Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Underglaze and Overglaze.

Boy-o! Life does creep on ya!  I have many more thoughts about the conference and have yet to find the time to write them all down. It was wonderful visiting with friends, eating at fabulous restaurants*, staying with gracious couchsurfing hosts, and meeting inspirational and established enamelists.

I drove home through the redwoods where I had my very first bald eagle sighting and came across a herd of elk.  I love the West Coast.

The class I took in coorelation with the conference was called “Form and Image” taught by Jessica Calderwood. We worked a bit with a hydraulic press and explored the possiblities of under and overglazes.  I was stoked.  I’m still stoked to apply this the new found knowledge to my pieces!  Essentially, one needs to put down a nice ground coat and counterenamel, etch the enamel to give it texture and then it is ready to draw on! With a pencil! Seriously!  A regular graphite pencil will work though we used Amaco’s underglaze pencils.  After firing it in we explored the wonders of overglazes.  I’ll stop yammering and give some examples I did in class.  How ’bout that? :)

Work in Progress from Jessica Calderwoods class in underglaze pencil and overglaze

Work in Progress from Jessica Calderwood's class in underglaze pencil and overglaze

 

Work in Progress from Jessica Calderwoods class in underglaze pencil and overglaze

Work in Progress from Jessica Calderwood's class in underglaze pencil and overglaze

 

Work in Progress from Jessica Calderwoods class in underglaze pencil and overglaze
Work in Progress from Jessica Calderwood’s class in underglaze pencil and overglaze

*Millenium, Mint Leaf, Cha Ya, B, Harveys, La Mediterranee, nom nom nom 

Posted by Margarita at 19:34:46 | Permalink | No Comments »

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Surfacing

I just got back from a fabulously inspiring work related vacation, The Enamelist Society Conference in Oakland, CA.  It was fabulous to be back in the bay area, though it turns out I didn’t leave my heart there after all.  I loved living there back in 2000, but I just don’t know if I could do it now.  It’s so overwhelming and high key compared to the life I’ve gotten used to here in Oregon.

 

On to the conference!

There were lots of talks, breakout sessions, and classes to choose from.  I’m a little sad I forgot my clonie as I wanted to go to them all!

My very favourite breakout was a talk from Martha Banyas: Looking for art in some of the right places.  She is a well traveled and articulate woman, who I felt would be a kindred spirit.  Her work is focused on the human form, animals, tattoos and masks using cloisonné and overglaze techniques seamlessly together.  Being a dancer enchanted by the human form I was really digging it.  She spoke favourite pieces from visiting the Cincinnati Art Museum as a kid, pieces which are high on my list as well (the tiny Egyptian animals and miniatures win out for me though). She’s currently in Portland, so practically my neighbor, and somehow I didn’t manage to pin her down out the conference. Field trip! Sorry I can’t find a link to her work, but she’s in Linda Darty’s bookJ

 Post conference I took a workshop from Jessica Calderwood.  Jessica is open, informative, encouraging, and experimental as a teacher.  I had never attacked under and overglazes before as it always seemed like there were too many options (what powders or paints to buy, what oils or binders to use, etc)  Jessica gave us the how and why of what works for her and we ran with it.  I was quite impressed with the student work!  I had a few issues with the ceramic decals (dropping my piece, smearing them off:/) but I’m pleased with where I got in three days.  In a three day cloisonné class I’d have maybe gotten one piece done.  In this class I almost finished three!

I made other connections with conference goers and mentors that were delights.  In other mediums, I’ve met folks whose work I adore and whose personality is, well, evil.  Enamelists seem to be a different breed, eager to talk about techniques, inspirations, silliness, and just about anything.

Click through to these fabulous people.  They are awesome. Do it!

Merry Lee Rae

Michele Raney

Marianne Hunter

Pam East

Rick McMullen

but I didn’t get to meet L

Harlan Butt

though he was there somewhere!

Egads.  I have much more to say but you’ve already had to scroll down this far!

Taking it in,

~margarita

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Monday, July 13, 2009

For The Tiniest Trumpeter


There’s just something about miniatures that brings out the kid in me.

Posted by Margarita at 19:34:05 | Permalink | No Comments »

Monday, June 15, 2009

Register now for Summer Enameling Classes:)


Check out the Craft Center for all kinds of fabulous summer classes including a weekly enameling class taught by yours truly!
 We will cover several techniques of applying and fusing glass to metal to bring color and life to your work.
 Hope you can make it!
 Monday 3:00-6:00pm
 Jul 6-Aug 3 $68
~m
Posted by Margarita at 18:36:35 | Permalink | No Comments »

Surfacing

I got my confirmation today (good thing I checked my spam!) for the Enamelist Society Conference.  I’m totally stoked.  I haven’t been to a cenference though I once took a pre-conference workshop A Thompson Enamel.  I expect it to be inspiring and exciting. I adore the Bay Area and can’t wait to spend some more time there. 
I’ve signed up for a workshop as well :) I’ve been inspired by recent Dr. Sketchy’s events to get back into figure drawing, a past love, and I can’t wait to learn a new technique to help translate the drawings to enamel.  I’m certain Jessica Calderwood’s workshop will help lead me to the connection I seek.

Many amazing enamel exhibitions will be on display during the conference:

  • The Enamel Show” at Velvet Da Vinci Gallery in San Francisco
    a selection of enamels from Lark Books’ 500 series juried by Sarah Perkins
    August  5 - September 13, 2009
  • Fred  Ball Enamels” at the San Francisco Museum of Craft+Design
    presents a focused selection of the artist’s most experimental works produced over a period of fifteen years between 1970 and 1985. Organized  by the Enamel Arts Foundation. July 24 - October 4,  2009
  • Alan Osborne Expressionist Enamels” at the Richmond Art Center, South Gallery, July 29 - August 19. Community Gallery - From our Studios 1 Artwork created in the RAC studio programs including metals and enameling Artist Reception August 8, 3 - 5 pm. The exhibitions galleries are open Tuesday - Saturday from 1 -5 pm.
  • The 12th  Bienniel International Juried Enamel Exhibition and
    The 8th  International Juried Student Enamel Exhibition
    August 1- August 26, 2009 at the Oakland Art Gallery in Oakland, California

Excited and delighted,
~margarita

Posted by Margarita at 18:06:39 | Permalink | No Comments »

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Hatched Variation

I’ve been out of the studio for a while reorganizing, cleaning out the pile of paperwork, checking inventory, and getting ready to do shows again.  It’s both nice to have the creative break, and tedious to keep up.  Thankfully, the breath of Spring has allowed me to play in the dirt when my hands get restless. Today I’m back in the studio making eggs and playing a bit with the “Hatched” theme:
 



I may have bought more opals and be feeling the need to set a few of the old ones as justification. Not that I have an opal problem or anything.

really.

I can stop any time.

Posted by Margarita at 20:30:42 | Permalink | No Comments »


tiny blue hatched ring.
tee hee.
Posted by Margarita at 18:22:41 | Permalink | No Comments »

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Om Mani Padme Hum

A couple new oms as a custom job:

May wisdom, compassion, patience, generosity, and discipline find their way to you today.


Peace,
~margarita

Posted by Margarita at 15:04:10 | Permalink | No Comments »

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Huzzah!

I’ve wanted to blog for over 24 hours now but I kept getting 404′d!  Huzzah! The page is back:) *Does a bloggy dance* ~*~*~*~*

If you’ve ever been so full of love, longing, even pain and wondered if your heart might just burst-


Kerplooey! Like a blown out old tire.  Not that hearts are tires, just sometimes tired. Don’t worry though, you can show the more together side; Pretend you’re tough;)

-torch fired enamel on fine silver metal clay heart pendant with sterling bail-

Posted by Margarita at 15:48:37 | Permalink | No Comments »

Monday, February 16, 2009

Question of the Day

So I totally bombed at the thing-a-day thing… maybe next year.

I did get my bathroom painted!

So, at least, I’m getting something done:)

As I was working in the studio on some custom jobs I thought to myself, there’s got to be an easier way to enamel the inside of this sphere.  The enamel tends to follow the force of gravity when the enamel is molten causing the edges to be bare and requiring many, many layers to cover up the “bald” spots. I know! Blu-stic! Thompson make this super sticky adhesive (far gooier than klyr-fire*) for applying cloisonne wires, foils, etc. 
So I coat the piece lightly with Blu-stic, coated thoroughly with enamel and let it dry.
I go to torch enamel, with a bit of excitement.
The Blu-stic starts to bubble a bit, unfortunate, but not unexpected, then….

Catches Fire?!  Oh, the stink!  I quenched the piece ASAP, but wow! Yuck.

Not Exactly the Aqua Blue I was going for:/

Moral: I do not recommend Blu-stic for torch firing.

~margarita

*Who names this stuff?? 

Posted by Margarita at 22:32:04 | Permalink | Comments (1) »