Linda Connelly Enamels

Tag: jewellery

  • “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!

  • Botanical Gardens – The Latest News

    Botanical Gardens – The Latest News

    I am really excited to announce that my Botanical Gardens – Wisley Necklace has been chosen to be included in the new Association of Contemporary Jewellers (ACJ), exhibition Glasshouses.

    Botanical Gardens – Wisley Necklace

    Botanical Gardens play a vital role in helping to protect the bio-diversity of our planet and helping to support conservation of habitats around the world. The Glasshouses of Kew and Wisley RHS contain plants from around the world so they can be studied and protected.

    This necklace, inspired by Wisley as it lit up for the Festival Of Light, uses cloisonné enamel on a hand-engraved silver base, bezel set. The chain is made from Ecosilver and recalls the large, airy cathedral-like structure of the glasshouses. It can be removed and worn separately.

    Update: Buy here in my shop.

    Watch Linda’s video

    The exhibition brief prompted a whole new range of work and a new direction for me. I am so excited to be included. you can read here more about how it was made and don’t forget my new Video Stories page where I talk about this necklace. This necklace is available for sale through the Sussex Guild Online Shop along with some more of my work and lots from my friends and colleagues.

    New Botanical Gardens Pendants and Earrings

    Here are some new pieces that are available to purchase from my new Online Shop. There are some other pieces there to and I am adding new work on a regular basis. It just takes a long time taking the photos! You can save 10% on your first purchase and get free UK postage by signing up to my new Inside my Studio newsletter. This will give you access to all the latest news as well as special offers and discounts together with all the latest news about Jyppy my studio assistance dog.

    Hope you will join me in this new venture. I am currently trying to write my first one so I would welcome all the support I can get. I think more cake may be required!

    Jyppy, Studio assistant and Head of Dispatch Department

    Jyppy is currently working in the Dispatch Department and here you can see him with the latest order using my Newsletter discount. I am including free environmentally friendly gift wrapping and a complimentary silver cloth with all orders whilst stocks last. He needs to get a move on to catch the lunchtime post!

  • 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 ‘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

  • 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.

  • New Ammonite ‘Fossil’ Pendants

    New Ammonite ‘Fossil’ Pendants

    I have been working on some new ‘statement’ Ammonite ‘Fossil’ necklaces that I would like to share with you. The enamels have been created using Sgraffitto techniques. They are all on copper and I have set them in silver, sometimes with the addition of 18ct gold prongs.  Hope you like them.

    Small Turquoise Enamel ‘Fossil’ set in Silver bezel

    • Hand-made silver clasp
    • Matt Turquoise Beads on hand knotted silk
    • Enamel is approximately 45mm x 40mm
    • Length of necklace is approximately 48 cm

    Turquoise Enamel Ammonite Fossil with Turquoise Beads
    Turquoise Enamel Ammonite Fossil with Turquoise Beads

    Turquoise-Fossil-with-Knotted-Turquoise-beads-2 Turquoise-Fossil-with-Knotted-Turquoise-beads-3

     

    Large Orange Enamel’ Fossil’ with 18ct gold prong setting on sterling silver

    • Hand-made silver clasp, bail and chain
    • Matt ‘Dragon Skin’ beads
    • Enamel is approximately 65mm x 55mm
    • Length of necklace is approximately 68mm

    Orange Ammonite Fossil Necklace with Dragon Skin Beads
    Orange Ammonite Fossil Necklace with Dragon Skin Beads

    Orange-Fossil-with-Dragon-Skin-Beads-and-chain-2 Orange-Fossil-with-Dragon-Skin-Beads-and-chain-3

    Large Blue Enamel ‘Fossil’ with 18ct gold prong setting on sterling silver

    • Hand-made silver clasp and bail
    • Matt Agate beads on hand knotted silk
    • Enamel is approximately 65mm x 55mm
    • Length of necklace is approximately 50mm

    Blue Ammonite Fossil Necklace with Agate Beads
    Blue Ammonite Fossil Necklace with Agate Beads

    Blue-Fossil-with-Knotted-Agate-Beads-2 Blue-Fossil-with-Knotted-Agate-Beads-3

    Large Turquoise Enamel ‘Fossil’ set in silver bezel

    • Hand-made silver clasp and chain
    • Turquoise beads
    • Enamel is approximately 65mm x 55mm
    • Length of necklace is approximately 68mm

    Large Turquoise Ammonite Fossil with Turquoise Beads
    Large Turquoise Ammonite Fossil with Turquoise Beads

    Turquoise-Fossil-with-Turquoise-beads-and-Coil-Links Turquoise-Fossil-with-Turquoise-beads-and-Coil-Links-2

  • Cloisonné Enamel – The Making of my New Magic Carpet Pendant

    Cloisonné Enamel – The Making of my New Magic Carpet Pendant

    Cloisonné Enamel – The Making of my New Magic Carpet Pendant

    Cloisonné enamel is where fine wires are embedded in the enamel to create the design. There are a lot of different stages involved in making a piece using this technique and I decided to use my new Nimbus Cloud Dome to take pictures of the making of my new ‘Magic Carpet’ inspired Cloisonné enamel piece.

    20140207-165052.jpg
    This shows the wires laid onto the base. In this case I am using fine silver foil on a copper base. I have used Soyer Silver flux over the foil and fired that before starting to add the wires. I have used fine silver and fine gold wires. They were fired into place in two separate firings as the design was too complicated to do all in one. I use Kyre-fire to hold the wires in place to go into the kiln.

    20140207-165743.jpg
    This shows the first layer of colour fired into place. I have used a light blue under where the pink will go. I find that this helps the pink to fire a better colour.

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    This shows the second layer of colour that has been wet laid into the cells before it is fired. It is quite tricky where the design is complex to keep the colours separate. A good light and  the right glasses are essential!

    20140207-170135.jpg
    Here the second layer has been fired. I am really pleased with the pink particularly.

    20140207-170348.jpg
    Here I have added fine gold foils and painted oxides to the design. After firing I will then complete the enamelling with two layers of Blythes Medium flux. The two layers will be fired separately. If you apply it too thick it tends to go cloudy and obscure the colours. After the last firing I use a fine diagrit to rub all over the enamel to remove any excess. The aim is to achieve a level surface with no high spots or depressions. The latter show up as a shiny patch amid an otherwise matte surface. If necessary, I add more medium flux and refine and then repeat this stage. When all is flat and perfect I use a succession of wet and dry paper with lots of water to achieve a soft eggshell finish. I use Renaissance Wax to seal the surface and to protect it.

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    This is the finished piece before setting. There are hours of work involved to get to this stage.

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    The completed Cloisonné Enamel ‘Magic Carpet’ inspired enamel set in a sterling silver surround.