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Champlevé Enameling

Champlevé is a French term that describes enamels that are inlaid into designs made of metal with higher fields and recessed compartments. One of many ways to achieve these surfaces is through a sustainable electrolytic etching process. Over the course of a three-day workshop, students will have the opportunity to learn how to modify drawings and designs to be compatible with Champlevé, apply resist to metal, etch, wet pack, fire, stone, and finish wearable works of art.

Meet the instructor

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Marissa Saneholtz makes narrative based jewelry and objects using humor and sarcasm to comment on gender roles in American society.  She has been published in several books, including Art Jewelry Today II edited by Jeffery Snyder, Humor in Craft by Brigitte Martin, and Narrative Jewelry: Tales from the Toolbox by Mark Fenn. Her work has been exhibited both nationally and internationally and can be found in multiple collections including the Racine Art Museum, the Mint Museum in Charlotte, NC, the Enamel Arts Foundation in Los Angeles, CA, The Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts in Little Rock, AR, and the Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento, CA.

 

Materials & Tools

There is a $45 materials fee for this workshop that is payable upon registration. The materials kit for this class includes a 6" x 12" piece of 14g copper, saw blades, materials for etching, use of enamels and enameling tools, as well as various materials required to complete samples. 

Students should bring
  • Inexpensive natural hair brush- tiny is good! (purchased from local craft/hobby store)
  • Any other copper, brass, nu gold, nickel silver, or sterling silver you may want to work with.
  • Optional Supplies:
    • Any personal enamels you would like to use
    • Fine silver foil
    • Findings- pin back or bails that are premade

Metalwerx has the following materials and tools available for shared use, but students are invited to bring their own if they prefer to have their own available:

  • tracing paper
  • black pens (I like the micron style- but any will work including sharpies or ballpoint)
  • Scissors
  • Cheap painting tray or plastic spoons
  • Some sort of eye dropper, syringe (without needle), small squirt bottle to add water to enamel
  • Small scoop or spoon for enamels
  • 00 or 0 paint brushes
  • Wet/dry sandpaper- 220 and 400 grits
  • Scribe or sharp tool for scratching
  • Saw frame
  • needle file set 
  • wire cutters
  • chain nose pliers
  • flat nose pliers
  • round nose pliers
  • larger half-round file
  • Feel free to bring any other sort of tools that you like to work with!
 

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