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published in the Enamel Guild South newsletter by Marilyn Seitlin Tendrich Feb. 2003 - review - Enamelling on Precious Metals, Jeanne Werge-Hartley Dec. 2002 - review - The Art of Fine Enameling, Karen L. Cohen Oct. 2002 - review - Enameling with Professionals, Lilyan Bachrach Summer 2002 - review - The Art of Enameling, Margaret Seeler Sep. 2001 - review - The Metalsmith's Book of Boxes & Lockets, Tim McCreight Summer 2001 - review - S. Knapp, Cathy Knapp Apr. 2001 - Is It Art ? review - Skilled Work: American Craft in the Renwick Gallery Feb. 2001 - review - New Crafts: Enamelling, Denise Palmer Feb. 2000 - review - Masterpieces From the House of Faberge Apr. 1999 - review - Metalsmithing for the Artist/Craftsman, Thomas Feb. 1999 - review - Enamel Primer, Montag & Tanzer Dec. 1998 - review - Dictionary of Enamelling, Erica Speel Summer 1998 - review - English Enamel Boxes, Benjamin Feb. 1998 - review - Enameling, Principles & Practice, Kenneth Bates Dec. 1997 - review - Buttons, Diana Epstein & Millicent Safro Oct. 1997 - review - Enamel, Medium for Fine Art, Margarete Seeler Summer 1997 - review - Encyclopedia of Jewelry Making Techniques, Jinx McGrath Apr. 1997 - review - Cloisonne Enameling & Jewelry Making, Liban & Mitchell Oct. 1996 - review - Enamels, Enameling, Enamelists, Glenice Matthews Apr. 1996 - review - Manual of Cloisonne & Champleve Enamel, Strosahl, Strosahl & Barnhart Dec. 1995 - (SOFA) - review - One of a Kind Summer 1995 - review - Popular Enameling, Erica Speel Apr. 1995 - review - First Steps in Enameling, Jinx McGrath Dec. 1994 - review - Innovative Enameling, Louis Taylor Summer 1994 - review - Metalwork & Enameling , Herbert Maryon Apr. 1994 - review - Jewelry & Enamels by Louis Comfort Tiffany Feb. 1994 - Tiffany Stained Glass: An Ancient Art Revisited Seldom am I so impressed by a book that I feel you absolutely must have it, but I can't imagine anyone interested in enameling not having it. This hardcover book contains 160 fully packed high quality pages with 423 color plates and 13 demonstrative sketches. Twenty artists have contributed a wealth of knowledge on their own unique variations of enameling techniques. The projects are: Basse Taille created by etching with natural elements by Ingrid Regula; Champlevé by Katharine Wood; a Cloisonné Brooch created directly in the setting by Karen L. Cohen; Decals and applications of other embellishments by June Jasen; Fusion Inlay Under Enamel by Charles Lewton-Brain; Ginbari Foil Embossing by Coral Shaffer; Grisaille by D.X. Ross; an amazing 8 page mosaic Limoges project by Ora Kuller; Liquid Enamel and Glass Ball Additives by Judy Stone; Minimal Firing (2-3 firings) Enameling by Averill Shepps; Mounting large enamel installations by Marian Slepian; Plique-`a-jour Pierced-heart Pendant by Diane Almeyda; Raku-fired Bowl by Jean Tudor; Separation Enameling by Tom Ellis; Sgraffito Plate and Stenciled Tile by Sally Wright; Silk Screen for Enameling by Ute Conrad; Stone Setting Within an Enamel by Dee Fontans; Torch-altered Metal with Cheesecloth Stencil by Roxane Riva; Torch-fired Beads by Aileen Geddes; and Vessel Forms - how to successfully enamel vertical surfaces - by Sarah Perkins. Additionally, there are Photo Galleries scattered throughout the book representing another 51 of the finest enamelists, with a total of 71 represented in the book. Each chapter is laid out beautifully and clearly: Tools, Materials, a short overview, Metalwork, Enameling, and Finishing, each in numbered steps. A highlighted box prior to the overview lists Techniques to Know with page references to instructions covered at the beginning of the book. Another lists colors needed to replicate the project as illustrated. "Notes" throughout include helpful hints such as how to avoid problems with a specific instruction, or special touches the author might add at this point. "Tips" include where to find specific tools or supplies. The 3" margin is filled with clear step-by step photos. The book opens with a brief history and then a complete glossary of terms, techniques and tools used in the book. I thought it brilliant to place these terms first as an integral part of the book instead of an afterthought at the back. The Enamelists' Tool Kit was not just a complete list of everything you could need, but warnings and instructions on how to maintain a safe studio - also important information before jumping headfirst into a project. The section on Enameling Application covered every possibility, including tools, with referrals to project pages, and firing, including supports, heat sources and their care. Studio Basics, Tips and Tricks included where to scavenge tools, when to high fire, and excellent photos of the four stages of firing. Cohen clarifies the 6 grades of sifting and when to use each with a fine chart. Her helpful hints throughout, such as capturing silt with coffee filters when washing enamels, are wonderful and highlighted so they are easy to spot. She continues with sections on test firing and color analysis, computer-aided designs, metal patterning, soldering/fusing, metal preparation, wirework, basic enamel applications, foil application, finishing , metal finishing, and mounting. Then she added a miscellaneous section, in case she forgot anything. There are 31 tips in these sections alone. Written by Cohen, this information is referred to in every chapter in the highlighted "Techniques to Know" boxes. The final chapter confronts 14 common enameling problems with 56 possible causes and solutions. This book is overwhelmingly well-organized and leaves out nothing. The artists represented are amongst the best and so are their projects, which can be created in any studio. It's a treasure. It belongs in every studio and every school. Don't miss it! A review by Marilyn Seitlin Tendrich Purchasing Information BACK TO TOP OF PAGE Enameling with Professionals, by Lilyan Bachrach, editor and contributor, is made up of articles written by an impressive collection of fine enamel artists. The book provides a broad overview of what is being done in the field of enameling. The artists have been most generous in sharing their procedures in achieving the techniques for which they are most famous. Not a "how to" book for true beginners, this book is filled with "Pearls and Gems" - handy hints to be gleaned from each artist's experience. It is a book from which one would take notes on the various artist's techniques and combine them to create the best technique for one's own style of working. Very detailed, top-notch chapters were written by Audrey Komrad ("Champlevé with Ferric Chloride"), June Jasen ("Decals and Ceramic Pencils"), Deborah Lozier ("Torch Firing"), Sandra Bradshaw ("Plique-a-Jour: Russian Soldering Method"), and Linda Crawford ("Cloisonné Beads of Fine Silver"). Jean Jenkins has outlined a very good guide for production of "Large Mosaic Enamels." John Killmaster discusses the preparation of steel, airbrushing it with enamels, to prepare a surface for "Enamel Crayons and Watercolors on Steel and Iron." Twenty-five enamelists have written chapters describing the routines used to achieve their specialties. Some are very basic overviews. Some offer more details, but are still generalized or vague. I am inspired to say "thank you" to those who, looking to the future, shared their techniques with sufficient information to insure they will continue and be interpreted in new and different ways. Mrs. Bachrach should be commended for assembling such a fine group of enamelists. Her contributions to the book covered the basics with a bit of nostalgia, as well as her own and her mentor's specific techniques. This is a fine book unfortunately marred by noticeable editing lapses in the introductory chapters of the book. The artists represented here are impressive. I think there should be more illustrations accompanying their articles. Specifically, a sample photo of the techniques described, even if in black and white, should be present at the site of the article. Each artist is represented by one color plate of their work bound together in the center of the book. I found it clumsy to flip back and forth between the article and the photo for reference. As many of the chapters were faced by a left-hand blank page, an illustration of some sort could have been placed there. The 207 page book sports 20 blank pages, which serve no purpose. Additionally, 18 informational pages are included at the end of the book. These include heating and metals charts, suppliers, the index, and a long list of enamel guilds. A review by Marilyn Seitlin Tendrich Purchasing Information BACK TO TOP OF PAGE |