Lydia Martin, visiting assistant professor of metalsmithing/jewelry who organized the conference, described enamel as a 鈥減owdered glass that is fused on the surface of metal in a decorative manner.鈥�

鈥淓namel is both a material and a technique,鈥� Martin said. 鈥淭here are many nuances to enameling, and mastering them can take a lifetime.鈥�

The conference included six days of pre- and post-workshops that included specialized sessions like Cloisonn茅 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.

鈥淭he annual Enamelist Society Conference brings together many different types of people all interested in the art of enameling from around the world,鈥� said Brian Young, gallery director at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. 鈥淔or 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock and the School of Art and Design, it鈥檚 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.鈥�

Any 糖心Vlog传媒 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.

鈥淭his is the first time that the School of Art and Design has hosted a national conference,鈥� 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, 糖心Vlog传媒 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.

The post 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock School of Art and Design Hosts National Enamelist Conference appeared first on News.

Counard鈥檚 lecture, 鈥淪hifting Perspective,鈥� will take place Friday, Feb. 9, at 6 p.m. in the Windgate Center for Art and Design, Room 101. The workshop, 鈥淪um and Substance,鈥� will be held in the Windgate Center for Art and Design on Feb. 9 and 10, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Counard is an alumna of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale with a master鈥檚 degree in fine arts, and she also holds a bachelor鈥檚 degree of science in art from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Currently living in Edinboro, Pennsylvania, Counard has been a professor of metals and jewelry at Edinboro University for the past 20 years.

Counard鈥檚 work has been featured in several books, including 鈥淣arrative Jewelry,鈥� 鈥淏ehind the Brooch,鈥� and SNAG Jams 2019. She lectures and exhibits throughout the United States and has curated and been featured in exhibitions at several museums.

Inspired by interpersonal connection and relationships, Counard creates jewelry and sculptural objects. Through her art, she aims to capture our human ability to connect and evolve. Her love for teaching and building community informs her practice and contributes to the concepts she explores in her work.

The workshop will explore the conceptual and technical possibilities that objects hold, discussing the prominence of the qualities of the objects we are drawn to. The malleability of metal will be surveyed with the technique of chasing and repousse, while the technique of forging will explore altering mass and line.

For more information about Counard, visit.

The workshop has limited enrollment, and registration is required. For more information, contact Lydia Martin at lmartin3@ualr.edu.

The post 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Welcomes Cappy Counard as Featured artWORKs Artist for Spring 2024 appeared first on News.

Bob Baldridge, Bailey Holley, and Brice Horn are three jewelry and metalsmithing students who partook in the program that culminated in a four-week out-of-state internship. Bob Baldridge interned with the Baltimore Jewelry Center, Bailey Holley interned with Halstead Bead Company in Prescott, Arizona, and Brice Horn interned with Heather Guidero Jewelry in Providence, Rhode Island.

Martin, who started at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock in the fall of 2021 as a Windgate Artist-in-Residence, created the program with collaborative mentorship in mind. Students first applied for the program, they were mentored by Martin herself, then the students conducted a research project in a field of their interest.

鈥淓ach internship created was individualized to fit the needs of the partnering organization and the interests of the students,鈥� Martin said. 鈥淲hile my mentorship is closely tied to the studio classroom and how best to prepare students for an upcoming experience such as this, the mentorship received from the partnering organization was specialized, as all three were outside of the realm of my expertise.鈥�

From traveling and teaching to networking and learning about the industry, each student鈥檚 internship experience differed based on their interests.

鈥淢y favorite part of the internship was having the chance to teach two free spoon-forging workshops to people in the local community,鈥� Baldridge, who interned with the Baltimore Jewelry Center, said. 鈥淚t was so much fun and inspiring to have that experience while I鈥檓 still in school and was affirmation that I am on the right path.鈥�

Holley, who interned with Halstead Bead Company, noticed the difference between her experience in school and her experience in the field.

鈥淭his opportunity allowed me to travel and get a professional, real-world artist experience outside of academia,鈥� Holley said. 鈥淭his led me to realize how important it is going to be for my future that I keep traveling, networking, and learning among other creatives.鈥�

With internship funding supplemented by Career Services at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education, and through Signature Experience Grants, the three students were paid for their work.

鈥淲e were excited to partner with students in the jewelry and metalsmithing program,鈥� Brittany Straw, director of Career Services, said. 鈥淭his partnership gives students the opportunity to participate in internships that they might not have been able to participate in otherwise.鈥�

鈥淲hat Professor Martin has created represents best practices in ensuring students have access to high-quality experiential learning opportunities that improve their social, human, and creative capital,鈥� said Dr. Sarah Beth Estes, dean of the College of Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences, and Education.

The post 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 School of Art and Design Launches Jewelry and Metalsmithing Internship Program appeared first on News.