Enameling Hotline

 Welcome to Enamels & Enameling of Cloisonne Jewelry, Plique a Jour, Champleve and many other Enamel Jewelry Techniques.

I’m excited to discuss cloisonne jewelry and enamel jewelry making with you. I hope this will turn out to be a great resource for all of us as we share our ideas, challenges, solutions, and finally our finished enamel jewelry. Anyone who toils in their basement studio on their future masterpieces knows that it can be a lonely place when you hit a speed bump. If we put our heads together, we can spend less time crying over spilt gold, and more time producing great enamel jewelry!

You can post or make comments on any enameling Topic listing on the top right of this page. If in these chapters there is not information on how to enamel that you have questions about, just write me in the comment box below and I will be glad to get back with you and help.

You can also upload one or more images to share your work or ask a question,

just click on the “Browse” button below. Don’t forget to hit the  

“Submit” button when you are through.

Each Topic on the top right of this page is a chapter that is constantly growing as I add demos and information to them. So visit often and learn the beautiful art of Cloisonne and many other Enamel techniques.

Mendocino Ca,  Cloisonne in 2d and 3D along with Champleve   2012                                                                              July 30 – Aug 3

Spend 5 or 10 Days in this beautiful location and learn to fuse high karat metals to create a  canvas of  Cloisonne 3d or Champleve in 2d, just waiting to receive beautiful sparkling enamels.  Once your jewel is built, absorb all the enameling information you can such as theory, color gradation, enamels that sparkle, setting stones in the enamel, as well as polishing.

Each student will create their own designs throughout with individual attention to complete their own project.

I begin my enameling workshops with a quick trip in water colors, to help you understand and develop color gradation, this really sets apart your work from others. I will teach you how to create a sparkling background to allow the colors to shine through. We will cover fusing the cloison wires to the base of fine silver allowing you to create enamel jewels in 2D, and this year we will take these jewels to another level into 3 dimensional forms using this process, as in the Black Pearl Pendant to the right. You can add depth and interest with under glazes as well as over glazes,  set stones in the enamel as well as carve in the enamel to add dimension and interest. When cloisonne is polished to a professional level the viewer can see right through the jewel showing off all your work.

Aug. 6 – 10 2012 Setting of your Cloisonne Jewel

This year I am offering a second week to continue and complete your jewel of Cloisonné or Champleve.  In the past three years teaching a five day class, and we tried 7 days students always need more time.  With the weekend to rest up, we will begin Monday morning fresh. You can choose to complete your 3d jewel or design and make a setting of your 2d piece. Learn to fabricate settings for your cloisonné masterpieces in gold or silver, or a combination of both and accenting your creation with gemstones. Again, each artist will design their own settings and receive individual attention to complete.

www.mendocinoartcenter.org       707-937-5818 or 800-653-3328