Vitreous Enamels on Copper 101--AKA Learning to Use a New Medium!

Yesterday, I was hopeful I could somehow import photos to here from my iPhone to post on Blogger...it didn't work.  So I'm looking into an app that will let me blog from my iPhone as I'm not near any wifi or a big computer...just my little phone & 4G most of the time this summer!

So below is an overview of my summer exploration into vitreous enameling on copper...part chemistry, part magic, and definitely trying to "paint" with powders and crumbs of glass under fierce heat in a kiln.  Pretty exciting, actually!

 Copper shapes on trivets and a wire tray, either going into or coming out of the kiln.

 A lot of larger glass bits, of the correct melting point to use in the system of enameling that I'm using. (Apparently, different glasses melt at different temperatures....that's a bit beyond me yet!)

So I turn the crushed glass bits into my "palette" in order to use some of these bits.  Finely graded glass powders are used to cover even areas of the metal with a fine coating to fire as a smoother coating.

 

 More copper pieces, either coming out of or going into the kiln.  My pieces seem to require a minimum of 6-7 individual firings between 1400F and 1500F before they may or may not be "finished" to be cleaned up for use in earrings, pendants...and soon to come-tack pins and other wearable items.

Due to all the steps involved, I tend to work on several things at one--in this case, pairs of earrings.  I seem to learn new things almost every time I work in this new metals studio at the old campground, and as noted in my post yesterday, I've been posting "blow by blow" photos and info on my new Instagram page @WillOaksStudio in case you'd like to check it out and/or follow along!! 

OTOH, if I CAN figure out how to blog from my phone, well shoot, I can add more goodies right here too!!  To be continued!!!!!  Thanks for stopping by--Karen

Now and Back Then, Art Evolution

This new series has been dubbed "Made With Silk" and over the next couple of days, many new pieces will be listed in my Etsy Shop. This one, in particular, is a sort of pastel rainbow.

A craft technique called "Copper Enameling" was widely taught in junior high and high school art classes back in the '60's. This is a pin I made in the 7th grade using this process.

Another pendant, made at about the same time, also with "Copper Enameling." A bit worse for wear as the layer of glass that was fired onto the copper base has gotten a bit battered and chipped over the years.

Later, in high school, I spent 4 years with my art teacher Mr. Pearson. He was an amazing teacher and we tried a lot of different media and projects over all those years. Another old jewelry piece that survived from that time, probably about sophomore year: lost wax casting. With this process, a wax model is made, invested in plaster, fired to remove the wax and then molten silver is injected into that cavity to reproduce the wax model in silver. This was my attempt at a hair barrette. It actually didn't work too well because it was pretty heavy and I didn't have a good clasp for the back. But I really loved this design.

I really enjoyed reading Amy's childhood reminiscence about camp and making jewelry back in her teen and pre-teen years the other day. Amy went on from these years and projects to pursue a career in fine art including making original jewelry, pursuing photography and other creative endeavors. (Amy Lilley Designs)

For me, it was a wonderful flashback because I remembered that I also did some of those projects in junior high and high school art classes, and I had forgotten all about it! I couldn't find this really "strange" pair of earrings I made for my Mom, but did find 2 pins and a barrette.

So as is evident in both a very recent pearl and silk piece and in a pin made in junior high school, organizing colors has been a favorite activity since I can remember. I was one of those kids who dumped out the whole box of crayons or colored pencils in order to organize them by color, like a rainbow. I used to get so excited by the way a box of watercolor pans was organized and when I set up my palette for oil painting, I really did organize my blobs of paint sort of like is shown on this pin.

The palette pin was made by me in 7th grade. That was a year when I also began to take special lessons in oil painting after school. My teacher at the time, Mrs. Hiltey, chose me and about 3 or 4 other kids for this special opportunity. And I continued to paint, and then to study painting all the way into the 2nd year of college! Discovering sculpture and printmaking about then helped me grow in different artistic directions, but I still do water color paintings for myself when the mood strikes me.

And in the present day, working with silver, although not with "lost wax casting," has truly become something I have rediscovered with much joy! At this point in my career, working in metal is a whole new frontier.

Thanks for dropping by and have a great weekend!!