On the train t 7.43 AM off to Edinburgh , why cant we have some enamelling tutors in Newcastle ! well I know of one but she is off doing her PHD . Dorothy Cockerell is a world famous enamelling and is off to teach in Kashmir in May. I arrive at Dorothy’s workshop I am like a kid in a sweet shop, the equipment, and materials she has, wow, I want to move in!!. we are looking at consommé this is where you use wire to create shapes on on a background and enamel in the wires.
I was working on silver, the reason for this is because the work I do for Andrew Dytherm of Dytherm jewellery designers in Monkseaton , Whitley Bay is always silver and gold, very occasionally palladium or copper. So today I am going to use silver disk and silver wire.
It is a fiddly process and when I look at the expertise of Dorothy and other enamellers I am a complete ham-fisted beginner! Well I get the base later on and the wires in place , even get the enamelling going ok, then Dorothy pushes our boundaries , and takes the work past the lovely look to cracked and not so nice, this is to show us how we can hopefully recover the work. I think her words as my face fell when I saw all my hard work looking a mess was “ you are here to see what can be done and how to do it not make perfect pieces, these you go home to do with practice !” so this is what I will do . the image shows the cracked glass L . I leave catching the 6:30 train back home exhausted but excited. Cant wait for the next session in May.
