Tuesday marked my last enameling class at the 92nd Street Y. Though I was disappointed for it to end, I begin my new enameling class in Brooklyn on Monday.
I absolutely love enameling. As frustrated as metalsmithing makes me, enameling makes me happy. I love the whole process and that satisfied feeling you get when you pull a "baked" piece from the kiln and see your colors turned to beautiful glass.
It generally takes me about three hours to do a small piece, so I had just enough time to finish one more art pendant in class:
Once again, I was very obviously inspired by my love of modern art. But though the blocks of color look randomly set up, I took a lot of time to arrange the cloisonne wire in the exact pattern that I wanted. I think that's part of why I enjoy this art; because using cloisonne is a bit like wire wrapping. You have to shape and arrange the wire in the way that you want it to appear. However, instead of actually wrapping the wire, the cloisonne fuses to the enamel when fired. And there's no soldering involved -- woo hoo!
In my last piece, I felt that I hadn't added quite enough black enamel onto the pendant so I made sure to apply enough coats this time around. I like the glossy, smooth finish of the colors. I was afraid that the oval shape would make this look like an Easter egg, so I avoided using too much pink or yellow -- and I've been assured that the pendant doesn't look egg-like!
To finish the piece, I made a chunky chain out of 16 gauge fine silver wire. Overall, the piece involved a lot of labor and material, but I had a great time making it. I'm anxious for Monday to arrive!
To purchase my jewelry, head to Naomi's Designs. To purchase my children's jewelry, head to MayaGirl Creations.
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