​One of the meanings of 'radical' is thorough-going or extreme, especially as regards to change from accepted or traditional forms. (From dictionary.com)

Well, the Center for Enamel Art has embraced that definition thoroughly with their 'Radical Enameling' workshops! And Liquid Form Enamel and Enameling on Steel with instructor Kat Cole, at the Richmond Art Center this past month definitely met that criteria.

During the 3-day workshop we learned about steel: different types (which had always confused me); which work best with enameling; resources for finding it (literally finding it, as well as buying it); and yes, you can even enamel on stainless steel - Ikea bowls were provided to us in the workshop!! We learned about porcelain enamels and how to mix them (details I had never known about while playing with it on my own.) Several different techniques for applying liquid enamels, as well as sifted, combined with mark-making and adding foreign materials to add color were demonstrated. 

Continuing with the 'radical approach,' we were encouraged to experiment - forming, sandblasting, spraying, folding, torch firing, soldering, embedding, thinking outside the box. Everyone in this intimate little group went off into their own little world and direction and created some amazing works.

In addition to this amazing workshop, we were able to attend a lecture by Kat to learn more about her work and see where her inspiration comes from; attend her opening at Velvet da Vinci in SF; and explore the galleries and restaurants of Point Richmond and Oakland. A very full, informative, and fun weekend! And of course, thanks to Ed Lay for his vast supply of knowledge, expertise, help, and fun at the workshop and showing me how to use the 'Weed Burner!!"

Thank you for bringing enameling in to the 21st century!

Check out the FaceBook page for the Center for Enamel Art

What is art if not obsession?

Billy Pappas started a drawing of Marilyn Monroe in 1994, wanting to set a new standard for realistic imagery. He worked on the portrait full-time for nearly nine years. There is a documentary about his work called Waiting for Hockney.

Tim Jenison is an inventor who believed that Johannes Vermeer used a camera obscura to paint his paintings. He went on to try to replicate The Music Lesson using this technique. Talk about obsessed - he starts out by going to Buckingham Palace to view the original, then recreates the scene and makes everything in the scene by hand, including a harpsichord - BEFORE he even starts painting. The whole project took years. Check out the film about it - Tim's Vermeer.

Hell, it took Michelangelo 4 years to paint the Sistine Chapel after negotiating to do it how he wanted. He even designed his own scaffolding.

I could go on, but I'm sure you get the idea.

Do artists become good because they are obsessed or do they become obsessed because they are good?

A couple of weeks ago I found a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle and because we really don't eat dinner on the dinner table I found a had a place to set it up and work on it. It was a compilation of Norman Rockwell paintings - that's art, right?

Well, I became obsessed with working on this puzzle, it was all I could or wanted to do. Some nights I'd be up until 3 or 4 in the morning, looking for 'just one more piece.'

Well, needless to say, I found a whole bunch of 500 piece puzzles (of food, no less!) at the thrift store for $.50 each! I bought them all. And continued on my journey.

We all know that's not true... I have many keen observations and wisdom from my puzzledom (or puzzledumb) that I will be sharing with you... please stay tuned for Obsession - Installment 2...

In the meantime... Are YOU obsessed with something? Tell us about it in the comments below!!

The main ingredients:
The proper printer and the proper decals.
I use an HP LaserJetP1102w. The toner cartridge is 85A. Pretty much any printer that uses an 85A cartridge should work for the decals. If you look at the MSDS sheet of a particular type of toner you can find out the percentage of iron ferrite in it. Below is what you are looking for. Ferrite is an ingredient of toner, powdered iron, at high temperatures in the presence of air, it will become iron oxide. For example, the Lexmark 260 MSDS listed the percentage of ferrite in the toner as 7-13%, where the HP is 45%, giving it more durability. I have only used the 45% one. (Thanks to Ed Lay for that info!)

For this sample I used Thompson's 1020 unleaded titanium white. (Counter enamel just like you would do for anything else you enamel. I don't always counter enamel) The decals show up better on a lighter enamel, but of course it depends on what you want and I always feel it's a good thing to experiment. Opaques and transparents will both work, it will just be a different look. You can also enamel on top of the decal, but too many firings will eventually burn out the decal, at least it will with the torch, not sure about kiln-firing.

After printing your sheet of decals, cut out the one that will fit on your metal, and drop it into some water. I did use a decal with white backing instead of clear, only because I just wanted to get something quick so I could take some pictures... after all it is Friday night and I said I would do this at the end of the week... some people consider Sunday the end of the week... It doesn't really matter how long you leave it in the water, but you want it in there long enough to get the decal to slide off of the backing paper, maybe a minute. It won't hurt it to be in there longer. Put the decal ink-side down on the metal (the backing paper will be on top) and slide the backing off of the decal. If you ever made models as a kid or with your kids and put the decals on the models, it's the same process. The decal can still be moved around on top of the enamel so you can place it where you want. Some people suggest letting it dry over night, or for a couple of hours on top of a kiln, but I don't have the patience for that... I'll dry it a bit with a heat gun, (be careful not to get it too hot, you just want to evaporate the water) then push out any air bubbles with a piece of cardboard or a paper towel. Air bubbles will cause pinholes in the decal, which can be cool, or not. I used to obsess about popping all the bubbles with a needle, but it never really seemed to work... I find that heating it slowly with the torch, even if it bubbles up gives me pretty good results. It takes a lot of practice.

On the decal below, you can see parts of the image are light brown. That part wasn't fired into the enamel long enough. However, I like the way it looks, so I left it. And that's pretty much how you do it.

I like routine, I like when things stay the same, I like when things don't change... it gives a sense of having control over our lives.

But the reality is that everything is constantly changing, coming in and out of existence... and the truth is - I like that too. Nothing is permanent or lasting and what I've expressed with these pieces is not knowing what stage of becoming they are in. Are they just being formed? Or are they just starting to decay? Solid earthy pieces which have the appearance of just being dug up or on their way back to the earth.

 This work is lucky enough to be in the same room as this exhibit:

EVAN HOLM's the river made no sound  a multi-dimensional solo show by sculptor-installation artist Evan Holm is open through June 27, 2015.  The first floor of Vessel Gallery will showcase Cloud|Clock a sound machine composed of kinetic wooden gears, cloud lattice, and 600 lbs of flour. Upstairs Holm has constructed Forest Pools. This installation, with 23 pools of sumi ink running through an oak grove, makes quite the impression. 
Oakland Art Murmur Reception: FRI, June 5, 6-9PM, music sound performance by Evan Holm
Vessel Gallery Artist Talk Series with the artist is Saturday June 13, 2PM.

"Project Runway" Season 13, Episode 3 Air Date: 08/07/14.

In this episode, the Project Runway designers were asked to integrate the past, present, and future in their creations and they were challenged to get inspiration from Marie Claire magazines from 1994, 20 years ago, to create looks they think will be relevant 20 years in the future.

So for the EtsyMetal Translation:

IF you were making jewelry in 1994, revisit one of your own creations and update it for 20 years in our future, 2034!

Or, make a piece that is inspired by your life in 1994 and modify it for the future 2034!

This was a hard one, mostly because I have to remember something! I think that it's generally safe to say at anytime in my art career, I make art based on my Photo Booth pictures and influenced by Andy Warhol. I feel that the styles of art come and go and come and go... always repeating cycles. In 20 years, I'm sure I'll still be using photo booth pictures with new technology in a slightly altered way.

Torch-fird enamels, decals, copper.

Check out the Etsy Metal blog here

Of course, I had to go with letters. Also inspired by the movie - Jean Michel Basquiat, Radiant Child - and the artist, Paul Klee. I used 'A to Z' - letters pierced out of copper, torch-fired enamels with alphabet decals. They are big, 2" wide x 2.5" long