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Floral Flares: Fancy Enamel Settings Made Simple
In this live, virtual workshop, students will learn how to create unique bezel settings for safely setting small stones onto enameled surfaces. Starting with a demonstration on how to plan and prepare your metal surface for enameling, the workshop will then guide students on constructing/prepping the settings, before moving on to how most effectively set them. A visual presentation at the end of day one will provide ample examples and inspiration. On day two students will learn how to safely insert and secure the stone settings into their enamel design and then finally finish them with a "floral flare".
For practice and budget the use of copper for enameling is advised. Fine silver is recommended for settings and in any final pieces.
This course will consist of two sessions. There will be a no-class day between each session.
Class will be held live via Zoom during the designated time frames. A link to the Zoom meeting will be sent via email.
Each session will be recorded and you will receive a password protected link to the recordings that will expire after 30 days.
Please read the Materials & Tools tab!
Meet the instructor
Barbara Seidenath was born and raised in Munich, Germany. She studied Jewelry making at the State School for Glass and Jewelry in Neugablonz, Germany where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Goldsmithing, followed by a Masters of Fine Arts degree from the Academy of Fine Arts, Munich.
Seidenath has been on the teaching faculty of the Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, RI for nearly three decades. She also taught at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston and has been a faculty member at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. She has taught many seminars and workshops in the U.S. and abroad and has had her work shown in international solo and group exhibitions.
Seidenath's work has been seen at the American Craft Museum, New York City; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and the Design Museum of Munich, Germany. In 2002, Marjorie Simon wrote in Metalsmith Magazine "[Seidenath's work] is as delectable as the witch's house was to Hansel and Gretel. Putting it on would be like breaking the frozen surface and seeing the sun burst through again." Click here to read the full article: Bohemian Rhapsody - Importing Barbara Seidenath by Marjorie Simon [Metalsmith Magazine - Summer 2002]
Materials & Tools
The following supplies will be used for course demonstrations and objectives. A suggested item and/or vendor has been provided below for reference. Click the vendor name (in red) to be redirected to a page where you can find the item. The quantities needed for each item are listed first. If ordering, please be aware that some items may come in larger quantities than needed for this class. We recommend not opening an item's packaging until the day of the workshop. Student participation during or in-between class sessions is strongly encouraged but not required - observers are welcome.
Enamels of your choice (the instructor recommends Thompson):
- Thompson enamels - any you wish to use (Enamel Warehouse)
Soldering/enameling setup:
- 1 x fireproof work area - steel baking sheet(s) will work (Amazon)
- 1 x Solderite™ pad or fire brick (Rio Grande)
- 1 x kiln and/or torch (Rio Grande)
- 1 x set of sifters - your preferred mesh (Enamel Warehouse)
- 1 x flanged screen - 6"x6" (Enamel Warehouse)
- 1 x three-point trivet - 3" (Enamel Warehouse)
- 1 x firing fork (Enamel Warehouse)
- 1 x pliers or tweezers - for moving hot objects (Rio Grande)
Hand tools and equipment:
- 1 x rotary handpiece/drill press (Rio Grande)
- 1 x round bur - 3.5mm (Rio Grande)
- 1 x pliers set - all kinds (Rio Grande)
- 1 x steel block (Rio Grande)
- 1 x tube cutter and/or miter jig (Rio Grande or Rio Grande)
- 1 x needle file set (Rio Grande)
- 1 x burnisher - bent (Rio Grande)
- 1 x scribe (Rio Grande)
- 1 x pack of drill bits - #61 and #56 (Rio Grande and Rio Grande)
- 1 x dapping punches - 5mm to 9mm - only come as a set (Rio Grande)
- 1 x jewelers saw (Rio Grande)
- 1 x pack of sawbladed - 4/0 and 5/0 (Rio Grande and Rio Grande)
- diamond bur or diamond file - optional (Harbor Freight)
- any preferred clean-up supplies - sanding sticks / rotary tools / etc.
Metal/raw materials:
- 1 x copper sheet - within 3"x3" - 22g (Rio Grande)
- 3.5mm tubing - fine silver or copper (Rio Grande)
- hard or medium silver solder (Rio Grande)
Below are some suggested bezel cup sizes you can choose to work with (be sure to get stones that correspond with your chosen bezel size):
- 6mm fine silver bezel cup - round plain (Rio Grande)
- 5mm fine silver bezel cup - round serrated (Rio Grande)
- 4mm fine silver bezel cup - round serrated (Rio Grande)
- 5mm copper bezel cup - round serrated (Rio Grande)
- 6mm copper bezel cup - round serrated (Rio Grande)
- 8x6mm copper bezel cup - oval serrated (Rio Grande)
- stones that correspond with your bezel (Rio Grande)
Other/miscellaneous items:
- dust mask
- crock pot with pickle
- copper tongs - for pickle
- brass brush or tooth brush - for cleaning metal
- dish soap - for cleaning metal
- bowl of water or sink - for rinsing / quenching
- eye protection - for kiln / torch
- glass containers - for mixing enamels
- hammers - if you want textures
- towels / rags
- older file - if using miter jig
- fan and open window - for ventilation
- soldering pick / soldering tweezers