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| Kilny Baby Sexy Baby Hot |
Usually I don't consider myself to be an exceptionally lucky person, but fortune was smiling upon me recently when, just as I'd enrolled myself on an enamelling course (of which more later), a friend mentioned that someone she worked with was looking to sell his kiln at a very good price. Which was nice (to overuse another Fast Show phrase). It would have been churlish to say no, so, a bit of shifting around in the workroom later, and it's in place.
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| Looking quite tidy today. And yes, the nylon curtains are going before I set fire to them. |
The course was at West Dean College, recommended by fellow silversmith and Craft Souper Diana Lambert, and taught by enameller Sheila McDonald.
I think my husband was only mildly shocked when I texted him (from the window seat of my gothic window overlooking the courtyard and, beyond, hillside populated by picturesque sheep and woodland) to say I was going to live there and do all the huge range of courses one by one.
It's a cliche, but if you can think of a creative course they probably teach it at West Dean......Blacksmithing (next on the list - to inform my forged silversmithing you understand), all types of printmaking, handmade books, creative writing, botanical flower painting, 'dynamic drawing', conservation, furniture making, guilding....... Also people were there to improve their lute playing (yes, really) so one of my coursemates was heard to complain ever so slightly that there was lute music going on quite late into the night. Fantastic. Though it would have been better if anyone had laughed at my jokes about luting.
The building was incredibly atmospheric. Slightly musty with crimson carpets, chandeliers, huge roaring fire, carved and creaking wooden staircases, a giraffe head mounted on the wall and a Salvador Dali 'lips' sofa. Oh, and a bar. (No photographs allowed so I'll have to leave the images to your imagination). Despite my resolve to Eat No Pudding during my stay, they served my top four favourites at the four meals I ate there (FYI Lemon Tart, Plum Betty, Bakewell Tart, and Rhubarb & Ginger Crumble). Resistance was futile.
I really think, for a vaguely creative person, this sort of break is the best form of relaxation. Rather than going to an expensive spa and saying to yourself 'I must relax, I've paid all this money to relax, I will relax', you're so busy concentrating on what you're doing that, although you will be shattered by the end, you havent had a chance to think about anything else and will actually have something you've made yourself, of which you can be really (or at least sort of) proud.
Talking of which, the fruits of my labours.......my first ever attempts at enamelling:
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| Fields |
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| With the usual apologies to Samuel Palmer |
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| silver leaf and silver wire |
These are my last and favourite pieces, and will eventually be a pair of earrings (and they very nearly match!)
I'd hoped that enamelling would suit my work and style, and I think/hope I was right. Now I just have to carry on practising and hope I don't need that fire extinguisher as it went out of date years ago.
