POST-CONFERENCE Workshops
August 10 -12, 2009
Jessica Calderwood: Form + Image FULL
This class is about the relationship of metal forms to the enameled image.
We will use die-forming and dapping to create dimensional forms in copper, then learn how to integrate drawings and paintings into our forms. Ancient enameling techniques will take a contemporary twist with the use of ceramic underglaze pencils, sifted enamels, overglaze painting enamels, and ceramic decals. Bring reference drawings or photos to work from as we create our own miniature enamels appropriate for wall-pieces, sculptures or jewelry.
Beginners are welcome.
 Jessica Calderwood received her BFA from the Cleveland Institute of Art, with an emphasis in Enameling. After graduation, Jessica was accepted as a resident
artist at the John Michael Kohler Art Center in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. She later
went on to receive her MFA in Metals from Arizona State University. Calderwood’s jewelry, wall-pieces, and sculpture have been exhibited throughout the U.S. and Great Britain. Recently, her work has been published in Metalsmith Magazine, American Craft, NICHE, and Ornament, as well as numerous enameling books.
She is currently an Assistant Professor of Art at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.
Gretchen Goss: Captured in Glass: Photographic Transfers on Enamel FULL
Discover the potential of fusing photographic images onto an enamel surface. Through the photographic process of gum bichromate, you will transfer photos, collected images or drawings to enamel. We will create photograms with stencils or found objects on enamel. Prior to the workshop, instructions will be sent on how to prepare negatives on acetate and other materials to bring for photograms and enameling. If you’ve ever wished you could combine a photograph into a permanent medium such as enamel, or love exploring and making discoveries with experimental techniques, this is your chance.
All students will need basic enamel experience.
Gretchen Goss is Professor, Department Head of Enameling and Chair of the Material Culture Environment at the Cleveland Institute of Art. Her work has been supported through Ohio Arts Council Individual Artists Grants, and included in exhibits nationally and internationally. In 2003, she was co-curator for Metalsmith Magazine’s Exhibition in Print titled, “Enameling: a current perspective”. She was curator for three subsequent exhibits and has been a visiting artist, lecturer, and taught numerous workshops on enameling nationally and in the UK. Her BFA and MFA degrees are from Kent State University in Jewelry and Enameling respectively.
 Tea Gurgenidze: Reinterpreting the use of Decoration in Cloisonné
Thanks to its geographical location, nestled between the Black and Caspian Seas, on the majestic Caucasus mountain chain, Georgia became a cultural crossroad for different civilizations. Cloisonné, which is one of the most traditional of Georgian crafts, has combined both East and West throughout the centuries.
The competing impact of Asian and western cultures is most prominently expressed in Byzantine and Persian influences. In general, if the main part of a cloisonné composition was influenced by the West, Georgians have used Eastern-influenced ornamentation to enrich and interpret their cloisonné pieces. This workshop will explore the use of repetitive patterns in cloisonné.
Intermediate and Advanced levels recomnmended.
Tea Gurgenidze, Georgian painter-enamelist - graduated from Tbilisi State Academy of Fine Arts, Faculty of Applied and Decorative Arts, Glass and
Ceramics Art Painting in 1988. She began enameling in the early 1990’s when cloisonné was considered a “forgotten” craft. The goal for her experiments was to revive and develop the oldest cloisonné techniques of medieval Georgia. The result of her work led to the founding of Enamel gallery “Ornament” and in 2001, she opened the first licensed School-Studio in Tbilisi (Georgia) to revive cloisonné enameling in Georgia.
Pat Johnson: Enameling Copper Bowls Using High- and Low- Firing Techniques
Enameling on copper bowls allows the beauty of fired enamels to emerge. High- and low-firing can produce wonderful results from simple procedures, but some amazing effects require precision and control. The enamels adhere to the bowls
by a light coating of dilute wallpaper paste, applied with a hand operated spray bottle. Textures and designs are achieved by the sgraffito technique, and the final firing, high or low, causes the unique colors to appear. A simple enameled bowl can be produced after several firings, but many more may be required for complicated effects.
Pat Johnson, after taking a degree in Chemistry at the University of Massachusetts, moved to England where she now lives. Having received an enameling kit as a gift, she taught herself to enamel, working for several years entirely on her own. Exhibiting her work resulted in a commission to make 14 murals for a cruise ship. The next 17 years were spent on further private mural commissions and doing
large scale graphics and murals using industrial techniques on steel. Since 2000, she has returned to working with copper on a smaller scale and now chiefly enamels bowls. She teaches at West Dean College in the UK.
Deb Lozier: Keeping It All Together: Fabrication Processes for Enamel FULL
Whether wearable, conceptual or simply beautiful, enameling on sculptural
forms takes the medium into another realm. Keeping It All Together will cover metal fabrication techniques that will hold up to the heat, because its not IF the solder flows, but WHEN! We will start with creative design strategies using the laws of gravity and a little bit of 4th grade math to create a good foundation for sculptural forms in the fire. Our technical focus will be strategic soldering and welding combined with cold connections that will successfully bring your enameling into the 3rd dimension.
A basic understanding of metals techniques and some enameling experience is required.
Deborah Lozier resides in Oakland, California, where she is a studio artist and Adjunct Professor at the California College of the Arts. In 1984, she received her BFA in crafts at Arizona State University, Tempe. Deborah exhibits and teaches internationally and is best known for her organic,
open approach to enamel on copper and steel. Her work has been published in Ornament, Metalsmith and American Craft Magazines, the
Lark Publications 1000 Rings, 500 Bracelets, Brooches, Metal Vessels, Pendants & Lockets and The Art of Enameling by Linda Darty. Deborah
has been awarded artist grants from the City of Oakland and SNAG. She is currently a member of the Public Art Advisory Committee for the City of Oakland.
Trish McAleer: Metal Corrugation, Textures, and Dimensional Form for Enamelists
Create an exciting array of surface textures and hand-fabricated, small, complex dimensional forms unique to this process. Near spontaneous results will be experienced using metal corrugation and process specific tools with thin gauge metals. Work can be augmented further by
incorporating traditional and more contemporary metal fabrication methods. Repoussé, fold-forming, and hydraulic die forming will provide avenues for further discoveries.
Other topics will include techniques to incorporate elements into other work, tips and technical information to consider with pattern making and use of negative space.
Trish McAleer, author of the contemporary metals title “Metal Corrugation”,
conducts workshops and lectures on her metals techniques nationwide. Trish is
an avid international scuba diver with a deep love of nature and oceanic life that
fuels her creativity. Her twenty plus years of experimentation with the metal corrugation process has led her to unique forming and texturing methods using process specific tools and thin gauge metals. She has designed several tools offering further exploration and creativity to augment the process and has written
for trade publications. She is an artist, jeweler, metalsmith and innovator.
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