The British Society of EnamellersGLASS ON METAL ARTISTS

1984 - 2009

DRAFT DOCUMENT

1984

 

On December 10th 1983 an international association for enamellers was formed in Images, France, aiming to maintain contact between enamellers through national committees. National committees were then formed in Australia, Chile, Israel, Korea, The Netherlands, Spain, and USA and on January 28th 1984 a group of enamellers working in the UK met to form a UK Steering committee. This initial committee comprised Georgina Follett, Edward Heath, Endre Hevezi, Pat Johnson, Alex Placzek (Raphael), Jane Short, Gudde Jane Skyrme and Maureen Carswell. Initially the society was to have been titled the Society of British Enamellers, until it was realised that a large number of potential members were enamellers of other nationalities permanently residing and working in the UK. During 1984 the Steering Committee had arranged the delivery of members' enamels to the 1984 Limoges Biennale, where the British entry increased from 1 piece in 1982 to 12 pieces in 1984 by Society members Pauline Barrie, Maureen Edgar. Amal Ghosh, Edward Heath, Pat Johnson, Terry Jones, Evangeline Long and Alex Placzek Maureen Carswell and Endre Hevezi had attended the symposium in Limoges in July. 

THE FOUNDING OF BSOE The British Society of Enamellers came into being following an initiative by the French enamellers to set up an international enamelling organisation, headed by the French, with its base in Limoges. This idea was put forward at the conference at the opening of the 1982 Biennale, L’Art de L’Email. The idea was that the French would act as a focus for each country’s enamelling society. In the U.K. the Guild of Craft Enamellers, as it was known, had been established for four years, but at the time there was an emphasis on beginners, and there were very few full time enameller members.  I knew that there were many superb artist and craftsmen enamellers in the country, many working in isolation, and I wondered if I could get them together. Behind me I had the experience of having helped to found the Guild, being on the steering committee and being its chairman in its second year. I therefore approached Alexander Placzek (nee Raphael), who had also been a chairman of the Guild and asked if she would help. Together, we drew up a list of names and invited them to a meeting to discuss the founding of a society. This was held at Alex’s home at 30 Kensington Square. The enamellers who attended the first two meetings became the Steering Committee, they were Maureen Carswell, Georgina Follett, Edward Heath, Endre Hevezi, Pat Johnson, Alex Placzek, Ian Robertson, Ruth Rushby, Jane Short, Gudde Jane Skyrme and Erika Speel. It is interesting to note that of these eleven, eight are still members and active in the society.’ © 2009 Maureen Carswell.

1985At the first Annual General Meeting, held 16 March 1985 at the Craft Council Gallery in Waterloo Place, London, the first Executive committee was formally elected: Chairman: Maureen CarswellVice Chairman: Ian RobertsonSecretary: Alex Placzek (Raphael)Treasurer: Edward HeathExecutive Committee: Georgina Follett / Endre Hevezi / Ruth Rushby / Jane Short / Gudde Jane Skyme /Erika SpeelDuring the year, the Executive organised for members to send work to 4 international exhibitions, Tokyo, Aaron Faber, New York, and Laval, Canada.They also organised a Slide Symposium and lunch at the Crafts Council in October 1985 with a talk by Elizabeth Holder on the photography of enamels. Elizabeth, a jeweller who studied photography under Hans Fischer in Düsseldorf, answered questions on common problems, illustrated by her own slides and then photographed some members’ work to demonstrate setting up and lighting and useful ‘tricks’ of the trade.Society members Amal Ghosh, Edward Heath, Ender Hevezi, Iris Hudson, Terry Jones, Pat Johnson, Evangeline Long, Ian Robertson and Elizabeth Terrell exhibited in Contemporary British Enamels at Shipley Art Gallery. 

The society owes a big debt of gratitude to Alex. She acted as treasurer for thirteen years. She was very ably supported by Gudde on the practical side, Gudde being a whiz on her Apple Mac. As well as all the secretarial work they produced the newsletter for a number of years, right up to when Pat Johnson took over. All the committee meetings, as well as many other activities, were hosted by Alex in her home – and there were a lot of committee meetings! Leading up to the first AGM we had seven meetings and in the following year we had nine meetings. I served as chairman of the society for five years, and for our fifth AGM in 1989 I organised a combined Exhibition, AGM and workshops in Durham. This was with the help of Evangeline Long, who had found the venue for us at the Durham Light Infantry museum. This sounds a rather unlikely venue, but they had an excellent gallery space. The society went on to arrange a number of international conferences/workshops, two at West Dean, one in Cambridge and another in Oxford. We established contact with a number of international enamelling groups, exhibited widely both at home and abroad.  The International Association in Images never got off the ground, but BSOE is still here twenty-five years on. I wish Melissa and the present committee every success in taking us into the next twenty five.’ © 2009 Maureen Carswell.

1986After the 2nd Annual General Meeting, Elizabeth Turrell gave a short slide talk on her work and that of her students at Queen’s Road, Bristol and Pauline Barrie then outlined her work with the Women Artists’ Slide Library, illustrating it with various posters, leaflets and other promotional material.Society members, Endre Hevezi, Evangeline Long, Sandra Mc Queen, Joan MacKarell and Elizabeth Turrell exhibited in the 1st Bienale, Laval, Canada. LIMOGES BIENNALE 1986The Limoges Biennale 1986 was in some ways a triumph for BSOE. We had been formed for just over a year and I had been invited to be a member of the international jury. Despite the title of ‘international’ jury, there were six French jurors and just three from outside France, Kurt Neun from Germany, Andreu Vilasis from Spain and myself.Ten members had work accepted. They were, Phil Barnes, Pauline Barrie, Iris Hudson, Sarah Letts, Evangeline Long, Amal Ghosh, Joan MacKarell, Alexandra Placzek, David Evan Turner and Elizabeth Turrell. Both Phil’s pieces were sold, the Bee Box to the Geneva Museum of Clocks and Enamels. Evangeline Long’s Barn II (Diptych) was commended. Both of Joan MacKarell’s exquisite pebble boxes were sold and Alex’s plique-a-jour bowl, ‘Frogs & Tadpoles’ was also bought by the Geneva museum. Both Elizabeth Turrell and Amal Ghosh were awarded prizes for their work.

© 2009 Maureen Carswell. 

 

 

MORE IMAGES HERE ? PERHAPS SOME ENAMELS ?

1987EXHIBITIONS AT RIBA HEADQUARTERS AND ELECTRUM GALLERY1987 saw the BSOE being asked to put on exhibitions at the prestigious Electrum Gallery, South Molton Street, and at the headquarters of the Royal Institute of British Architects at 66 Portland Place.The Selection Committee met on the 2nd March at 30 Kensington Square, with Barbara Cartlidge of Electrum and Lady Gibberd of RIBA.  As a result work from 24 members was selected for the Electrum exhibition and from 8 members for the RIBA exhibition.  Both Barbara and Lady Gibberd were very pleased with the quality and range of work submitted.The Executive agreed a format with Barbara for a publicity leaflet-poster to be produced by Electrum.  It was a single sided poster, which folded down to fit into a foolscap-sized envelope.  It contained general information about enamels, the exhibition and the Society.  There was a colour reproduction of one piece for each participating member alongside their C.V.

Additionally, the Society was awarded a grant by the Crafts Council towards the cost of publicity for these exhibitions, which included photography and printing of an A3 poster of all Society members’ work. 

Additionally, the Society was awarded a grant by the Crafts Council towards the cost of publicity for these exhibitions, which included photography and printing of an A3 poster of all Society members’ work.The Electrum exhibition ran from 6 – 23 May 1987, and was successful enough for Barbara Cartlidge to invite the Society to exhibit again in November 1988.The RIBA exhibition took place in the Sculpture Court from 10 June – 31 August, the large panels being displayed on the walls, the floor space displaying sculptural pieces by a Gloucestershire artist.  The Society was also offered the second floor gallery at RIBA for smaller work and panels not suitable for outside display.  This took place from 10 – 26 June‘In looking through photos, I came across the ones of the BSOE exhibition at the RIBA headquarters in London in 1987.  We were able to arrange this at about the same time as one of the Electrum Gallery exhibitions.  This was because the Electrum Gallery was mostly for small work and jewellery (although there were some wall pieces), and this enabled large work to be shown, including some architectural work shown outside.  - very impressive building, past the BBC, off Oxford St.We shared the outside part of the exhibition with a sculptor from Gloucestershire.  Princess Michael of Kent knew him and came to the private view! I did speak to her and tried to push the BSOE work, don't think it lead to anything!’ © 2009 Maureen Carswell.

Additionally in 1987 The American Enamelist Society held its first international conference in Cincinnati, Ohio, which was attended by Society members: Maureen Carswell, Joan MacKarell, Alex Placzek (Raphael), Gudde Skyrme and Elizabeth Turrell. 

1988After the Society’s 4th Annual General Meeting, Erika Speel gave a short talk on the Enamelist Society’s 1st Convention and Alex Placzek (Raphael) on the work of Bill Helwig and Margarete Seeler. These talks were followed by a showing of the enamelling video produced by Brighton Polytechnic, featuring Jane Short and Ros Conway.During the year the Society organised a jewellery exhibition at the ‘Society for Contemporary Craft’ in Pittsburgh and Ann Smith hosted a Society exhibition of 19 members’ work at the ‘Peacock House’ gallery in Chipping Campden.Additionally the Society organised a second exhibition of 26 members’ work Electrum Gallery.The Society also arranged transportation of members' work to the Coburg exhibition and members also exhibited at Enamelling Art in Japan.Phil Barnes, Amal Ghosh, Alex Placzek (Raphael) and Elizabeth Turrell had work accepted for the Escola Massana competition exhibition in Barcelona, (out of a total of 23 exhibitors).Society members Sally Aplin, Amal Ghosh, Janly Jaggard, Evangeline Long, Sandra Mc Queen, Columba O' Donovan, Alexandra Placzek and Elizabeth Turrell exhibited at the 1988 Limoges Bienale. 

LIMOGES 1988The splendid 17th century chapel of Lycee Gay-Lussac was the setting for the 9th Bienale Internationale de Limoges exhibition. The nave, glowing with the play of light onto piles of shining metal swarf placed on reflective copper surfaces, the side aisles containing the enamels, on walls, in individually lit transparent domes and display cases – a total of 169 pieces.The jewellery satellite exhibition, including works by Alex Place (Raphael), Ruth Rush by and Jane Short, was in part of the Muse de leech, where the simple setting of natural brick and stone enhance the richness of the jewels. Drawn from 5 countries, these pieces demonstrated a range of exciting techniques being explored by contemporary enamel jewellers.Modern glass creations were placed in the light and airy Orangery of the Musee de l’Eveche.Recent creative porcelain exhibited in the Limoges Ceramic Museum included examples of delicious surface treatments, matt and semi-matt on new shapes.This work contrasted with the techniques employed by the 18th and 19th century Russian enamellers in the exhibition from the Heritage Museum. Similarly, the work of Leon Jouhaud, a master enameller in Limoges (1874-1950), whose charming figurative work in enamel, supported by pastels, watercolours and oils, were shown in a comprehensive exhibition at the Ministry of Culture premises.© 1988 Sally Aplin. 

 

1989The Society’s 5th Annual General Meeting was held at the Durham Light Infantry Museum and was followed by 4 workshops: Cloisonné Enamelling by Jane Short, Approaches to Enamelling on Copper Foil by Elizabeth Turrell, Champleve and Basse-taille by Phil Barnes and Enamelling on Steel by Edward Heath.The Society also organised a month long exhibition of work by 24 members in the museum.Anny Hooton and Alex Raphael were invited to participate in the annual enamel symposium of the Soviet Artists’ Union in Palanga, Lithuania.

ENAMELLING SYMPOSIUM PALANGA

Through winning a bursary from Goldsmiths’ Hall, I was able to realise my dream of visiting the USSR to work with the Soviet enamellers in their first international symposium at Palanga. I travelled to the Soviet Union with Alex Raphael, who as also invited. We arrived in a cold and snowy Moscow and were greeted by our guides, Olga and Irina, who enquired, “Where are your hats?” It was time for the pink 'titfer'.After a night in the Rossa Hotel, we were collected and put on the plane for Palanga, to travel without guides or translators. We were met at our destination by Indulis Urbans and Felix Kuznietsov, enamellers whom we had met in Limoges during the 1988 Bienale.At Palanga the artists were housed in a special building for the arts, called the ‘Daile’, which consisted of a kiln room, metalwork room, conference area, plus over 100 individual or double bedroom/ateliers and a large dining room.

Our days were filled with meeting the other artists and looking at their work of two months, testing the Dulova enamels, experimenting with ‘technical’ (liquid) enamels – a new technique for me and producing a piece of work for the final exhibition, in my case a copper piece of champleve, for Alex a silver and gold cloisonné domed plaque.

 

The Soviet people place a strong accent on health and swimming was part of the programme. Indulis, the president of the enamelling group, arranged for us to visit the doctor for a blood pressure test, then off to the open-air swimming pool for an hour. The air was freezing cold, but the water (piped in from the Baltic) was hot. There were two pools, one hotter than the other, steam hung above one’s head like fog, but at night with soft light and Western rock music, waterfalls for massage and a long slide for fun, it was a wonderful and exhilarating experience.

The local people came to look at the final exhibition and took a great interest in our Western work. We met Madame Romanova, the head of the Soviet Artists’ Union, who came to review the work. Because modern Soviet enamels have only existed since 1982, the artists use great inventiveness with contemporary thought and political statement.’©1989 Anny Hooton

Any photos ?

PALANGA, LITHUANIA‘The visit of six members of BSOE to work in Palanga with Soviet and International enamellers, was the result of contacts made at the Limoges Biennale. The Soviet Artists’ Union arranged the workshops annually, for the months of January and February. They took place in a hotel for worthy workers in factories to do with the crafts, in the Baltic seaside town of Palanga.

The top floor housed the enamel workshops and the two floors below provided bedroom/ workplace for the enamellers. For the Soviet enamellers, an invitation to take part was highly prized. An exhibition was staged at the end of the two months, attended by the top people in the union, as well as representatives of museums. Success in the exhibition was vital for future support by the union. 

1990Maureen Carswell, Keryn Evely and Gudde Skyrme were invited to participate in the 1st half of the annual enamel symposium of the Soviet Artists’ Union in Palanga, Lithuania, followed by Amal Ghosh, Annie Hooton and Ian Robertson for the second half of the symposium.

Anny Hooton and Alexander Raphael had been the pioneers – they had been invited to attend in 1989. This led to an expansion in ’90 with two sets of three BSOE members (one in January, the other in February) being invited, as well as enamellers from many other countries, France, Germany, Spain, USA (Hawaii) and Australia. The Soviets came from all corners of the Soviet Union, which made it a truly international gathering.Keryn Evely, Gudde Skyrme and I were the first three to go, in January. We set off from Heathrow, very warmly dressed, with very heavy baggage (Gudde’s was too heavy to go on the conveyor belt and had to be taken to a special place for extra heavy luggage!). The reason for all this weight was that we were taking as much of our enamels and tools as we could, not knowing what would be available. This proved to have been wise, particularly in the case of enamel as the Soviets used mostly liquid enamels.Gudde had also taken a weight of sterling plates, already photo etched for making brooches. She had entered these on the customs form as Sterling. The official asked to see it. On being shown the silver, he said “No”; he wanted to see the sterling, equating sterling with currency. Obviously there was a language problem, and no end of explaining could get him to understand that the plates were ‘sterling’. Luckily, he gave up in exasperation and let us through!This was the first of many adventures. We were met in Moscow by a host of friends plus an interpreter. This was the time of the beginning of the end for the Soviet Union and some private enterprise was being allowed. We were taken in a mini bus, through the snow to a gaunt, concrete, high-rise block, among many other high-rise blocks, all the same. We were taken to a flat, obviously someone’s home being rented out, told that someone would bring us some supper, for which we were to pay her, but on no account to open the door to anyone else!! 

Our interpreter, Masha, was travelling with us to Palanga. She was a young woman who had just finished her teacher training. The job had been offered to her father, a highly experienced interpreter, but he had asked that his daughter be allowed the opportunity. Her English was excellent, and we got on very well.Masha and her father arrived in the morning to take us to the airport. They had one normal sized taxi for the five of us and all our heavy luggage. Five into one obviously didn’t go. It was decided that Masha, myself and all the heavy luggage would go in the taxi and that Masha’s father, Gudde and Keryn would get another taxi. I thought no more of it, other than some anxiety driving through the snow in a taxi whose windscreen wipers weren’t working, having to stop every so often to clear the screen. We finally arrived at the airport, but there was no sign of the others. Time was ticking by, getting nearer and nearer to the flight’s departure. They made it just in time. It seems that in those days, it wasn’t possible to phone up for a taxi, one just went out into the street and tried to flag down passing motorists and ask them to take you to your destination. This had proved almost impossible and they had been forced to take a lift into the city and another one out!

After all these tribulations, Palanga itself was a pleasant surprise. It was a pretty town on the shores of the Baltic, with long sandy beaches, backed by pine trees, with wooden walkways through the trees and along the shore. Although it was January, it was no colder than at home, and most of the time the skies were blue.

In the evening we met up with our fellow enamellers, led by Indulis Urbanis from Latvia. Our first task was to design and make a poster to represent ourselves and our country, this to decorate the meeting room. We set to work the following day. We three tended to follow a nine to five working day, with leisure in the evenings. For me it was bliss to have the luxury of being a full time enameller for a whole month. On the whole, the Soviets had quite different work patterns. Some of them worked through the night and slept for a large part of the day, they said that it was quieter then.Each country was expected to host a party. Burns Night fell during our stay, so we decided to have a Burns Night party. We made a haggis out of someone’s stuffed sock, and Masha translated the Ode to the Haggis (which Keryn happened to have with her!) into Russian. We managed to find whisky for sale in the ‘Foreigners’ shop in Klaipeda, we had some tea bags, shortbread and tartan serviettes, so were all set. At the appointed hour, there was no sign of our guests and there seemed to be a lot of scurrying around from room to room. Eventually they turned up. All the men had made kilts out of their tartan blankets; some had a sporran made out of a woolly hat. There was all manner of headgear, but the most impressive was that of Aman Amanoff of Turkmenistan, it was a shepherd’s hat made of sheepskin. Being a Muslim, Aman was not allowed to bare his legs, so he had Long Johns under his kilt!

We proceeded with the procession of bringing in the haggis and reading the Ode. We then gave them lessons in the Gay Gordons. I think that it is fair to say that a great time was had by all.I think that it is also fair to say that everyone worked hard and played hard. There was a great range of techniques and styles and an exchange of ideas. Many friendships were formed, and I feel very privileged to have taken part.’© 2009 Maureen Carswell. 

OTHER EVENTS in 1990•Phil Barnes succeeded Maureen Carswell as Chairman.•The Limoges Biennale invited Phil Barnes, Amal Ghosh, Joan MacKarell, Columba O’Donovan and Alex Raphael to exhibit, with each of them inviting another enameller to show with them; Phil invited Fred Rich, Amal invited Iris Hudson, Ruth Ball, Columba invited Sue Daly and Joan invited Tamar Winter.

To be continued – this is just a test document