Member of the Month: Jean Wilkinson
Trained as a silversmith and jeweller in Ireland in the 1990s, Jean brought enamelling to her work in the late 2000s, having been trained by the master enameller Phil Barnes. Jean specialises in the difficult, but very beautiful, enamelling technique of plique-à-jour, allowing her to bring light, colour and reflection to her pieces.
Jean takes her inspiration from nature. Light, layers, colours, forms and reflection… The natural world holds an abundance of inspiration for Jean. The light playing on layers of leaves and branches, the rain drops on a web, the reflections on water, the colours and contours of leaf patterns… all inspire and motivate Jean to imagine the essence of the form and to bring this to her work.
The forms and ethos of the Art Nouveau period in France and the Arts and Crafts period here in the UK are a particular source of inspiration for Jean. The vision of nature portrayed in a fluid magical form, balancing materials and techniques to produce a beautiful piece of work, no longer the parts that it is composed of, but a unified piece of art where no element over shadows the next.
Jean has won many awards for her plique-a-jour work including the prestigious gold award at the Goldsmiths craft and design council awards. Her work has been exhibited in Paris, Limoges, Nederlands, Ireland and the UK.
The British Society of Enamellers has a broad membership, encompassing levels of expertise from enamel students to professional level enamellers. Our aim is to promote the highest standards of contemporary design and workmanship in all aspects of this unique and exciting medium.
UK based, the BSOE has international connections and offers exhibition opportunities, bursaries, an online gallery, industry discounts, workshops and events for its members.
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