When I first started enamelling - I thought I would never want to do any technique except champleve. This viking horse (just finished this morning!) is typical of the designs I have developed for it. I had a special relationship with this technique - as I found out that it was an invention of the Iron Age Celts, who had captured my heart in historical studies. It was later that enamelling in and of itself really got under my skin.

In the beginning I taught myself how to enamel, and champleve was quite enough to have on my plate! There was a fairly steep learning curve just to get the metalworking (etching) techniques under control. The real understanding of enamel and how it can function to bring depth and light to a piece as well as colour didn't come til later.

I have never lost my love for champleve - and am back at it, as I see my show season looming ahead! Wiscon is just a month away!