About the Enameling Process

Enamels start out as powders made of ground glass. They come in hundreds of different colors, both transparent and opaque. The enamel powders are applied to the metal surface and fused to it in a furnace. I use several different enameling techniques in my work:

Cloisonné—Thin, delicate 24k gold wires are carefully bent into a design, then fused to the pure silver substrate with a thin layer of clear enamel.

cloisonne wires fused to piece

I mix the enamel powders with water to form a paste. This paste is then applied to the metal with a fine brush, almost like paint.

enamel before firing

Many colors are painstakingly laid into the piece, which is then fired at high temperature in a furnace. The enamel melts, becomes transparent and glossy, and fuses to the metal.

enamel after firing

After cooling, the process is repeated multiple times to build up many thin layers of transparent colors. The effect is to create luminous, richly complex colors. 24k gold foils are sometimes imbedded in the layers.

Champlevé— Recessed areas are created in the surface of the object, and filled with enamel. The piece is then fired until the enamel melts.

Basse-taille—The metal is textured before enameling by various methods, including roller-printing, fold-forming, and chasing. After enameling with transparent colors, the deeper areas appear darker, while the raised areas appear lighter.

The enameling process is especially rewarding because of its unpredictability. As the colors are layered up, various factors affect the final result. The number of firings, the temperature of the kiln, the type of metal being enameled, as well as the order in which the colors are layered, all contribute to the way the piece comes out. The challenge this technique presents keeps me entranced, ever eager to move on to the next piece.