Linda Connelly Enamels

Category: Handmade Enamel Jewellery

  • Seascape – Enamel Jewellery

    Seascape – Enamel Jewellery

    A celebration of the sea, dunes and marshes of the North Norfolk coast, UK

    One of my favourite places to visit in the UK is the North Norfolk coast. My family and I have been regularly visiting for the past thirty years or so and it is a place that always inspires me. Last summer husband and I went again and this time we stayed more centrally than previously and as a result we were able to spend lots of time walking by the sea and marshes instead of driving to and from my favourite places. I fell in love with the landscape there all over again and was able to spend lots of time drawing and photographing the wild flowers and the amazing ever changing views of sea, sky and marsh land together with the abundant birds and wildflowers. During the course of a week of breakfasting on fresh croissants from a local cafe whilst sitting on a bench watching the ever changing water in the inlet together with long daily walks along the coast, ideas for a whole new range gradually appeared in my sketchbook as if by magic. They were literally born as a result of immersing myself in the spirit of the landscape around me whilst hunting for fossils, paddling in the sea and walking the coastal footpaths with marshes, dunes, pebbles and wildlife together with the ever crashing waves and the sound of gulls as a soundtrack. I called them Seascape and some of you may have seen some of these at shows last year. I hope they convey a sense of the place and remind you of your own special times on beaches and by the sea in with family and friends. 

    Seascape Pins and brooches

    The first pieces I made were small brooches. The one on the right can also be worn as a pendant. I love a brooches myself as they pin just as easily to a fleece or jersey as to smart going out clothes. They are cloisonné enamel on silver that I have hand-engraved.

    Seascape brooch
    Seascape pendant/brooch
    Seascape brooches

    Seascape pendants and earrings

    Like the brooches these are all hand engraved silver with cloisonné enamel. Many of my piece feature a jelly fish because we saw them in the harbour whilst we were disembarking after a boat trip along the coast.

    Seascape Earrings
    Seascape Earrings
    Seascape Earrings
    Seascape Pendant
    Seascape pendant
    Seascape Pendant
    Seascape Earrings
    Seascape Earrings
    Seascape Tiny pendant
    Seascape pendant
    Seascape pendants and earrings Silver cloisonné enamel

    Chips and Ice cream – A perfect meal for the beach

    Seascape chip fork and ice cream spoon

    More pieces are being added to this range so please check out my shop if you are interested. If a piece isn’t available please contact me as some pieces may be able to be repeated. They won’t be identical but could be very similar.

    More pictures from North Norfolk coast, UK

    Here are a few more images of the spectacular scenery. They don’t do it justice but I hope they convert just a little of the huge skies and sense of space and freedom that I felt there.

  • Coral Reef Brooch/Pendant

    Coral Reef Brooch/Pendant

    Coral Reef brooch/pendant

    I have recently finished another brooch/pendant in my new series of pieces designed to raise awareness of environmental issues. This depicts a coral reef in cloisonné enamel on basse-taille silver. The edges are grey and dark symbolising the damage they are suffering due to climate change and pollution. The centre is vibrant as a sign of hope and the whole piece is designed to raise awareness of the issue. The world needs to act now and I want this brooch to help spark conversations on the issue between the wearer and people around them.

    The reverse of the brooch has been engraved and it has a double pin and a loop for a chain so it can be worn as a pendant. The brooch stands up so it can be displayed when it isn’t being worn.

    I was inspired to make this as a follow up to the Seahorse in Kelp Forest pendant and brooch that featured in a previous post. I plan to make more in this series. The idea came to me following a trip to London Zoo with my son for our joint birthday. They have a super aquarium display that really captured my imagination. Later I visited the Seaworld centre in London to draw the coral in their display there. Maybe I will need to learn to dive one day so I can see habitats like this in the sea but in the meantime being able to see them in aquariums helps me to gain an understanding of how to depict them.

    Here are a few images of the piece being made. The colours were developed over many firings before finally the piece was ground and polished to finish the enamel ready for me to construct the setting.

  • New ‘Irises’ Cloisonné Enamel Jewellery

    New ‘Irises’ Cloisonné Enamel Jewellery

    Here is a selection of my latest work featuring Irises in cloisonné enamel jewellery. For the past six months I have been working on a succession of cloisonné enamel pendants, necklaces and earrings which are inspired by Irises. I especially love the look of these flowers, particularly the bearded irises. It is a flower that has had a profound effect on artists of all genres over the centuries. I have never been fortunate enough to see Van Goghs painting of Irises in real life but this came to my mind at the beginning of my journey. Luckily I was able to find a beautiful second hand book with a good illustration of the painting. Last year I attended a session on Arts and Crafts Jewellery at the Goldsmiths’ Hall library and this reignited my interest in the Arts and Crafts era. This is the British expression of what later came to be called the Art Nouveau movement, which it strongly influenced. I was particularly taken by the jewellery of Edith and Nelson Dawson who together made some stunning examples of enamelled jewellery at the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th.

    Here are a few of my latest cloisonne enamel iris earrings, necklaces and pendants.

    Purple Iris Necklace with Peacock freshwater pearls. Gold cloisonne enamel on silver.
    Purple and Apricot Iris necklace with fresh water pearls. Gold cloisonne enamel on silver
    Small Purple and Apricot Iris pendant. Gold cloisonne with moissanite set in 18ct.
    Pink and Purple Iris earrings. Gold cloisonne on silver and moissanites set in 18ct.
    Violet and Pinky-Mauve small Iris Pendant. Gold cloisonne on silver
    Violet and Pinky-Mauve Iris Earrings. Gold cloisonne on silver.

    I would love to know what you think. Send me a message. Don’t forget you can keep up with all my latest news including shows, exhibitions and classes by subscribing to my newsletter. You can also click the links to follow me on Facebook and Instagram where I share all my new works.

  • New ‘Memories’ Silver and Enamel Jewellery

    New ‘Memories’ Silver and Enamel Jewellery

    When  I first heard the theme of ‘Maps’ for this year’s Guild of Enamellers’ conference, I wasn’t sure it was for me! Maps and I do not have a happy relationship. All this squiggly lines that jiggle when I am anxious or stressed! Default emotions for me when I come to use one it has to be said. How my husband and I have stayed together when driving anywhere is a total mystery. Actually it isn’t because I used to drive whilst he navigated. I have only let him drive us places since Sat Navs came into being! These ideas have evolved during many sleepless nighttime design sessions. My best ideas come at about 3am! My recent jewellery has increasingly come to contain memories and emotions; hopes and dreams. These new pieces have continued to develop this theme. Jewellery with meaning in celebration or remembrance, to inspire and define you.

    Map of Memories Necklace - Brighton

    Map of Memories Necklace – Brighton

    Champleve enamel on sterling silver. Silver, Champleve enamel. SOJE 238,51,61,101,604,161B

    Brighton is a very special place to my family and I. This Map of Memories necklace recalls many visits over the years, parking in Madeira Drive, walking along by the Wheel, up to the Brighton Pavilion in its green park, (one of my favourite places in the world,) and then back down to the sea to walk on the pier. I often seem to have been blessed with beautiful sunshine and a blue sky, even in winter so my Map of Memories Necklace symbolises the very best of days out in Brighton.

    Map of Memories Necklace - London

    Map of Memories Necklace – London

    Champleve enamel on silver. SOJE604,101,238 and BJG V23. All other colours are shaded with one over the other. The colours have been left pale to recall misty wintery days on the Thames.

    This Map of Memories necklace holds memories of many visits to London and trips down the river. Here we have embarked at Embankment and we travel down the river past Big Ben, the London Eye, St Paul’s cathedral, Tower Bridge and then the Gherkin Building. 

    The edges of both these necklaces are irregular because memory is never perfect and the silver is shaped like pebbles to hold the fragments of special memories.

    Precious Places Bracelet - Belfast

    Precious Places Belfast Bracelet

    I like the idea of a piece of jewellery holding memories of people and places. This is a map of the Northern Ireland coastline. A gold X marks where Belfast is. My son Kieran is at University here and I like to wear this bracelet and think of him.

    Silver, 18ct gold, SOJE45, SOJE161B

    Precious Places Brooch - Sorrento

    Precious Places Sorrento Brooch

    A map of the Italian coastline. A gold X marks Sorrento. This is a place which holds lots of happy memories for my family and I. The concave shape holds the memory as a secret, thus it appears decorative with only selected people understanding the meaning.

    Silver, 18ct gold, SOJE45, SOJE161B

  • Dragonfly Pendant Commission

    Dragonfly Pendant Commission

    Before Christmas I was very excited to be asked to design and make a silver and enamel Dragonfly Pendant. I worked with the client over several months to produce the eventual design. It is always a huge honour to be asked to make something special like this which hopefully will become a family heirloom of the future. Here are some photos of the work in progress.

     

    Pierced, etched and engraved silver ready for enamelling

    First layer of enamel has been carefully wet laid in place and is ready for firing

    First layer of enamel has been fired to orange peel

    Second layer of enamel has been wetlaid and then fired to continue building up shading and depth of colour

    The Pendant has had several more layers of enamel and now is ready for the final stages. The surface will be meticulously ground until it is even and Matt, before being polished with diamond pads. In this case I chose to have the enamel surface an eggshell finish.

    Here the Pendant is complete with the silver polished to a subtle shine.

  • Jyp’s Jewels – Ralphs Cross Cufflink Commission

    Jyp’s Jewels – Ralphs Cross Cufflink Commission

    Jyp Dog

    Introducing Jyp the dog, my faithful Workshop Apprentice and Chief Watch Dog. This year, following on from my occasional Blog Post series, ‘Jyp’s Jewels’ I have decided to make him a regular feature. Every month, Jyp will present to you his favourite piece. I have insisted that he only chooses jewellery and not bones or balls!

    Ralphs Cross and Roseberry Topping Cufflink Commission

    Ralphs Cross and Roseberry-Topping-Cufflinks
    Ralphs Cross and Roseberry Topping Silver and Enamel Cufflinks

    Earlier this year I was privileged to be asked to design and make a pair of silver and enamel cufflinks by a lady as a wedding present for her fiancee. Her late Father in law had been an artist who had worked in the North Yorkshire moors and often used Ralphs Cross and the hill, Roseberry Topping in his pictures. I decided to do the cross in cloissonne enamel and to use the distinctive shape of the Roseberry Topping Hill as the fitting for the reverse. I was delighted with how they turned out and so was my client. She said, ‘They are stunning. What a perfect service you have provided. I was very lucky to find you!’ It is always a real thrill when a customer is happy with your work and vision.

  • Jyp’s Jewels – Ladybird Magic Carpet Pendant

    Jyp’s Jewels – Ladybird Magic Carpet Pendant

    Jyp DogIntroducing Jyp the dog, my faithful Workshop Apprentice and Chief Watch Dog. This year, following on from my occasional Blog Post series, ‘Jyp’s Jewels’ I have decided to make him a monthly feature. Every month, Jyp will present to you his favourite piece. I have insisted that he only chooses jewellery and not bones or balls!

    Ladybird Magic Carpet Pendant

    The first piece for 2016, is a custom ‘Magic Carpet’ pendant in one of my hand made silver moon settings. This was commission for a client who was giving it as a special birthday gift to a lady who loved Ladybirds.

    magic carpet pendant ladybird

    I had lots of fun designing it and you can see I have included flowers and leaves too. The piece is cloisonne enamel on fine silver, in a sterling silver silver moon setting. We decided to do just one colour and let the silver wire delineate the design, making it a more sophisticated piece than having it bright colours. The design has been highlighted with flecks of pure gold before rubbing down and finely polishing.

  • Pets on Jewellery

    Pets on Jewellery

    I have been working on a new idea. Cufflinks for my husband with our dog Jyp on. They are cloisonne enamel on fine silver, set in hallmarked sterling silver cufflinks and they measure 14 mm in diameter. The idea would also work well as earrings or as a pendant too. Each side could have a different pet on or as here, a motif with the pet’s name. I plan to offer them as a commission piece.

    Jyp-Cufflinks

    Jyp-cufflinks-box

    Jyp-dog

  • April ‘Critter of the Month’ 2015

    April ‘Critter of the Month’ 2015

    Two new Dragonfly pendants for this month. They are both enamel on silver and hang on a leather thong. One is cloisonné enamel and the other has painted under-glaze details. Hope you like them.

    Dragonfly-Pendant-cloisonne Dragonfly-Pendant-Silver

  • Getting Started and the Design Process

    Getting Started and the Design Process

    This morning’s blog post by Grace Marshall http://grace-marshall.com/starting-badly/ really resonated with me and I have to share it because it is a problem familiar to most artists and designers. I had a design to do for a client that was a little out of my comfort zone. I did some preparatory sketches some time ago and it has been sitting waiting for me to get back to it. A few weeks ago I spent some time on Pinterest making a board to help whilst I was sitting watching telly one evening. I was ready to start but whenever I have some time, somehow I always found something else to do, like actually making something in my studio. Mother’s Day afternoon was a perfect opportunity. It was wet and dismal so husband and I divided the dining room table in half. He did what he wanted to do on one half, and I set myself up with pens, pencils and the chocolates my son had bought me. As I always tell my students, starting is the hardest thing. It is so true. I had been putting it off until I could see the finished design in my mind but it wasn’t happening. I needed to actually work through things with paper and pens to get to where I wanted to be.

    To start with, I sketched elements that were troubling me from the inspiration board on Pinterest that I had made. I did this from my iPad. Then I incorporated elements into drawings I had already made. When I work on designs I repeatedly trace them, incorporating changes each time. This time I used the scanner on my printer which saved a lot of time as I just needed to draw on top of the last print and then trace that and repeat the process. Over the course of the afternoon the design evolved into something I am really pleased with. I also used the scanner on my printer to change the size. Eventually I was pleased with my design and I could add colour. I feel such a sense of achievement! I can’t wait to show my client. Hope she likes it. Let me know how you get over the problem when you are stuck. I would love to know and perhaps we can learn from each other.