Grains of Glass Open Studio brings together Enamel Artists worldwide of every level to share their art and knowledge all under one roof.
One Country at a time...43

Argentina, Australia, Barbados, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Hong Kong, Italy, India, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland,Portugal, Republic of Georgia, Republic of Korea, Russia, St. Johns, St. Lucia-V.I., Scotland, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Turkey, UK, Venezuela, USA
Hi I am, about to buy a dedicated enamel kiln. .I am OK with the paragon price for quality. Need the 120 volt 15 amp or less size.ProgramableWhat I want to know is if the $45USD add on door window works. Does anyone have positive or negative…Continue
Started by martin james yesterday.
Stone Texture Recipes. Hi I would like to learn how to make enamel pieces that look like different types of stone. By stone I mean opaque rocks like granite, marble, turquoise, sandstone etc. Rocks which in nature have granular, crystal or veined…Continue
Tags: formula, recipe, recipes
Started by martin james yesterday.
Hi all,I am a beginner in enamelling. I read a couple of times that I need to protect my eyes when looking in the kiln. Since I have hardly a clue how long to fire pieces, I look into the kiln quite a lot. So, I am looking for a way to protect my…Continue
Started by Bonnie Beerkens. Last reply by Trish White yesterday.
Since I'm still a beginner at enameling (and I was bored at lunch today), I submit the following haiku to celebrate the "discoveries" all beginners get to make when learning this art: Basse-taille, Grisaille, Cloisonné or Champlevé. Parlez-vous…Continue
Started by David Wendelken. Last reply by Candy Smith Jan 14.
Any advice out there would be welcome - I'm struggling constantly to get good photos. People always say my work looks better when they see it in person . . I have a white transluscent "tent" with light stands on either side and photographic…Continue
Started by charlene cross. Last reply by ron gibbs Dec 30, 2011.
Hi all, I am trying to find out if it is possible to enamel on stainless steel? I cannot find anything in any of my books and got tired of trying to reword google searches to get any info.I need to remove a tap from my kitchen sink and replace it…Continue
Started by Nova Sipe. Last reply by Nova Sipe Dec 29, 2011.
I am currently in a show in Houston that will be up until January at the Houston Center for Contemporary CraftBeyond Useful and Beautifuland I was interviewed for a local radio show.It gives a little more explanation about my Vanitas work.the next…Continue
Started by Jan Harrell. Last reply by Jennifer friedman Dec 10, 2011.
I have an ancient trinket kiln circa 1969-1975 exactly like the one depicted on p. 5 ofCloisonne Enameling and Jewelry Making by…Continue
Started by Martha Aleo. Last reply by Jennifer friedman Dec 10, 2011.
Hi everyone. I am so new at this and need to start somewhere. So if anyone has a second hand small kiln they want to sell, preferably on east coast, Im all ears. I attended a weekend workshop recently and just fell in love with enameling on…Continue
Started by Pauline Ross. Last reply by Pauline Ross Nov 20, 2011.
Hi I'm a beginner, I want to cut out my own copper shapes to make enamel pendants, i'm wondering if there is a way I can attach a piece of tube or half a jump ring to the back of the piece to make a pendant instead of drilling a holethanksJill Continue
Started by jille. Last reply by jille Nov 7, 2011.


Click here for Prospectus & Entry Form:
http://www.enamelguild.org/NCEG/activitiesExhibition-prospectus2012.php
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Event Location: Reston, Virginia
Event Dates: May 19 and 20, 2012
Application Fee: $50
Application Deadline: Nov 01, 2011
Late Deadline: Nov 15, 2011 (Additional $50 to apply)
http://northernvirginiafineartsfestival.org/
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CONFERENCES

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The 13th International Juried Exhibition and 9th Student Exhibition will be held:
Nov. 14-Jan. 13, 2012
Knoxville Museum of Art, Knoxville, TN
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These featured selections of Enamel Art are from our Members.
Posted by Jenny Gore on January 28, 2012 at 9:46pm
Posted by Lyndan BLACKMAN on January 25, 2012 at 7:31pm
Posted by Lauretta Bell on January 4, 2012 at 1:41pm — 6 Comments
Posted by Trish White on December 30, 2011 at 10:03am
Posted by Trish White on December 23, 2011 at 12:00pm — 3 Comments
Posted by Trish White on December 22, 2011 at 9:18am
Posted by Ramsay Holmes on December 20, 2011 at 5:09pm — 7 Comments
Posted by preeti kala on December 16, 2011 at 10:02am — 6 Comments
Posted by Jennifer friedman on December 11, 2011 at 6:35am — 5 Comments
Posted by Harry Nicholson on December 10, 2011 at 7:00pm — 3 Comments
From our friends in Australia, the news is both happy and sad.....
BERNARD DOHERTY
AUSTRALIA
25TH INTERNATIONAL CLOISONNÉ JEWELRY CONTEST
awarded Grains of Glass Member
Bernard Doherty
the Award for Excellence
for both design in jewelry and enameling!
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The flag flew at half- mast last week for the sad passing of yet another of Australia’s highly respected enamellers, Mary Raymond who was the prime mover of the Australian Enamellers Association.
Not only were Mary’s pieces sold in galleries throughout Australia, but her commissioned work could also be seen in public venues around Sydney.
For many years, Mary and her husband Arch opened their home to enamellers for workshops. Along with being avid international travelers and attending numerous enameling events overseas, they were both highly qualified photographers and judges in photographic competitions.
Mary lost her battle to cancer and her husband Arch, died last year.
She will be greatly missed by her many friends.
To see more of Mary's fantastic wall murals and legacy of enamel work, type in her name in the search box above and it will open to her Profile Page.
Thank you Mary for your enormous contributions to the art of enameling, and we at Grains of Glass will miss you..
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Several trade organizations, including MJSA, recently issued a consumer alert warning of increased supplies of glass-filled rubies being sold without the proper disclosure. The alert noted that although the stones have "significant fissures filled with relatively large quantities of lead glass," they are being sold as natural rubies in U.S. department stores and elsewhere.
In addition to MJSA, the other industry groups that signed on to the alert were the Jewelers Vigilance Committee (JVC), the American Gem Trade Association (AGTA), American Gemological Laboratories, Gem Research Swisslab, and the New York Gemstone Association.
Note: To read the MJSA Tech Sheet Tips for Handling Glass-Filled Rubies, click here.
The issue of glass-filled rubies has been an issue for several years. In the January 2008 MJSA Journal, Gem News columnist Deborah Yonick noted that the problem could be traced to the crackdown on Burmese gems in the early 2000s. Following the passage of the Burmese Freedom and Democracy Act of 2003, which effectively banned the importation into the United States of any Burmese product (including rubies), buyers began turning to new ruby sources, primarily Madagascar. However, while some of the gem rough was attractive, much of it was riddled with cracks and fissures.
"To bring to market more affordable versions of higher-price goods that have no to mild treatment, " she wrote, "dealers in gem-cutting centers began enhancing poor-quality rubies by infusing high-lead-content glass into fractures-adapting a treatment from the emerald and diamond trades, [according to] Russ Shor, market analyst for GIA." The glass-filled rubies had flooded the market for three years, and buyers at that time were being cautioned to insist on full disclosure information-a warning being reiterated today.
For jewelers who have to work on pieces that contain glass-filled rubies, the challenges can be daunting. "Most glass-filled rubies on the market were probably too included or fragile to be faceted in the first place," says Arthur Skuratowicz, director of the Jewelry Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and author of the MJSA Tech Sheet noted earlier. "Although they may appear legitimate to the naked eye, they are heavily fracture-filled with a highly unstable material that does not hold up to even the most common jewelry practices."
Note: To read the MJSA Tech Sheet Tips for Handling Glass-Filled Rubies, click here.
According to the consumer alert, while the FTC Guides do not specify the exact wording to be used to identify these products or to disclose treatments, some leading international gemological laboratories are using classifications such as "composite lead glass filled ruby" or "hybrid lead glass filled ruby." For a vast majority of this material the Gemological Institute of America will not issue "ruby" reports, instead issuing identification reports containing the description "a manufactured product" with "special care required." The AGTA has determined to classify and describe this product as "composite lead glass filled corundum/red-special care required."
The alert also noted that, depending on the level of treatment and the lead-glass filling to which this material has been subject, and based on the definition of the "gemstone" contained in the FTC Guides, it may be improper to use the term "ruby" to describe these products.
Fauré Enameling: Building Volume and Dimension
Instructor: Joanne Conant
Level: Intermediate and above
Requirements: Basic Enameling Experience
Program: Winter
Status: Open
Length: 3 Days
Tuition: $ 450
Only $ 427.5 for registration before 01 March 2012
Materials: $ 35
Date: March 30, 2012 - April 01, 2012
Time: 10:00 AM - 5:00 AM
Location: Metalwerx
Try this unusual technique, developed by Camille Fauré in Limoges, France, in the early twentieth century. Forty-mesh enamel is sculpted into three dimensional shapes on a layer of silver foil using special tools and techniques...A fascinating addition to the enamellist's toolbox.
Over three days, students will explore the use of colorful transparent enamels to create a very unusual look. This technique was almost lost to history - let's find it again! All skill levels welcome.
You can see more examples of Joanne's enameled artwork on her website www.JoanneConant.com.
METAL WERX SCHOOL FOR JEWELRY AND THE METAL ARTS
50 Guinan Street
Waltham, MA 02451
http://www.metalwerx.com/workshop/51
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PLIQUE-A-JOUR WORKSHOP
THE CRUCIBLE Workshops
Oakland, California
WINTER, 2012
Introduction to Enameling I weekend Intensives
March 3 - 4 (weekend intensive), 10am-4:30pm
Instructor: Judy Stone
Introduction to Enameling 1 weeknights – 5 weeks
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Thursdays,7-10pm Tuesdays, 7 – 10pm Instructor: Katy Joksch Introduction to Enameling 2 – 5 weeks Wednesdays, March 7 – April 4, 7 – 10pm Instructor: Judy Stone Cost: $265.00 (Tuition: $220.00, Studio Fee: $45.00), Members: $243.00
Introduction to Enameling 1 weeklong Monday – Friday, 9 -12 pm April 2 – 6 Instructor: Judy Stone |
Grisaille: Enameling Technique-1 ENL5212-A
Instructor: Olga Barmina
March 17 – 18, 10am-5pm
In this class we will cover traditional grisaille enameling as well as a few experimental approaches to grisaille. Grisaille (“grey”) is the application of white enamel to a black enamel background. After many applications and firings the white sinks into the black to create halftones and shading. This technique is often associated with medieval French enameling. In 2 days we will learn to apply black enamel to a copper piece to create a smooth background. Then we will use finely-ground white enamel mixed with water, oil of lavender or turpentine to paint over the dark background. Light areas of the design will have more white enamel layers than gray areas creating an impression of low relief. We will experiment with the application of silver foil and few touches of gold to enhance the pieces. Later in the class students will have time to explore sgraffito-style grisaille and other experimental approaches.
Previous experience required.
Prerequisite: Introduction to Enameling I & 2 or permission of instructor
Cost: $305.00 (Tuition: $250.00, Studio Fee: $55.00), Members: $280.00
Small Scale Cloisonné Enameling Intensive - 3ENL2212-A
Instructor: Roberta Smith
Saturday & Sunday 10-5pm
March 24-25
Previous experience required.
Prerequisite: Introduction to Enameling or permission of instructor.
$290.00 (Tuition: $240.00, Studio Fee: $50.00), Members: $266.00
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July 30 – Aug 3, 2012
Mendocino Art Center.
Mendocino, California
Enjoy beautiful Mendocino Ca. where the Pacific meets the Cliffs and feed your creative mind.
Spend 5 or 10 Days in this beautiful location and learn to fuse high karat metals to create a canvas for Cloisonne or Champleve in 2d or 3d, just waiting to receive beautiful sparkling enamels. With this technique you will be able to secure cloison wires to a fine silver base so they will never fall over. Once your jewel is built, absorb all the enameling information you can from Patsy such as theory, color gradation, enamels that sparkle, setting stones in the enamel, as well as polishing.
Each student will create their own designs throughout with individual attention to complete their own project.
With the technique of fusing high karat metals an enamellist can build jewels in the form of Champleve, and Cloisonne as in the double sided jewels I developed and 3 dimension forms as the Black Pearl Pendant with no soldering to contaminate our beautiful enamels.
ALSO
Settings for Your Enamel Jewels Aug. 6 – 10, 2012
Patsy Croft is offering a second week to continue and complete your jewel of Cloisonné or Champleve, in this beautiful location of Mendocino CA. In the past three years teaching a five day class, students have asked for more. With the weekend to rest up, we will begin Monday morning fresh. You can choose to complete your 3d jewel or design and make a setting of your 2d cloisonne jewel. Learn to fabricate settings for your cloisonné masterpieces in gold or silver, or a combination of both and accenting your creation with gemstones. Again, each artist will design their own settings and receive individual attention to complete their jewel.
www.patsycroft.com and www.enamlinghotline.com
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My first experience with enameling and metalworking was a few years ago at Pima Community College in Tucson, Arizona. I immediately fell in love with enameling because of the variety and depth of colors that can be used, as well as the different techniques I have been able to experiment with to find an aesthetic that works for me. I learned from Charity Hall, who is an incredibly talented metalsmith and enamelist, and also a wonderful teacher. She not only taught me most of what I know about enameling, but also encouraged me to keep pushing myself and my work further.
I am currently a Master of Fine Arts candidate in Metals at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona, where I have spent the last year and a half experimenting and reflecting on my work. My instructors are Becky McDonah and Tedd McDonah, who also have been a huge inspiration to me. I have had the wonderful opportunity to teach in metals and enameling at ASU, Phoenix Center for the Arts and Harold Studio. It has been a great feeling being able to pass on my knowledge to others, but has also been a chance for me to learn as well.
Attending the Enamelist Society Conference at Arrowmont in September was an inspiring experience. I was able to take a workshop with Ricky Frank, who taught me a lot about enameling which helped me achieve what had previously been missing from my work. It was very inspiring to listen to all the speakers, see the incredible exhibition, and chat with many of the conference attendees. I returned to Arizona with a fresh look at what was important to me in my enamelwork.
My recent work has been about relationships, emotions, and the subconscious impact people have on one another by using color, layers and microscopic imagery. The microscopic perspective encourages the viewer to take an analytical look to find what is being concealed or exposed. My work is intended to be worn on the body, creating a physical and emotional connection with the wearer.
Working in metals and enamel allows me to express myself in a way I hadn’t been able to get across in any other medium because I feel more of a connection with the materials and the processes. I love the challenge of the material, and the knowing that the objects that I make are lasting.
More of Michelle's work can be see on her "My Page"
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THANK YOU Everyone for your support, interest, and compliments. Without you there would be no Grains of Glass. As we progress into the new year, I hope to bring your more interesting tutorials, articles, and featured artists. There are so many of you across the globe winning awards, entering exhibitions, teaching, and studying, not to mention the Guilds,and conferences that take so much work. We are a community of specialized artists that not many in the general public know about, and I might add, not many in other areas of the arts also. But within 2 years, and 892 members later, we are changing all that. Technology and social networks are leading the way. Right now, we are a private social network, spreading quietly through Facebook and hooking up through personal web sites of our members. When its time, and with your approval, I would like to see the site go public. Many people I have met have asked to enter the site just to see and buy jewelry and artwork. We have a treasure chest of enormous artwork that could use potential buyers and we should think about how we can draw them to us.
In closing, as the new year begins its first day, I have also made a new change to the site. Grains of Glass has always been a free membership and will remain so, but I have added a "donation" button just in case your pockets get to jingling to help support the site. As my Mom always said, "a penny saved, is a penny earned!"
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The 2012 Smithsonian Craft Show is now open for business and Co-chairs Anne-Lise Auclair-Jones and Ann Peel invite all eligible candidates to apply for this 30th Anniversary celebration of American craft. As in the past, the exhibitors will be selected by a jury of three highly qualified independent experts. The Smithsonian Women's Committee asks the jurors to identify the most accomplished artists in their respective media, whose work is innovative, well conceived and expertly executed. The jury is asked to strive for a show that is well balanced among the various media. All qualified candidates are considered equally.
For the first time, Craft Show applicants are being given the opportunity to highlight their use of materials that are green, recycled, reclaimed and repurposed by applying for the Mixed Media

category or by mentioning their use of such materials in their artists' statements for any category.
We look forward to hearing from all of you as we plan another exciting show.
NOTICE: You must be prepared to pay for your application at the time you fill out the online application.
Event Location: National Building Museum, Washington DC
Event Dates: April 19-22, 2012Preview Night Benefit: April 18, 2012
Deadline: Online application midnight EST September 18, 2011
Application Fee: $50 for online applications
Jury Notification: October 31, 2011
To apply online, please visitsmithsoniancraftshow.org
or go to Juried Art Services www.juriedartservices.com
Please let me know if you have questions.
Thank you.
Heidi A. Austreng
SWC Program Coordinator
Mail: MRC 037 PO Box 37012, Washington, DC 20013
E-mail: austrpr@si.edu
Tel: 888-832-9554
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_____________________
by Barbara Lewis
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http://www.metalclayfindings.com/videos.aspx?ID=13
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Chris Hierholzer has produced a torch fired DVD to help raise money for enamel arts education. Proceeds from the sale will go towards funding arts education.
The cost of the DVD is $22.00 plus shipping.
The video shows wet packed enamels with a sgraffito technique using gold or silver foil that Chris has been perfecting for the last 7 years. This process can also be sifted. A basic knowledge of enameling would be helpful.
The video has been shown to several prominent enamelists and was well received.
The DVD is for sale through:
Enamel Works Supply Co.
1022 N.E. 68th Street
Seattle, WA 98115
1-800-596-3257
1-206-525-9271
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Custom Craft Optic Telescopes
http://craftoptics.com/telescopes/dreambeam/
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http://www.interweavestore.com/Jewelry.html?SessionThemeID=20
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http://www.interweavestore.com/Art/Books/Crafters-Guide-to-Taking-Great-Photos.html?SessionThemeID=20&a=je111116
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LEXI ERICKSON'S - Best Bezel Scissors- $6.00 pr. + $4.00 shipping-
Email Lexi at:
lexi@lexiericksondesigns.com>
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NEW!!!!!
A Conference Find
SPIDER TRIVETS
Hand made by:
Scout Handford
scout@handfordtools.com
#916-649-8535

Places to go-People to see!
CRAFTNEWYORK
& Craft Emergency Relief Fund
March 30, 2012-April 1, 2012
2nd annual exhibit
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MJSA SHOW
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March 23-25, 2012
Seaport World Trade Center
200 Seaport Blvd, Boston, MA
Craftboston Holiday 2012
December 7-9, 2012 (proposed)
Cyclorama at The Boston Center for the Arts
539 Tremont Street, Boston, MA
For more information visit www.craftboston.org or call 617-266-1810
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Smithsonian Craft Show
30th Anniversary
SMTHSONIAN CRAFT SHOW
Event Location: National Building Museum, Washington DC
Event Dates: April 19-22, 2012Preview Night Benefit: April 18, 2012
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GREAT BRITAIN
The Ruthin Craft Centre
"Touching Gold: Jacquelin Mina"
Nov. 19, 2011-Jan. 1st, 2012
The work of English goldsmith. Mina recently had a major retrospective at the Goldsmith's Company in London.
Park Rd., Ruthin, Denbigshire LL15 1BB, Wales: 0.18.2470.4774
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BEAD SHOWS |
BEAD FEST PHILADELPHIA |

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