Linda Connelly Enamels

Tag: handmade

  • Indian Memories – The Story Behind

    Indian Memories – The Story Behind

    In 1994 I went with my husband on what was then the holiday of a lifetime. We went to Rajasthan, and toured all around, visiting Bikaner, Jodhpur, Jaisalmer, Udaipur and then down to Agra to see the Taj Mahal before returning to Delhi for our flight home. We stayed in Maharaja’s Forts and Palaces which were their former homes. It was a life changing experience and one that has had a lasting effect on my work. I returned to India two years later and toured around Kerala which was also amazing but it was this first trip that really blew my mind and from where I draw much of my inspiration.

    Photo Memories of a trip to Rajasthan

    From the photos above you can see how I became fascinated with the colour, the architecture and of course, we can’t forget the elephants! You can never forget them!

    The colours of the ladies saris; the patterns in carpets and on stone work all feed into my designs. I particularly love the idea of the old fabrics that are handed down through the family, have been handled many times and are slightly worn. I imagine them to be filled with stories and memories of people and places.

    I like experimenting with layering patterns and colours in enamel, overlaying one with another to represent these layers of memories. It is a theme I have returned to many times over the years. My latest ones here use hand made decals combined with a final firing of gold lustre through a screen I made with a design from a Moghul ceiling, to add a subtle hint of pattern and sparkle on top.

    ‘Indian Memories’ Enamels on silver waiting to be set.

    I like to combine different colours with each other to really try to capture the spirit of what I saw and loved. India is full of colour!

    Here are the finished necklaces. The enamels measure 30 mm in diameter and the silver settings are slightly larger. They are in my sterling silver ‘silver moon’ settings that are hallmarked by the London Assay Office. Some of the batch have already been spoken for but the remainder will all be with me at my next show with the Sussex Guild at Mickleham Priory 30 July, 1,2 August 2021. See here for more details.

    ‘Indian Memories’ enamel pendants

    They cost £75 which will include UK postage. I can post elsewhere just ask for a postage quote. Contact me if you are interested. I will put those that are left in my shop after the show.

    Reverse of ‘silver moon’ setting
  • Silver and Enamel Tea strainer inspired by Damascene Tiles at Leighton House, London

    Silver and Enamel Tea strainer inspired by Damascene Tiles at Leighton House, London

    Silver and Enamel Tea Strainer – Damascene Flowers

    I made this for an exhibition with the Guild of Enamellers. The subject was Friendship and Continuity. A tea strainer seemed a perfect choice because what is more friendly than sharing a cup of tea? This piece owes much to the inestimable Rachael Gogerly and Phil Barnes who were both so generous in sharing their knowledge and whose amazing work was so inspirational. Seeing their work has been a constant inspiration to strive to do better and to constantly work to develop my skills and expertise. This piece was a huge challenge for me. I have learnt a huge amount from it and look forward to being able to share what I have learnt. I hope it will act as inspiration to others. The tea strainer is made in two parts and riveted together with tube rivets after polishing. It is champlevé enamel with cloisonné flowers which are inspired by William De Morgan ceramics. It was partially etched to begin and then engraved by hand to form the recess and the texture behind. It measures 81 mm across and stands 12 mm high. The enamel has been polished and the silver rim given a brushed finish to contrast with the shiny rivets and strainer.

    Silver and enamel Tea Strainer – Work in progress
    Time for a cup of tea.

  • Blue Vase Necklace

    Blue Vase Necklace

    I have been doing some online Art Classes with Leighton House Museum, London. It was the former home and studio of the leading Victorian artist, Frederic, Lord Leighton. It grew into a ‘private palace of art’ and for me the highlight is the amazing Arab Hall with beautiful intricate mosaics and Islamic Tiles from Isnik, Damascus and Persia. William De Morgan who is one of my art heroes, undertook the challenge of replicating tile fragments to repair some of the historic panels and doubtless this work influenced much of his own work as part of the British Arts and Crafts Movement. See their website to access recordings of the classes.

    The classes with Laurelie Rae that I took before Christmas were a revelation to me when I realised the link between these Islamic Tiles and the British Arts and Crafts Movement and particularly how I could use this as inspiration for a new line of work. The next images show part of the development of a new Vase necklace with is inspired by Damascene Tiles at the museum.

    First I cut out and shaped each of the silver panels so they would have a domed profile. Then the silver was engraved by hand. This engraving will show under the finished enamel. The wires were each formed following my final drawing which is a painstaking task. The silver had a layer of clear flux fired together with counter enamel on the reverse. Then each individual wire was transferred individually and formed to follow the curve. It is essential to get the first ones in the correct place! In this case all the wires were fired into place in one firing. They are on wooden stirrers because they have unfired enamel in place so the front and back can be fired at the same time.

    Blue Vase necklace and some of the enamelling stages

    Here you can see a few of the layers of enamel before they were fired. There were about six layers of colour in all as enamel needs to be built up in very thin layers. Each time it is fired for around 90 seconds at around 830 degrees C. Before the final firings the surface is rubbed down with diamond pads so all the wires and enamel are at the same level. Then enamel is placed only in the resulting recesses to bring it all up to the same level. Any imperfections or bubbles are corrected at this point. Finally when all is level it will have the final firing before more diamond polishing to bring it to a perfect flat, shiny surface.

    This is the completed necklace. It has fine gold and fine silver dots which add sparkle to the final piece and each piece is set in a silver bezel setting I have made for it. If you want to know more about finishing enamel or the setting process then you may like to see some of the videos I have made that can be accessed from my website.

  • “For the Love of an Elephant“ new cloisonné enamel necklace

    “For the Love of an Elephant“ new cloisonné enamel necklace

    For the Love of an Elephant cloisonné enamel necklace

    I made this necklace for the Cookson Gold February Design of the Month competition. The theme was Love and I immediately thought of this title and wanted to make a piece for it.

    The piece is cloisonné enamel on a hand engraved silver base in a silver setting. He is joyful and colourful and I wanted to make something uplifting for these challenging times. He is all dressed up for a festival or a party. He carries a heart in his upturned trunk. In the Hindu tradition an upward pointed trunk dispenses energy, luck and kindness. Elephants do this to greet friends and to express happiness. I hope he will bring happiness to the wearer and spread joy wherever he ends up!

    I was very excited when I heard he was the winning piece. They said ‘The judges chose this piece because they felt the piece was beautifully done and finished to perfection. They also liked the way the theme of love was shown in an non conventional way’. I won £100 to spend which should be quite easy  He has just gone to be hallmarked and then he will be available to purchase. He will cost £230 plus postage. Let me know if you want to reserve him to bring some happiness and joy to your life.

    Update. Buy him here in my Shop!

  • Wisley Botanical Gardens Enamel

    Wisley Botanical Gardens Enamel

    I have been thinking a lot recently about visits to Botanical Gardens and the wonderful collections of plants that they house. I have many happy memories of visiting Kew Gardens as a young child with my grandparents when you got in for 1 old penny in the turnstile. Years later I remember getting locked in when I went there for a picnic to celebrate a friends birthday after work. Champagne and strawberries in the rhododendron dell and we didn’t hear the little bell they used to ring. We had to walk around the perimeter until we found a cottage where someone was living. It was well before mobile phones. As a family we enjoy days out to gardens of all types and often visit Wisley RHS and Kew. I am always drawn to the cathedral like structures of the glasshouses whether they are the a Victorian structures at Kew or the much more modern one at Wisley with its state of the art computer controlled light, heat and ventilation. Entering the Glasshouse at Wisley is like walking into a jungle with tree ferns, tall palms, lush-leaved creepers and dazzling flower displays giving a feeling of lushness and drama. Sometimes it is home to thousands of butterflies which adds another dimension to the display. During the winter they have a Festival of Lights where plants on the glasshouse are lit by coloured lights from beneath giving extra colour and drama.

    I spent a long time looking at the many hundreds of photos I have taken over the years. Due to the lockdown I wasn’t actually able to visit any of these places again but the photos really helped. I spent a lovely sunny Sunday afternoon on the patio drawing ideas.

    I decided to work on silver and to engrave the piece before forming the wires for a cloisonné design. I made a film about part of this process that you can see on my Tutorials page. Here are some pictures of the piece in progress.

    The silver has been cut, formed and engraved. First I add a layer of transparent enamel and fire in the kiln before I start to add the wires that I have shaped using the design I have drawn. It’s a long process.
    The enamel is laid in thin layers and each layer is fired in the kiln for around two minutes.
    More layers have been added and fired to build up the depth of colour and shading.
    Even more layers.
    When the cells are nearly full I grind the whole piece. I am aiming to have the whole piece level without any areas which are lower than the rest. This is done in stages. More can be seen in the films on my Tutorials page.
    This is the final firing when only a few cells need a little more enamel to fill them
    The final piece. It has been fired and ground down and then polished by hand to make it shiny again. It feels silky to the touch. It is now ready for a setting to be made.

    Check out my Video Stories to learn more about this necklace and to see more videos of my work.

  • Spring Hare Cloisonné Enamel

    Spring Hare Cloisonné Enamel

    I had a commission to make a Spring Hare necklace, similar to one I have made before. Here are some pictures showing the process I went through to make it. Please feel free to message me if you have any questions.

    The wires are in position and ready to be fired on top of a layer of flux over the engraved silver disc.
    Colours have been ground with pestle and mortar and placed in little pots ready to apply. Notes in my sketch book and photos show me the colours I used before and the effect I am looking for. The wires are not identical and the colour placement certainly won’t be which means the piece will be finished piece will be unique in its own way.
    First full layer out of the kiln. You can see it is very under fired.
    Wet layer enamel showing some of the blending. Ready to fire.
    The piece is ready for its first grinding. You can either use diagrit or I like to use my JoolTool
    The piece has been partly ground down. You can see the shiny areas which will probably need more enamel. I will do a little more grinding, taking extreme care not to go too far so I make any of the enamel thin and pale in colour. Then I will glass brush it under running water before refilling the shallow depressions with more enamel.

    I have just made my first video and uploaded it to You Tube where I talk about the finishing of this piece in more depth. Check it out and let me know what you think. –Https://youtu.be/7zUpowcjm-Q

    Spring Hare Necklace.
    Cloisonné enamel on silver in a silver bezel setting.

  • New Cloisonné Enamel Necklaces

    I finished these two cloisonné necklaces this afternoon. They are all on silver in silver settings. The Enamels for the two Magic Carpet necklaces measure 30mm. These are inspired by Magic Carpets, infused with memories and dreams of places visited and people known, in the past and in the future. I hope their new owners fill them with their own Magical Memories and Dreams. The other is part of my Mystical Domes series and is around 35mm in diameter. These are inspired by my fascination with domes, my love of the Brighton Pavilion, St Paul’s cathedral and the Mughal architecture I saw in Rajasthan, combined with stories of the mythical lands of Arabian Nights. One of the Magic Carpets is sold and the other will be coming with me to Farnham Festival of Crafts at the weekend. Unless anyone wants to buy it before it gets there of course!

    Magic Carpet Cloisonné Enamel necklaces
    Magic Carpet Cloisonné Enamel necklaces

    Mystical Domes Cloisonné Enamel necklace
    Mystical Domes Cloisonné Enamel necklace

  • 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

  • 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