Enamelling
September 15th 2007 17:50
Our long-awaited trip to the Curborough Craft Centre near Lichfield took place today. We’d booked in to do a one-day course in enamelling some time ago, and had been looking forward to it for ages. However, by the time we arrived at the Centre today, both of us were feeling a little nervous, not quite knowing whether we’d do very well at the craft.
As it was, we flew through the hours, thoroughly enjoying ourselves. Enamelling - at least basic enamelling - is something most people could pick up quickly, and we came away feeling very good about what we’d learned and achieved.
The basics are straightforward, and only require that you keep your wits about you. But once you’re past that point, the world’s your oyster in terms of what you can do. It’s a very adaptable craft, full of techniques, and still developing after more than two thousand years.
There were only three of us on the course in the end, which was good, as the room we were in was small, and the original six who were supposed to
come would have been standing on top of each other trying to work. Each of us had plenty of space to work in, except when more than one of us tried to get at the electric kiln. Both my wife and I came away with at least four pieces of enamelling, more than one of which was acceptable as a piece of art. (Modest ar
t, that is.)
Our course instructor, Jean, was a friendly woman originally from Sunderland, and she led us quickly into doing practical work, after a few minutes instruction. By the time we’d finished the afternoon, my wife and I were both thinking seriously about getting the equipment for setting up our own home enamelling unit. It might even be something we could do with our grandchildren - if we can keep them away from the kiln and its 1000 degrees of heat.
As it was, we flew through the hours, thoroughly enjoying ourselves. Enamelling - at least basic enamelling - is something most people could pick up quickly, and we came away feeling very good about what we’d learned and achieved.
The basics are straightforward, and only require that you keep your wits about you. But once you’re past that point, the world’s your oyster in terms of what you can do. It’s a very adaptable craft, full of techniques, and still developing after more than two thousand years.
There were only three of us on the course in the end, which was good, as the room we were in was small, and the original six who were supposed to
A steady hand gets the item in the kiln - without dropping it!
Our course instructor, Jean, was a friendly woman originally from Sunderland, and she led us quickly into doing practical work, after a few minutes instruction. By the time we’d finished the afternoon, my wife and I were both thinking seriously about getting the equipment for setting up our own home enamelling unit. It might even be something we could do with our grandchildren - if we can keep them away from the kiln and its 1000 degrees of heat.
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