the Ml and good transport links. We will be using two buildings on the campus and there is a walk of approximately 10 minutes between the two buildings, but car parking close to each building. Most of the activities will take place in Hugh Stewart Hall. The rooms are all either ground or first floor but there is no lift access. The Dining Hall is one of the rooms on the first floor. I will have some photographs of the venue added to the Guild website but if you have any concerns about accessibility please telephone me or Liz Gilliland to discuss it before booking.
 
I have really enjoyed putting the programme together and it has made me think again about some of the techniques I loved when I first started enamelling. I hope there will be something for everyone - my only problem being that I actually want to do them all! The line up is Dorothy Cockrell, Jill Leventon, Lesley Miller, Janet Notman, Jane Short and Mr Toshihide Ueeda. Ellen Goldman has kindly agreed to devise some fun for the ‘Art Attack’ when we arrive on the Friday evening. Glyn Mitchell is going to give us a short presentation about the beginning of the new region on the Channel Islands and on Saturday evening our speaker will be Dale Devereux Barker. The Masterclass on the Sunday will be by Mr Toshihide Ueeda and having met him and attended one of his master classes a couple of years ago am sure it will be exciting and entertaining to watch.
 
I am very grateful to the Aida Corporation who manufacture Art Clay products and are bringing Mr Ueeda over to our conference. He is a Standing Director of Japan Enamelling Artist Association and a technical supervisor of Aida Chemical Industries Co. Ltd.
 
My thanks go to all of the tutors and speakers who have kindly agreed to give up their time for us. I hope that you get your booking in quickly and look forward to seeing you at Nottingham in April.
 
 
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As we welcome in the New Year Guild members know it’s that time of year when our thoughts are focused on the Guild Conference 2009. This will be a special year for the Guild, marking our thirtieth anniversary and we are going to celebrate it in York at the Thorpe Underwood Estate. This venue is a new one for the Guild and offers us high quality facilities. It is situated ten miles west of the City and a bus link will be provided from York Station for any of you coming by public transport.
 
Conference is a great way to meet other members, take part in workshops and display any of your own work in our main Themed Exhibition. There is also the opportunity to buy tools and materials from our Suppliers, attend talks by invited guest speakers and watch a Master Class on the final morning. It is also a good way to learn more about the Guild in general and meet some of the faces behind the names you see in the Journal. For those of you new to the Guild, if you wish to attend Conference, it is important you book as soon as possible, as places fill very quickly.
 
This year we are offering six workshops during the weekend plus an Art Attack on the Friday afternoon, with Bonnie Mackintosh. This means we can offer more choice and more places for you. The line up for the Saturday classes is as follows; Enamelling on Steel with John Ball, who will show you the process without needing to acid etch the steel in advance, Experimental Leaf and Foils with Ruth Ball, a day of exploring the artistic possibilities, Plique-à-jour with Phil Barnes, learn the free laying method working with silver, Painting Enamels with Gillie Hoyte Byrom, an invaluable step by step guide, Design Development with Sarah Macrae, an inspiring and confidence building day for those who want to improve their enamel design skills and Transfers with Jane Moore, a close look at decals where Jane will share her extensive knowledge on this subject. Full details of each class are listed in the Conference section of this Journal. 
 
The Master Class on Sunday morning will be Engraving – using hand tools and using the Gravermax system. Phil Barnes and Harry Forster-Stringer, both experts in their fields, will demonstrate the two methods of engraving. We also have a very special guest speaker after dinner on the Saturday night. Fred Rich, the internationally renowned enamel artist, has kindly accepted our invitation to join us and talk about his passion for enamel and how he approaches his work.
 
Liana Pattihis, an up and coming graduate from Middlesex University who is currently showing work in The Playing with Fire touring Exhibition as well as outlets in New York and Chicago, will be giving a glimpse into her extraordinary enamel world on Friday evening after the AGM. For those who didn’t made it to the Playing with Fire Exhibition in Devon, note that the show started its UK tour as of November 15th, at the Shire Hall Gallery, Stafford, and is there until 4th January. It will then be going onto the Visual Arts Centre in Lincolnshire from 28 Feb – 9 May. A report by Evangeline Long is featured in the BSOE newsletter, October 2008 edition.
 
Back in late September I went to London to show my work at the Goldsmiths’ Fair, which is always a highlight of my year for many reasons, least of all because the Goldsmiths’ Livery Hall where the show is held is one of the most majestic buildings I know in the City. As ever, many members visited and had a great day out. During this time I was able to set up an affiliation between the Guild and ‘Benchpeg’, a weekly newsletter that offers a signposting facility for the British Jewellery Trade. This means the Guild is now listed on the front page of Benchpeg, where you can easily click onto our name to enter our website. It is free and we can also send specific information that we want listed on the newsletter whenever it is appropriate. If you don’t already receive Benchpeg, have a look at www.benchpeg.com
 
While I was in London I was also invited to the V&A museum to meet with Juanita Navarro who is the Senior Conservator for Ceramics and Glass. Juanita is currently undertaking a research project in her own time looking at the technique of Émail en résille sur verre, French for ‘enamel in a net/network on glass’, or email en résille (EER). The V&A have a small collection of these delicate pieces that consist of a glass base with cavities lined with gold foil and filled with transparent and opaque enamels. I was lucky enough to handle some of them, to discuss how they were possibly made. Juanita is investigating where and when they were made and by whom if possible, with a view to creating a database of the objects and bibliographic references. Although I could not help Juanita with the historical details, Erika Speel kindly briefed me before my visit with the knowledge she holds on this subject. What was supposed to be a one-hour visit turned into four, going behind the scenes at somewhere like the V&A is a wonderful experience!
 
Since that time I have been to Edinburgh to the Region ½ annual meeting, which was held on the first weekend in November. I would like to thank Dorothy Cockrell as Regional Representative for a brilliantly well-organised event and to all the members who made me feel so welcome! We met at the Lapidary Club in Leith and despite a fuse blowing when all the kilns were turned on (Dorothy and Tony quickly sorted it out), Pat Johnson came along and calmly showed us how to make and use Riso screens with dry enamel. It was a rare opportunity for me to have a play with enamel using copper panels, which I thoroughly enjoyed and by the afternoon I had really got into the swing of it and came away triumphantly with two completed pieces.
 

There is still much to be done before Christmas, lots of orders to get out and all that shopping, but by the time you are reading this, I intend to be at home relaxing with my feet up, the cat on my lap sipping a wee dram of a good malt! Happy New Year to you all and I look forward to seeing many of you again at Conference in York.

 

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Well I hope you’re all booking 28th – 30th March 2008, ready for our conference at Leicester. We will be in a brand new part of the university, with everything very close to hand, and all workshops in one building. All accommodation is new, single ensuite, in blocks of 3-5 with central kitchen area - lift to all floors. I am very excited about our tutors and workshops, as there is something for everyone, whatever your ability or knowledge. From Wet Laying and Colour Mixing with Jane Short; use of a Thermal Imager to produce fine Riso screens with Pat Johnson; Easy Etching with Penny Gildea; Press Forming & Texturing with Jill Leventon; and a chance to put last years Masterclass into practice with Polishing and Finishing with Rachel Gogerly. (Please book early to avoid disappointment, as some workshops are filled within a few days!)
 
On Friday evening, after the AGM, Ellen Goldman will be sharing some of her work and life with us, with an illustrated talk. Then on Saturday evening we will have the opportunity to see what’s been happening in all the various workshops with an exhibition of all work produced and a chance to find out how they did it! On Sunday the Master Class will be given by Sarah Macrae, a very experienced jeweller, teacher and writer, who will be showing us how to be creative on paper, developing ideas and designs for our own work – no excuses for weak sketch books after this class!
 
Don’t forget to bring your wallets too, as we have a wonderful range of suppliers, including beads from Marcia Lanyon, tools and equipment from H S Walsh, Art clay from Joy and Glyn, and enamels from W G Ball, Thompsons c/o John Goldman, and Vitrum Signum. Plus our own DVD’s and video’s for sale, including Rachel’s on polishing and finishing from last years Masterclass. (Most suppliers will be happy to bring pre-ordered items to conference for you, saving postage costs – don’t forget to order in plenty of time).
 
All you need to do now is get busy enamelling, so you can bring all your beautiful work with you to put in our exhibition. Don’t forget the theme Gillie chose for this years conference; ‘Size matters’. I shall look forward to seeing your results!
 
We may also have some visitors from the Institute of Vitreous Enamellers popping in to view our exhibition over the weekend, as I had the pleasure of attending their AGM in September as an invited guest by Chairman Chris Taylor, at the Black Country Museum, Dudley. After enjoying a canal boat ride into the caverns and tunnels under Dudley, (where my husband used to play as a child), we had a very interesting talk from John Ball and then a presentation by their president, Mike Collins, on new techniques of producing full colour digital images in enamel to a very high specification. This was followed by a visit to the archives below the museum where they held many enamel objects in store. If you see John Ball, ask him what he found out that day concerning a painted vase! It was interesting to see how enamel has been used over the years, in the home and in industry, and how well it has lasted - the museum was littered with enamel objects. Well worth a visit if you’re in the Midlands any time. Chatting with some of the IVE members, it was interesting that not all were aware of the more creative aspects of enamelling, so hence the invitation for them to see how ‘we do it’! Check out their website for more details, www.ive.org.uk
 
I have also enjoyed some wonderful visits to Regions 6 and 1, and look forward to meeting members at Region 7 in January. Please do support your local reps and meetings, they work very hard for your benefit and it’s so lovely to develop friendships and work in a relaxed and informal atmosphere.
 
Finally, please don’t forget the new ‘Enamel Painting Award’, kindly presented by Gillie at last year’s conference. Also, I would like to add my rather late, but heartfelt congratulations to Gillie, Phil Barnes, Rachel Gogerly, Rachel Emmerson and Hali Baykov for their exceptional awards from Goldsmiths in 2007. It’s even more special that each of these folks have supported the Guild over the years, encouraging and teaching our members, so well done and thank you for your continuing generosity.

 

 
I’m thrilled and honoured to take on the role of this year’s Chairman, and am currently still reeling with the excitement of our recent conference held at Nottingham University. It was such an amazing experience to witness the wealth of talent and enthusiasm of our members. Those of you who were fortunate to attend will now be aware that I am not much of a public speaker, so it’s good to get this opportunity to thank everyone for their kind support, and to let you all know that I shall do my best in the coming year to promote our Guild and to meet as many of you as possible.
 
I started out as a jewellery student in weekly Adult Education classes back in the late 80’s, when the crèche facility at my local centre offered a bit of welcome “me-time” and an escape from children and housework! Now, after twenty-odd years of studying, I am still passionate about my craft and lucky enough to have benefited from tuition with Monica Larkin and Bonnie Macintosh. I began teaching enamelling several years ago, and now work at three different centres in the South East London area. It’s been an interesting experience to be both student and teacher for many years, and I feel I owe a lot to the old Adult Education system, which now appears to be in sad decline due to funding and bureaucracy difficulties.
 
I was introduced to the Guild by Monica, and became a member about eight years ago. It was great to discover a source of so much talent and friendly experience, active and enthusiastic, right on my doorstep! I was immediately made to feel so welcome, and enjoyed my region’s workshops and of course the annual conferences. I became the region 7 rep in 2005, roundabout the time I studied for my City & Guilds under Bonnie, and feel the Guild has always been such a helpful, welcoming group. In 2008, I finally plucked up the courage to enter my work for selection at the Leicester conference. I was truly elated to be awarded Craftsman status, along with the Maureen Carswell award.
 
As regional rep I have witnessed the steady increase in membership, along with a decline in local education courses. Contemporary use of enamels has generated interest from a younger audience, who must now rely on organisations such as our Guild to supply information and training. I think it’s wonderful that we have taken this on board and encourage younger talent with such concepts as the bursary scheme and the new Judith Harris Young People’s Award. So it is with great fondness and trepidation that I take up the Chairman’s reins, and hope that I am able to offer my experience in education to the benefit of the Guild in the coming year.
 
 
 
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I am honoured and excited to take on the role of Chairman for the forthcoming year. For those of you who don’t know me I joined the Guild when I began enamelling in the summer of 1998, having bought my kiln and starter kit by mail order. At my first conference at York in 1999 I was rash enough to enter for selection, gained Associate level and won the Hans Theilade award. More importantly the first people I met were Dorothy, Veronica Matthew, Margaret Taylor and May Yarker who welcomed, encouraged and took great care of me. I volunteered to become librarian which not only gave me instant access to the wealth of inspiring information the library holds but also brought me into contact via the telephone with a wider network of members as they phoned to request books and catalogues. I could not have guessed at the impact these early steps would have on my life, leading eventually to a complete change in career. I am currently artist in residence at Whitby Museum and every day throws up interesting and exciting challenges.
 
Our AGM and conference this year took place at the Thorpe Underwood Estate near York and marked the Guild’s 30th year. I hope everyone who attended enjoyed the event and must thank the team for all their hard work in organising it, with particular thanks to Liz and Rachel. We had a fantastic group of tutors and speakers and I enjoyed seeing the inspiring work produced by members both at the workshops and for the exhibitions. I was particularly impressed by the work of Michael Cartwright aged 12, I think probably our youngest exhibitor at a Guild conference. He is a student of Tilly Wilkinson who has been enthusiastically nurturing some potential younger members and was one of three members gaining Craftsman status at selection this year. The other two were Joy Funnell and Gillie Hoyte Byrom. Congratulations to you all and thank you to all who entered for selection. It takes a great deal of hard work and commitment but selection is an important part of the role of the Guild in raising the standard of enamelling. I hope I can encourage you all to have a go, even if only for the challenge of producing your best work yet. Gillie Hoyte Byrom has also worked hard developing the bursary scheme and I must welcome our first official joint sponsors of the bursary, Craft & Design Magazine and W G Ball Ltd. 
 
The Guild continues to go from strength to strength thanks to the hard work and enthusiasm of its members, particularly within the regions. I am pleased to welcome Glyn Mitchell as the first regional representative for Jersey and the Channel Islands. Joy Funnell and I will be joining Glyn for the Art Clay Guild conference later this year, where Joy and I will both be tutors. It will be a great opportunity to promote the Guild’s activities and hopefully meet some of our newest region’s members. By the time this goes to print I will have had a weekend in Edinburgh where Dorothy and I have been invited to run an enamelling workshop for the Scottish region of the Art Clay Guild. It is interesting how beneficial links and overlaps with related organisations can be. It is through the Art Clay Guild that I met Mr Toshihide Ueeda, a Director of the Japan Enamelling Artist Association, who I have invited to be one of the tutors at next year’s conference. I am hoping that he will also be able to bring a selection of their members work to exhibit during the conference. He will be just one of an exciting line up for the conference that will take place at Nottingham University.
 
Looking ahead, I hope to visit some of the regions in what is becoming a bit of a tradition for the Chair. I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible over the coming year. I think one of the great strengths of our Guild is the wide variety of people who form its membership; the fact that it is all inclusive and that everyone is so generous in sharing their skills, ideas and time in promoting our craft. You can be sure I will be enjoying myself this year and persuading as many people as I can to have a go at enamelling, I know how addictive it is. If any of you venture up to North Yorkshire then don’t forget to get in touch and I will be happy to show you whatever odd things I am working on or even give you a tour of Whitby Museum. Anyway, until next time, I hope you all have a happy and productive summer. Long may our Guild flourish and continue to encourage us all.
 
 
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More Articles ...

  1. Letter from the Chair Summer 2008 Rachel Gogerly
  2. Letter from the Chair Spring 2010 Lynne Glazzard
  3. Letter from the Chair Spring 2011 Ruby Tomes
  4. Letter from the Chair Spring 2009 Rachel Gogerly
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