Barbara Minor

I am fascinated with color, surface pattern and actual or visual texture on fabric, natural forms or useful objects. My work has focused on employing enamel color and pattern, precious metals/stones and other materials in jewelry and decorative objects.

Wandering Pearls   

Pin--transparent enamel on formed fine silver/copper bimetal, 

Smithsonite, pearls, fabricated sterling silver

1.5" x 1.5" x .25"

2. 
   
   
   
   
   Triangle with Rectangles 
   Pin/Pendant--transparent enamel over fine silver foil rectangles 
   on formed fine silver, fabricated sterling silver
   3" x 3" x .25"
3. 
   
   
   
   
   
   Red Sticks  
   bowl - transparent enamel over 24 kt. gold foil and 
   underglaze black on raised copper, bone, glass, 
   carnelian, onyx, fabricated sterling silver 
   6" x 6" x 4"

Barbara will demonstrate and show examples of decorative vitreous enameling techniques that quickly yield colorful, exciting and complex looking enameled surfaces.
Dry screen printing and found/made stencils yield vibrant/detailed patterns, illusions of texture and individualized designs.

1. 
   Tendrils 
    pin - dry screen printed image in enamel on copper, brass, nickel silver 
   
   
2. 
   Four Leaves 
    pin - stencil design in enamel on copper, nickel silver

Drawing on etched enamel surfaces with various “fire-able” media allows for development of personal images by adding details and spontaneous marks.

Spiral
- graphite drawing fired into white enamel 

Quick inclusion of repeat designs, realistic images or a lustrous surface is accomplished using a variety of decals suitable for firing.

1. 
    Flora 
   pin -- iron oxide decal fired onto white enamel, nickel silver 
   
   
   
2. Golden Spiral  
   pin -- gold overglaze decal fired onto enamel on copper

Barbara began enameling during graduate school and continued enamel process exploration while teaching at SUNY Geneseo. During this time she began enameling on formed metal, creating enamel jewelry, sculptural objects and narrative reliefs. 

Flight from Water to Water 

sculpture -  enamel on copper, brass, silver 

5” x 5” x 4” high

Reaching 

series of pins

enamel on copper, sterling silver 

2” x 2” x .25” 

 

 

J.M. Meets S.R. in Mexico

 wall piece -- enamel over 24kt. gold and fine silver foil on formed copper, shells 

12” x 12” x 1” deep 

  

Barbara now lives in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where she focuses on producing her colorful enameled jewelry, enameled beads and small sculptural objects that have been widely exhibited, marketed and collected. 

Egg and Sphere Beads on Chris’s Cables
transparent enamel over 24 kt. gold and fine silver foil on formed fine silver,

sterling silver – smallest = .5” diameter x 1” / largest = 1” diameter x 2.5”

Head, Heart, Soul – pin
- transparent enamel over formed copper/fine silver bi-metal, Smithsonite,

pearl – 3” high x 1.25” wide x .25” deep 

Golden Spirals 

bowl - transparent enamel over 24 kt. gold foil on raised copper, fabricated sterling

silver, lime jade, brass – 4.5” diameter x 4” high 

 

“in 2011, I began using minimal enamel color on formed, pleated, folded and gathered copper screen, copper foil and steel. My methods involve learning fabric and paper techniques for creating volume, translating and applying those methods to manipulation of very thin sheet metal or screen and creating a metal forms suitable for enameling. These explorations are resulting in jewelry and objects that emphasize the form and surface over applied color/pattern.” 

13. 
     Screen Floral – pin - enamel on copper, copper, glass, brass – 3.5” square x .33”deep 
    
    
    
14. Twisted Pearls – Pin
    - enamel on copper, nickel silver, brass, pearls – 3” diameter x .33” deep
15.  
    
16. Manipulations 
17. experiments with copper foil, screen and enamel

I am really looking forward to meeting everyone at the YUMA Symposium!!!! 
www.barbaraminor.com 
 www.barbaraminorenamels.com