Goldenrod Protea by Kathleen Wilcox

Wall Piece

Vitreous Enamel on Copper & Steel, and Mason Stain

Sifting, Stenciling, and Painted Mason Stain Sgraffito

6 x 6 inches

Kathleen Wilcox is a contemporary enamel artist born in Coconut Grove, Florida. She spent her early years in the tropical outdoors with her father, a naturalist, who worked for Crandon Park Zoo, the Miami Seaquarium, and the Serpentarium. As part of her childhood playground, she enjoyed feeding manatees, sitting on huge land turtles, handling reptiles, snorkeling, roaming the Everglades, visiting Seminole villages, and collecting specimens on the bay flats and mangrove swamps. Collections of tree snails, shells, bones, feathers, Native American artifacts, tropical fish, reptiles, and animals surrounded her. These early experiences with the natural world continue to influence the images in her enamels. She keeps the inspiration alive as she and her husband enjoy kayaking on rivers, lakes, and coastline of Florida.
She approaches the endless enameling techniques through methods of drawing, painting, printing, and sgraffito creating complex layers using a variety of techniques in one piece. She often uses the imagery of animals and botanicals from realistic, stylized, or abstractions to represent reverence for the natural world or to bring attention to the environment. She is interested in celebrating a sense of wonder and renewal that she finds in nature’s gifts.
Since 1986 Kathleen has been working as a studio enamel artist. Her current primary focus is one-of-a-kind enamel wall pieces. Kathleen’s award-winning enamel work is exhibited and sold in Invitational Exhibitions, International, National, and Regional Juried Exhibitions, Art Museums, and Galleries.
Kathleen teaches enameling with over 35 years of experience. She teaches classes, workshops, and private lessons from her studio space in Tallahassee, Florida. She also teaches workshops in various art centers throughout the country.
Her enamel work and teaching research is published in the books “The Art of Enameling,” “500 Enameled Objects” and “The Art of Fine Enameling”.