UA Little Rock School of Art and Design Hosts National Enamelist Conference
The UA Little Rock School of Art and Design welcomed more than 130 people to campus for the biennial Enamelist Society Conference, bringing together artists, experts, and enthusiasts from across the country to celebrate and explore the art of enameling.
Lydia Martin, visiting assistant professor of metalsmithing/jewelry who organized the conference, described enamel as a “powdered glass that is fused on the surface of metal in a decorative manner.”
“Enamel is both a material and a technique,” Martin said. “There are many nuances to enameling, and mastering them can take a lifetime.”
The conference included six days of pre- and post-workshops that included specialized sessions like Cloisonné Enamel, Electroforming for the Enamelist, Forming and Enameling Bronze & Copper Screen Mesh, 3D Texture and Form in Enameling, and Sifting Enamel Technique on Copper.
The Enamelist Society is a volunteer arts organization that was founded in 1987 for the purpose of promoting the art and medium of enameling. It brings together jewelers, metalsmiths, enamelists, enthusiasts, galleries, and artists from all over the world to gain and share knowledge and advance the craft of enameling.
“The annual Enamelist Society Conference brings together many different types of people all interested in the art of enameling from around the world,” said Brian Young, gallery director at UA Little Rock. “For UA Little Rock and the School of Art and Design, it’s an opportunity for art students to gain knowledge and professional networking and development skills. As one of the only art departments in the state with a crafts program, we are in an opportune position to present all we have to offer.”
Any UA Little Rock student who volunteered at the conference had the opportunity to attend the conference events for free and learn more about the art of enameling.
“This is the first time that the School of Art and Design has hosted a national conference,” Martin said. “This has been an incredible opportunity for the students to gain exposure to a unique aspect of the jewelry and metalsmithing field. It’s rare to have so many experts in a specialized technique come together at once, and I’m thrilled that some of our students were able to learn from these professionals.
Members of the public also have the opportunity to experience the best of enamellist art. In coordination with the conference, UA Little Rock is hosting the Alchemy7: Enamellist Society Juried Exhibition through Sept. 6 in the Brad Cushman Gallery in the Windgate Center of Art + Design. The free exhibition highlights the best in contemporary enamels produced in the last two years.
