Barbara Minor - Surface Enameling Techniques, April 20-21, 2013
(sold out)

Students will Learn inspiring, decorative techniques that quickly yield colorful, exciting and complex enameled surface designs while gaining basic information and skills for successful enameling:
Create complex, decorative enameled surfaces through use of a variety of innovative techniques. Patterned screens for dry silkscreen printing will be used to achieve repeat patterns and detailed designs. Found or purchased stencils allow for creation of varied and unusual designs. Scrafitto, or drawing through layers of powdered enamel with a pointed tool, yields imaginative designs that are free and spontaneous. You may use these techniques separately or together with opaque enamels to create diverse results based on your ideas.
Enameling basics will include metals to enamel on, fast/easy methods for cleaning metal prior to enameling, particle size choice, reasons for counter enamel, and dry enamel application methods on flat or slightly formed metal. Edge finishing and examples of setting options will be discussed and demonstrated.
Students will have time to work on and fire pieces using the various enameling techniques demonstrated. Pieces created in the workshop can serve as examples for future reference or can be suitable for setting with other jewelry techniques and materials.
Instructor will have a variety of flat circles and squares, domed circles and pre-formed pendant or pin shapes for students to purchase for enameling on. Students may bring their own copper shapes. Suggested maximum size is 2” x 2”.
* Barbara's lovely piece above is titled "Ornament House". It is 3" high x 1.75" wide x .25" deep; opaque enamel on copper, fabricated sterling silver; stencil, dry screen printing.(Photo credit Ralph Gabriner)
Create complex, decorative enameled surfaces through use of a variety of innovative techniques. Patterned screens for dry silkscreen printing will be used to achieve repeat patterns and detailed designs. Found or purchased stencils allow for creation of varied and unusual designs. Scrafitto, or drawing through layers of powdered enamel with a pointed tool, yields imaginative designs that are free and spontaneous. You may use these techniques separately or together with opaque enamels to create diverse results based on your ideas.
Enameling basics will include metals to enamel on, fast/easy methods for cleaning metal prior to enameling, particle size choice, reasons for counter enamel, and dry enamel application methods on flat or slightly formed metal. Edge finishing and examples of setting options will be discussed and demonstrated.
Students will have time to work on and fire pieces using the various enameling techniques demonstrated. Pieces created in the workshop can serve as examples for future reference or can be suitable for setting with other jewelry techniques and materials.
Instructor will have a variety of flat circles and squares, domed circles and pre-formed pendant or pin shapes for students to purchase for enameling on. Students may bring their own copper shapes. Suggested maximum size is 2” x 2”.
* Barbara's lovely piece above is titled "Ornament House". It is 3" high x 1.75" wide x .25" deep; opaque enamel on copper, fabricated sterling silver; stencil, dry screen printing.(Photo credit Ralph Gabriner)
About Barbara Minor

Barbara completed her B.F.A. and M.F.A. degrees in jewelry and metalsmithing at the University of Illinois and Indiana State University. She began enameling during graduate school and continued explorations of enamel processes, with the support of research grants, while teaching at the State University of New York at Geneseo. During this time she began enameling on formed metal, creating enamel jewelry and narrative reliefs in enamel.
Barbara now lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she concentrates on her enameled jewelry and small object designs as well as research on experimental enameling techniques and creating new enameled bead and jewelry pieces. She conducts workshops, lectures and demonstrations on a variety of subjects related to enameling on metal, metal and forming, and design/pattern development using enamel color for crafts schools, universities and guilds. Barbara exhibits and markets her enamel jewelry at major juried craft shows and galleries across the U.S. and abroad. Check out her websites at www.barbaraminor.com and www.barbaraminorenamels.com.
Barbara now lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she concentrates on her enameled jewelry and small object designs as well as research on experimental enameling techniques and creating new enameled bead and jewelry pieces. She conducts workshops, lectures and demonstrations on a variety of subjects related to enameling on metal, metal and forming, and design/pattern development using enamel color for crafts schools, universities and guilds. Barbara exhibits and markets her enamel jewelry at major juried craft shows and galleries across the U.S. and abroad. Check out her websites at www.barbaraminor.com and www.barbaraminorenamels.com.
Skill level: For all skill levels.
2 Days, 9:30am to 5:00pm, $375, PLUS $65 Kit Fee (ordered directly from instructor).
2 Days, 9:30am to 5:00pm, $375, PLUS $65 Kit Fee (ordered directly from instructor).