for The Kenneth Benton Award
Lesley Miller was the first winner of this new award, chosen by the Selectors at our annual conference as the most original and innovative piece of work.
Here Lesley writes about her winning piece.
"I was at a loss so far as design ideas for this year's theme was concerned, until I attended a Region 7 workshop at the end of March and glanced through a fellow member's book about Gaudi. Then I suddenly thought that it might be possible to make a frame for a mirror based on the wrought iron balconies of Casa Milà. I was working on a design using thin copper and decided that this would be a good base to get the flowing effect I needed.
Raymond Jackson
As a relative newcomer to enamelling and on my first visit to the Annual Conference at Leicester, it was difficult to decide between all the tutorials on offer. I opted for the enamel painting since I had no experience of this technique. I anticipated the learning curve would be steep but, under Dayna's patient and helpful guidance, I learnt a lot, enjoyed it and came away with some points to ponder. More of that later.
This was Dayna's first tutorial for the Guild, but it was clear from the exquisite examples of her work, that she was a real artist in this technique. She had started work in the jewellery quarter in Birmingham working first for Toye, Kenning and Spencer and latterly for Thomas Fattorini. At both, she was employed as a miniature vitreous enamel painter working on civic regalia and heraldic commissions. She is now a self-employed enamel artist.
Jane Ball
Having first learnt about enamelling just under three years ago, I thought I had covered a range of techniques experimenting with silver jewellery enamelling. Then I attended my first Guild of Enamellers Conference !
The range of different ways of using enamels on exhibition was vast. I had chosen to attend Betty Butler's course on copper foil enamelling, not knowing what copper foil was. I had never worked on copper and certainly never dry laid/sieved enamel.
Stell Shevis
Reproduced from 'Glass on Metal' April 2000
The first technique described was illustrated with bold colourful gardens and landscapes and the second with painted snowy scenes and a coastal one.
Working with Wet Inlay
When recently asked to give a one day workshop in enamelling for beginners, I wanted to give them two or three easy techniques ..... like sifting with stencils, sgraffito and wet pack. So, I started making some samples to show them.
Using 1¼" copper squares I counter enamelled a couple of dozen pieces. Fired just enough to set the counter enamel so the top surface could be cleaned simply by rubbing with a damp paper towel, keeping fingers off the top.
Over the years I have formalised a general approach to my work with enamels which takes the form of a series of steps. It may be written as a sequence, inspiration - sources - technique - accomplishment - presentation. I place equal value on each step as, for instance, bad presentation negates all that has gone before.
We all know inspiration can be an elusive matter, some days being better than others. I keep lots of pictures and make notes and drawings as ideas occur to me.
The flower pieces in the colour plate were inspired by leafing through a garden planting catalogue. At the end my mind was holding flower forms and colours. From memory I drew a few quick sketches noting arrangements and colour combinations. Usually, I use water-colour or pastel to obtain an idea of what the final outcome may be.
