Stella Curry

Last Summer, I visited the Biennale in Limoges which I very much enjoyed. It was very exciting to see shops filled with enamel pictures. Some of these were exquisite copies of famous oil paintings and in a couple of shops enamellers had branched out with more modern themes, experimental techniques, or older mediaeval styles. Some of these shops had a little workshop at the back where the enameller would sit, working.

 

One of these shops has cheerful pale blue paintwork and “Emailleur” (enameller) is written above the door in real enamelled letters, each one in a different colour. This is the “atelier” (workshop/ studio) of Paul Buforn. After working as a porcelain painter, M. Buforn took a business studies course, trained with some local enamellers and finally set up in what has become a well-established and successful private business capable of supporting a wife and three young children.

 

When I was exploring Limoges, I went to M. Buforn's shop to see his enamels and as I was leaving, he handed me his card. I noticed that one of the things he offered was courses! I was

thrilled as I had gone to Limoges privately, hoping for an opportunity to study with one of the local enamellers, whose style is quite different from our own.

I went back into the shop and arranged to return in early Autumn for a week's tuition. M. Buforn explained that for a group of five students he would have been willing to close the shop, but as there was only to be one, we would work in the shop so that he could also serve his customers. This suited me fine as I was very interested to see the business side as well. In the event I ended up translating for some English-speaking customers!

 

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