Vitreous enamel is glass frit combined with mineral oxides to create colors that may be opaque or transparent after kiln-firing at temperatures up to 1500 degrees. The enamel is finely ground powder, and I apply it to the metal surface by sifting or mixing the powder with a binder to create a slurry to paint onto the metal. As a painter, I have always focused on color relationships. I build subtle color nuances with enamels by layering transparent colors over opaque and kiln- fire each piece multiple times. Many of my works have 10-12 applications of enamel. The results are luminous surfaces that cannot be achieved in other media. This type of enamel has historically been used for jewelry and small objects, but I am using it in a non-traditional way.
