RUTH BALL  enamel + design
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updates

27/1/2019

 
I haven't posted here recently so I will add updates soon
Please email if you have an inquiry - Thank You.

2017 February workshop

3/3/2017

 
The workshop at bespoke925 last weekend produced some exiting new sample work and individual approaches to working in enamel.

Participants explored a range of effects and developed their own visual vocabulary with colour. The magic happens when the variety of combinations that arise out of experimentation are refined. The wow factor is palpable !

Just a few pictures to record a brilliant couple of days....... Thanks to all x

Next Course Date

16/12/2016

 
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My first course of the year will be held in the studio of Rajesh Gogna on  Saturday 18th and Sunday 19th of  February 2017

Click here for information about courses

VIP event with The Goldsmiths Company

4/12/2016

 

My frost beakers and keepsake boxes were selected for the Goldsmiths Fair VIP evening at The Savile Club, in Mayfair London. With the displays of silverware and jewellery set within the stunning interior of this 18th Century House the ambience felt timeless. The beautifully lit ballroom filled with our works was fused with accompanying piano music and solo singing. It all seemed to elegantly herald the Christmas festivities ahead. It was quite a magical night.
Read more about the evening on the Goldsmiths Fair Website.


De Vroomen Silver Festival

23/11/2016

 
From  26th Nov - 24 Dec these pieces are on view during the De Vroomen Silver Festival Exhibition, Mayfair London.  www.devroomen.co.uk/

New Work

5/11/2016

 
Keepsake Boxes / available to order.  These small box forms where really popular at Goldsmiths Fair this year.
I am really excited to be working on other sizes and different color & pattern combinations...... watch this space !

Goldsmiths Fair 2016

16/9/2016

 
Picture
Been a bit too busy recently to add to my news pages here recently, but I've been posting working shots occasionally on my Instagram page.
https://www.instagram.com/ruthballenamel/?hl=en

My latest collection is getting frosty ! These two beakers will be on display at Goldsmiths Fair - Week One.
Come and see me on Stand 50 !


Goldsmith Fair Catalog

9/6/2016

 
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The images are now online for the GOLDSMITH FAIR 2016 Catalog. 
I will be exhibiting in Week One on Stand No 50.

Check out my page HERE




Image copyright Goldsmith Fair Photography

Blue

1/5/2016

 
Working with blues this week.  Love this strong cobalt over the silver.
Picture

Enamelling @ Bespoke925

12/3/2016

 
Lots of interesting surface effects were achieved on my course this weekend at silversmiths Rajesh Gogna's new studio. The new studio is a lovely, light, well equipped space, and is now  located in rural Staffordshire.    It was a great weekend, and I am always stunned by the personal responses to surface and embellishment delegates accomplish. 
If you would like to find out more bout courses at Bespoke 925 check the website here http://www.bespoke925.com/

Cutting it in Liverpool

3/3/2016

 
Today I was privileged to take part in the The Hand Engravers Association demonstration day at the Bluecoat in Liverpool. The event was hosted by Bob and Joan Porter who have a shop and studio in the retail quarter of the Bluecoat complex.
The techniques of leading engravers, Alan Craxford,  Angus McFayden, Chris Rowley, and Perry were generously demonstrated to members of the public and students of Liverpool Hope University, who enthusiastically enjoyed a taster in the skills of  illustration and lettering on the metal surface.
If you would like to learn more about engraving and want to check out the next event have a look at the Hand Engravers Association website >   http://www.handengravers.co.uk/liverpool2016

Goldsmiths Fair 2015

5/10/2015

 
The Goldsmiths Fair is such a special time. I had a lovely week and good sales.  My new beakers and the flow dishes illustrated with Koi fish were a great talking point.   http://www.goldsmithsfair.co.uk/

Permanent Print Symposium @ UCLAN

11/7/2015

 
The symposium was a great chance to explore print on enamel surfaces alongside learning about the amazing variety of work that can be achieved with ceramic, glass and refractory concrete. It was also lovely to catch up with students and colleagues !  Find out more > http://www.permanentprint.org/
The images below are not my work but are examples of delegates samples made on the event.

Summer Exhibition @ The Contemporary Silver Gallery

23/6/2015

 
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"Flow 01" - Shallow Dish / 12cm diam
http://thecontemporarysilvergallery.co.uk/

June 25th to July 12th 2015
9.30am to 5.00pm every day

John Higgins will host his  seventh major Summer selling Exhibition in Lindfield, West Sussex this month.

The exhibition is a great opportunity to see, in one place, a really fine array of over 150 pieces of Contemporary Silver and Silver and Enamel, plus over 300 pieces of hand-crafted Contemporary jewellery from many of the  best UK Silversmiths and Jewellery Designer/Makers.

The event is by invitation only. If you would like an opportunity to attend the Exhibition please contact the gallery directly > Click Here

Uclan Degree Show

12/6/2015

 
This week is the degree show, and sadly also the end of the course, for the 3D Contemporary Craft Degree at UCLAN in Preston. It has been a lovely few years teaching with the group and the students have brought together a great body of work. They go onto display their work at New Designers in London.
Watch out for the work of   Charlotte Tracy,    Mellissa Yarlett,    Helen Miller,   Lily Preston,   Rebecca Barwell, 
Katie Timpson,   Kirsten Corkish,   Katie Taylor,   Mara Kurze,   Alice Smalley,  and  Leah Howarth

Next Course @ JSDAUK

10/5/2015

 
Picture

Guild of Enamellers Conference - Winchester 

19/4/2015

 
At the Guild of Enameller's conference this year I taught surface finishes in enamel. We explored every surface other than glossy ! This is just a sample of the test pieces done by the participant enameller's in the session.
www.guildofenamellers.org

Goldsmiths Fair 2015

27/3/2015

 
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Goldsmiths' Fair 2015 Exhibitors Announced!

The names of the 168 jewellers and silversmiths who will be exhibiting at Goldsmiths’ Fair 2015! are on the goldsmiths fair website......

I am exhibiting week two !
http://www.goldsmithsfair.co.uk/exhibitors/week-two/


How to engrave for Champleve Enamel

4/3/2015

 
The Hand Engravers Association showcase of engraving CUT IN CLERKENWELL at Craft Central, London is in full swing.  Check out the HEA facebook page for more information and photos of the events.
Today I thought I would post this handout that reveals the process behind my Champleve Enamels.

Click to view >
If you have problems loading this link > try again by clicking here 

Cut in Clerkenwell Opens Today !

2/3/2015

 
ABOUT CUT IN CLERKENWELL
Cut in Clerkenwell is an exciting event, that first took place in 2013, created to raise the profile of the art of hand engraving. Aimed at the public, craftspeople and aspiring hand engravers, entrance to the event is free with a small charge for taster sessions. Over the course of a week, there will be drop in demonstrations, taster sessions (booking only), an exhibition and a chance to meet expert hand engravers.

Hand Engraving Taster Sessions will be Tuesday to Friday from 10am and 1pm, taught by very experienced practitioners. Available by pre-booking only at £30 per session, limited places only.

2nd - 8th March 2015 at CRAFT CENTRAL
33-35 St John’s Square, London, EC1M 4DS

Opening Times:
Monday 2nd March: 1pm to 5pm
Tuesday to Friday: 10am to 5pm
Saturday and Sunday: 11am to 4pm

I just have one piece in the display but here are some images of engraving development on the beakers I showcased at Goldsmiths last year. All this is done with four basic hand engravers !

Reflecting on Blue

28/2/2015

 
Picture
Enamel on Silver Beaker - 10cm high x 8cm wide at top and 3cm at base. Exhibited at The Goldsmiths Fair 2014
Today I am reflecting on colours and their impact.

As you can see, I love blue, a colour highlighted on Twitter today by my good friend Pauline Hughes who is a very talented sculptural ceramicist. Her fundamental interest is in the figurative and her visually arresting work can be viewed on her Twitter Posts and Website http://www.paulinehughesceramics.com/

This is a piece I made for the Goldsmiths Fair 2014. My inspiration for this enamel on silver beaker was the study of light shadows, blue emerging as the dominant colour theme as I tried to recapture the moment of sunlight through glass.

Colour has impact all the time in fashion and this colour has been in vogue a lot recently. If you are in London you could also check out the latest exhibition at Studio Fusion which highlights BLUE & BLACK.




Cut In Clerkenwell

19/2/2015

 
I am delighted to have been invited to submit a piece of work for the events at Cut in Clerkenwell next month. Although I do not consider myself to be an engraver as such, I do engrave on each piece and the technique is central to the effects that I employ in my enamelling. The engraving under the enamel plays an essential supporting role in the interplay of light, colour and surface.

Cut in Clerkenwell is an exhibition to promote engraving skills and is organized by the Hand engravers Association. The events will be hosted at Craft Central in London and will take place during the week of the 2nd - 8th March 2015 - Please check the websites listed for more information.

Craft Central
https://www.facebook.com/craftcentraluk
http://www.craftcentral.org.uk/
Hand Engravers Association
https://www.facebook.com/handengravers
http://www.handengravers.co.uk/news-and-events




Twitter 

29/1/2015

 
Every now and then social media throws up some wonderful comments about my work, which, I must say always astonishes me each time it happens. I recently joined Twitter and spotted this blog post yesterday by leading New York designer Richard Rabel......

http://richardrabel.com/the-modern-sybarite/contemporary-british-silversmiths/
> Read more about Richard Rabel who is the founder of The Modern Sybarite Website.

A Weekend In Denmark

1/11/2014

 

I was very lucky to be part of an invited group workshop this weekend. Myself and my colleague Rebecca Gouldson travelled to Denmark to participate in the equivalent of a "bus mans holiday".
The workshop was hosted by Flemming the owner of
http://www.ravstedhus.dk/ which is a a leading supplier of materials and tools to the jewellery trade in Denmark.  The initial concept of the workshop and invitation to join was made by Tom Lundsten, who is a supplier of lead free Thompson Enamels and is also the chairman of the Danish Enamellers Association, which is affiliated to the Guild of Enamellers in the UK.
Ravstedhus is an amazingly well equipped space centered in the small town of Ravsted in South Jutland - located some four hours journey from Copenhagen.

Knowing that the opportunity to get together is rare, Tom's intention of the workshop was to provide an informal and open working space for the group of assembled enamellers. The event was facilitated as a weekend of professional development in which we could exchange working practices and get together in a mutually beneficial format. Without any formal presentation each member of the group was free to work on personal projects, and by the very sharing nature of enamellers, everyone found themselves encouraging debate and swapping technical information. This is generally done in a notorious fashion, by talking about the enamels and their characteristics by the numbers they are coded with. Its a very specific enamelling trait ! and quite funny to listen to once you get into the lingo !

Read more about my trip here......

Made

9/10/2014

 
Picture

I will have a small collection of brooches on the
House of Jewellers Stand at MADE London 

24/26 October 2014
One Marleybone, London, NW1 4AQ .

Check the MADE website for directions and ticket sales > http://www.madelondon.org/tickets
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 Email : ruthball@gmx.com

All images & designs on the site are copyright of  RUTH BALL - All rights reserved - 1987 / 2020.
All Precious metal pieces made by Ruth Ball are hallmarked & include her individual makers mark.


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