A Splash of Colour

Review. Beginners Enamelling Workshop (February 2013). London Jewellery School, London.

I don't know about you, but in winter and especially during the early months of the year when I'm desperate for spring, sunshine and warmth I absolutely crave colour. It has long puzzled me that in a country deprived of the naturally vibrant hues of warmer climates our palettes for winter clothing are so dismal and dingy. I think we really need an injection of brightness to cheer us all up.

With that in mind I jumped at the chance to introduce some colour to my jewellery and learn the basics of enamelling at the London Jewellery School. It was a fantastic sunday! In comparison to other jewellery techniques (like stonesetting !!!) there were elements to it that are satisfyingly immediate. Instant gratification isn't something typically offered by the practice of metal working.

As the second class I've attended at LJS I knew to expect a good level of equipment and organisation - everything was well set up so that we could all get cracking with colour. We had a brief introduction and some handy help sheets on the different techniques, our work spaces were set up and in no time we were away under the friendly supervision of Michelle Leaver.

First up was dry enamelling. Using copper blanks we counter enamelled the back of our pieces to ensure that the right side colour didn't warp and crack, then we got to play with the assorted opaque and transparent colours! I was very pleased with how my first go turned out. I put a couple of layers of colour on the piece trying to get a nice balance and blend of the white and red opaque background then made a little stencil and applied a layer of transparent turquoise.

Next I got to try my hand at a technique I had been hankering to explore - scraffito. Another dry enamelling technique where you can scratch out a design in the piece. My effort here was inspired by the positive vibes of the Holstee Manifesto. 

Fortified by a spot of food we resumed work in the afternoon, progressing to the more complex and far glossier practice of wet enamelling! This involved a lot more prepping than the dry (where essentially you are shaking glass compound onto a prepared surface and firing). Time consuming though it was, it was still good fun to play with the colour and to achieve a very different effect...

Another great joy of taking craft classes/workshops is the people you get to meet. This class was no exception. In keeping with colour seeking I had the great fortune to meet a lovely Cambridge based jeweller and hairdresser - Hannah Collins, wearing a great bright red coat. Do check out her beautiful website and work - http://www.hannah-collins.com/! 

Hammer & Pickle Ratings:

Value - 5/5

Although not a cheap option (what jewellery making is?!) LJS is wonderfully equipped, everything needed is provided in the cost of the class and I came away from the day with 2 pendants and a pair of earrings. Quite an excellent haul I think :)

Vibes - 5/5

Michelle Leaver's calm presence and the nature of enamelling meant this was a perfect relaxed Sunday activity. Hot kilns, but chilled jewellers.

Pickle Rating - 2/5

Although the dry enamelling technique is straightforward it does require a steady hand! There was a fair bit of huffing and puffing from yours truly during a space of about 15 minutes where I repeatedly failed to get my prepared pendant onto its stand. 

A Sable Silver’d: or the printmaking class that never was

Back in ye annals of history… Well no, a couple of years ago, I hit one of those uncomfortable phases. A low, a rut, a downer, a funk if you will. I felt like I was drifting aimlessly. My then wonderful bf, now wonderful husband, kept urging me to do something (!!!) – in a supportive way, you understand. However, being a somewhat obstinate creature I plodded onwards with determination for quite sometime in my funk.

Looking back I’m not sure what it was that did it, but the resolve came for me to venture out into the world once more and try my hand at something creative. The dusky environs of evening classes beckoned and I spotted an evening class just down the road in printmaking. I had tried my hand at the same as part of a City and Guild course in Life Drawing and really enjoyed it. I decided the time for action had come!

I was wrong.

Due to insufficient interest the class was cancelled, my cheque was returned and I was sorely disappointed.

That could so easily have been the end of the story. Return of the funk.

Here’s the good news – it was just the beginning! The beginning of a far superior story. The story of how I became a silversmith…

A sable silver’d: Fish Bangle

The thing you need to know about the dead, decapitated fish is that it genuinely seemed to be smiling at me.  I simply couldn’t resist a close up:

I want to start my adventure with blogging by sharing my favourite self-made piece of jewellery. One of my first pieces, designed and made by yours truly and I really love it. It had a joyful but macabre start to life as a dead and decapitated fish washed up on the beach. As I sat contemplating what on earth I was going to do with the gift of 2 hours a week to spend amongst interesting creative people in a well stocked jewellery studio adjacent to the river cam, it came to me – that fish! The dead one, the one that had been decapitated from the head down. Well, it was so cheerful! How could it translate to jewellery? Yes, of course! How about a dead fish bangle…

Well, I feel very lucky to have come across that fish. I think it turned out pretty well. Don’t you?