Enamel Class Photos

Hi everyone! Today I brought my camera in to the studio to snap a few shot of my talented students in action. Only two more classes in this session after tonight, 6 weeks have gone by so fast! I have listed upcoming class dates at the bottom of this post!

So far we have learned so many techniques, and completed a stenciling project, some students used lace to make a really cool pattern, others hand-cut stencils. In our most recent project, Sonia completed a miniature watercolour painting in a little brass frame which hangs askew around the neck. It is so adorable. Zeine made a really intricate origami-like shape from flat copper sheet enamelled with my favorite lime green, Amanda has been working on these great organic pod shapes which she made in the hydraulic press, and Padrin's teeth inspired pendant is so mesmerizing. Really cool work. I love the dimension and volume they have gotten through this exploration of copper with enamel.

I showed the students how to do cloisonne enamel tonight for the next and final project. This process involved packing wet enamel powder in between thin copper, gold or fine silver wires and firing. I made this cute little guy as a demonstration, only to realize he looks like Alexis' funny bug eyed toy who lives on her jewellery bench. They could be brothers! (See below)

Right: Sonia working on her miniature painting

Amanda sifting enamel onto one of many pods

Padrin removing his pendant from the kiln after firing!

Me firing a sample. 

Soon to become:

Cloisonne guy! aka, Popeye or Bugsy, on the right.

Next week we are in the home stretch with 2 classes to go, everyone will be working on cloisonne designs. I will be sad when class is over, we've had a really good time and I have really loved teaching this first enamel class here.

Next class will be a combination Intro/Intermediate Enamelling course, beginning on Thursday March 25th for 8 weeks. 

Introductory Enameling: Learn the basics of firing glass powder onto copper, metal preparation, various firing stages/textures, using opaque and transparent enamels, stenciling, drawing and painting on enamel, building hollow copper objects to enamel, enameling 3 dimensional objects, wet inlay and cloisonne. No jewellery/enamel experience necessary, the basics of piercing and drilling will be taught so everyone has a chance to design their own unique shapes to enamel!

Intermediate Enamelling for Jewellery: will explore the possibilities of enamel in finished pieces of sterling silver jewellery. We will learn and elaborate on enamel techniques, with a focus on multiples, bezel setting, prongs or tabs and rivetting enamelled components to fabricated jewellery designs. Prerequisites for Intermediate are: Intro to enamelling and Intro to Fabrication or other fabrication experience. Visit our website to see all courses and for registration information. www.jewelenvy.ca

One day enamel workshops for March 2010 (make a pendant with stenciled design and matching earrings, or two pendants)

Saturday, March 13 from 10:00am to 6:00pm 

Sunday, March 21 from 10:00am to 6:00pm

Hope you can join us for a colourful one day or 8 week class!

Bye for now!

Emily

www.emilygill.ca

Hello

After finishing a new collection the fun part is having the work professionally photographed! Soon I will have pictures at our web site.

I'm going to have couple of busy months. My work has been accepted to be shown in a gallery.

Hope the shipping will go smoothly! 

Here is a picture of my work in process...

Flocking the day away

Ciao!

So as my title suggests I have been flocking away like crazy these past few weeks, so much so that I have forgotten to blog about it until now.  What is flocking you may ask? It is like adding a velvet like surface to my resin jewellery pieces.  The best part about flocking is that I get to paint a bit first then using a sliding tube with holes on the end I spray little rayon fibers onto the paint.  They stick in the paint and when it dries it is like a fuzzy sticker I have attached to my creations.  I am so excited about it because first and foremost it adds a textural element to my jewellery.  Anyone who knows me knows I love getting my hands on anything and everything.  I hardly ever resist the urge to touch things even when I shouldn't.  And second, it comes in so many fun colours.  I will soon post pictures of some of my flocked jewellery since just reading about it is not nearly as fun as getting to look at it (which in turn is almost as fun as getting to touch them) :P

This afternoon I am gearing up for a photo shoot with my friend Kevin Charlie - it should be a great time and I am sure that he will take some interesting photos of the studio, me at work and some of my jewellery.  You better believe I will be posting those up for you all to see as well!

Alrighty, that's enough from me, back to flocking!

Busy Month

Hi,
It's Gillian here:o) It is Sunday evening and I am trying to finish up some paperwork and organize myself for a mini vacation next weekend! I am in serious need of some relaxation since this year has started off busier than expected.

Last month I started teaching a class at OCAD. I am really enjoying the course as it deals with patterning metal using techniques such as lamination and mokume gane. I am relearning some processes I have not used in a while and expanding on the ones I use frequently. As usual I am teaching at the studio and my GBC courses will start in March. Lucky for me I like to multitask and have still been able to do custom work and design new pieces for my collections


Below is an image of a new design. I finally found the seed pearls to make this and am really excited about using them for edging in my pieces.

The Body and Object show from the OCC has just finished and now I have to figure out what to do with this dress...suggestions are welcome!

I have also been planning my work for the Jewel Envy Group Exhibition. I have so many ideas right now and am trying to narrow it down to one cohesive thought!

I think I am going to try to update images here as well as on www.pash.ca as I have been inspired by Emily's ability to keep everyone up to date on what she is doing. That is one of the great things about www.jewelenvy.ca we push each other forward by seeing what everyone does and how to make it all work.

Have a great week!
 
Gillian

Some new work I am very excited about

New enamelled flowers with cell centres

Thank you to everyone who has helped me get through the last few weeks! What a long few weeks it has been. Here is a sneak peak at some of the finished pieces! Most of these (I counted a total of 17 pieces, including flower brooches, lariat necklaces and "flower cells" to Lafreniere and Pai Gallery in Ottawa 

 

New goldenrod yellow Lariat with handpainted enamel centre

Love love love this colour combination, purple and yellow, droooool

I will be updating my facebook group page continuously (Emily Gill Jewellery Design) as well as my Metal Arts Guild page and website. Stay tuned! Its going to be a great year

Bye for now!

EMILY