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From an Award in Pittsburgh to Columbia Festival of the Arts in Maryland

This is a whirlwind week where I have a chance to reflect on my booth at 3 Rivers and make new pieces for Columbia.

The highlight of 3 Rivers was receiving an award for the best use of recycled materials. Considering the caliber of talent displayed in the Artist Market, I feel honored. I use recycled materials because of the challenge it presents to my creativity, and to be recognized for this warms my heart.

My new copper enamel light switch plates received plenty of attention, and I will be posting many of them for sale in my store soon. People had many different requests, so I’ll be working on the best ways to take custom orders.

I also got to see Randy Land, which was a short walk from where I was staying during the festival. What fun colors and installations!

As I direct my attention to the Columbia Festival of the Arts starting this Friday, I’m making new wrap rings in sterling and copper.

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New enamel flower earrings for Three Rivers Art Fair

Earrings in sterling silver, copper enamel, and freshwater pearl

These new earrings have been a long time coming, and I have them ready for Three Rivers in Pittsburgh. They’ll be available from Wednesday til Sunday this week.

My creative process for these earrings began by cutting copper sheet metal with a flower punch and die.

I hand stamped the copper flowers to make them more life-like.
More of the stamping process
I applied liquid form enamel followed by transparent colors and fired them multiple times.
The earrings after firing and before adding the sterling earrings wires and freshwater pearls.
The finished earrings, front and side view.

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Between Lake Wawasee and Three Rivers

A moment to catch a photo at Wawasee

With the first 2 shows complete, I’m now preparing for Three Rivers Art Fair in Pittsburgh. Last weekend at Chautauqua Wawasee was lovely. Perfect weather, talented neighbors, and a friendly crowd all made for a splendid day.

My new display continues to evolve as I add new work

I’m loving the mesh panels as I get better at setting them up. They give me more versatility and space to display. I’ll have even more work to show at Three Rivers June 5-9!

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Art Fair Season in Full Swing

Bowl hammered in the shape of an abstract poppy flower and decorated in kiln-fired glass enamel, created by Kristin Ellis

The Wyoming Art Show in Cincinnati, my first show of the year, went quite well. The weather was hot and sunny, and people came out to shop. My new booth design worked out better than expected!

Overall view of the new booth

I was happy with the integration of wall art, light switch plates, and decorative bowls with my jewelry. Now, I’ll have work displayed on all 4 sides of my booth. I’ve added lighting to the inside display, since the new mesh panels leave it a bit dark.

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Back Porch Enameling

Summer is just around the corner, so I’ve set up a small kiln outdoors. I was a little nervous about it at first, but then, I hit my stride and enjoyed the view.

The outlet cover on the left was flattened with a weight while still soft after firing. The one on the left cooled without weighing it down.

To my delight, the new weight I had made for me flattened all my new pieces easily.  With some practice, I got the timing just right without cracking the glass.

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Enamel Experiments on Light Switch Covers

A collection of earrings by Kristin Ellis on display at an art fair
Far left: 2222 Flax Yellow, 2 center: 2610 Sky Blue, Far right: 2110 Ivory

My latest improvisations in enamel were successful. I fired pale trans parents onto bare fire scaled copper and got some great effects. I fired them to 1500 degrees F. About 3 minutes total firing time.

Here are the finished pieces with more colors fired on top.
These switch plates had a more extensive fire scale pattern, and the green has an iridescent shimmer when light hits it at certain angles.

I’ll be making more of these and trying some new colors as well.

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First Flux Firing

A collection of handmade rings by Kristin Ellis

Today, I refined my technique is the first firing of clear enamel over copper. This is a cool part of making lots of switch plates. The repetition shows me quickly what works and what doesn’t.

Switch Plates ready for firing

Yesterday, after firing counterenamel on the backs, I started the first high firing of transparent flux using the same kiln temperature. To my surprise, the result was a bit cloudy.

The outlet plate on the left was fired longer at 1500 and the one on the right was fired at 1700 for a shorter time. Both pieces were cleaned in pickle and wet sanded before sifting the flux.

I got the clearest, brightest results when I fired pieces up to 1500 degrees and then held for 30 seconds.

1500 degrees after about 30 seconds of firing time

After removing the plate from the kiln, I flatten it with a antique iron. This step is necessary because the glass warps the copper.

The switch plate is underneath the iron and the trivet that held it in the kiln is on the right

The next step for these pieces is adding an open color! It’s going to be fun 😊

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Experiments in Counterenamel

decorative ornament made from copper and enameled in glass

For most enamel work, glass must be fired onto both the front and back. This balances the expansion coefficients of the glass and metal. Tension between the two materials always exists in finished enamels.

Counterenamel is often functional, not aesthetic, especially where it won’t be seen.

The back of a light switch cover with 2 layers of counterenamel

As you can see above, I have been working with different approaches to Counterenamel. I have 5 pounds of discontinued Thompson LF 500 Counterenamel, but it likes to flake off after the second or third firing. I. That case, I have to fire another coat of different Counterenamel.

I found the solution to the LF 500 problem. I set the kiln at 1700 degrees fahrenheit and fired the Counterenamel first. Once cool, I cleaned the oxides off the front in sodium bisulfite pickle solution and proceeded to complete my design.

In some cases, I use oxide patterns in the final design, but the LF500 does its job regardless. I’m looking forward to using this vintage enamel for many future artworks!

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Enameling Light Switch Plates

necklace made from a sterling spoon bowl carved with the silhouette of a woodpecker

My latest adventure in copper enameling, sgraffito light switch covers. I begin with a layer of clear and the follow with a layer of opaque color. I incise away the top color to reveal the luminous clear underneath.

The kiln and fired pieces cooling

Here is the opaque color before firing:

3 light switch covers after firing

Before firing, an opaque red switch cover before firing

And after firing
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Enameling Copper Pipe Rings

Copper enamel bands

To make these rings, I start out with copper pipe. I cut out cross-sections and formed the pipe to shape, convex or concave. I stamp designs into some of them.

After forming the rings, I cleaned them carefully and applied the powdered enamel to the rings.
After firing in the kiln, the glass melts and fuses to the copper.
After firing, the edges need to be sanded down before the next layer of glass is applied and fired.
The rings look so much more beautiful after the second layer of color is applied. I gave the bands a final sanding to remove any sharp edges to finish them.