Color Play: Enameling on Steel Sheet & Mesh with Bette Barnett: Nov. 10

Bring bold color and innovative material into your jewelry with the exciting technique of enameling on steel sheet and woven steel mesh. Steel offers advantages over traditional copper — it’s lighter, stronger, and allows for larger, more sculptural forms without added weight. It’s also more affordable, making it an ideal material for both experimental and production work.

In this one-day workshop, you will be introduced to the fundamentals of enameling steel sheet and woven steel by creating a wearable piece of jewelry–either an enameled steel pendant or earrings. Patterns will be provided, or you can create a piece of your own design. You’ll be guided step-by-step in the process to gain an understanding of how to use liquid form enamels to create bold enameled steel jewelry.

In this one-day hands-on workshop, you’ll learn how to:
+ Select the proper type of steel and mesh for enameling
+ Prepare and clean steel for strong enamel adhesion
+ Apply liquid form enamels, including a ground coat and counter coat as needed
+ Fire enamel using both torch and kiln methods
+ Control color blending, texture, and finish
+ Avoid common enamel issues like chipping, cracking, and poor bonding
+ Finish, seal and protect your enameled jewelry
+ Combine enameled steel sheet and mesh to create eye catching earrings or a pendant,
using provided patterns or a design of your choice

Whether you are new to enameling or looking to expand your skills, this workshop will open a fresh, colorful dimension in your jewelry work.

Kit--$50 payable to instructor during the workshop

Steel sheet—12” x 6”, 20 gauge, low carbon

One piece of woven steel mesh—6” x 6”

Stainless steel lab spoons to mix enamels

Shared supplies:
+ Ground coat for steel—GC-16
+ Liquid form enamel in powder form—range of colors, including clear

Student-provided Supplies
+ 3-4 small plastic cups or glass jars with lids to mix your enamels—approximately 4 oz
capacity (baby food jars or yogurt cups with lids work well)
+ Sterling silver or Argentium round wire if you anticipate creating a piece that will require jump rings or ear wires. 16 or 20g is usually useful. Any hardness.

Details:

• November 10 from 9:30-5:30
• 8 contact hours, held in the Silver Peak Jewelry Arts studio classroom located at 100.5 E. Cleveland St. Lafayette, CO 80026.
• # students: 4 minimum, 6 maximum
• Prerequisite: Experience on how to safely use a torch. While some experience with enameling would be advantageous, it is not required.

The last day to cancel for a refund or credit ($25 transfer fee applies) is September 8, 2025. Because this is a Master Series workshop, there are no exceptions to this rule.

By registering for this workshop, you agree to our cancellation policy, dress code, and studio rules.

About the instructor, Bette Barnett

Bette is an authority on steel jewelry and actively explores new techniques in this area. She began her jewelry career in 2010 and started studying the steel/gold fusing process in 2013.  Bette has continued to focus on steel as a productive metal for jewelry. She has developed or refined many innovative techniques for creating steel jewelry, including Keum Boo on steel, fusing alternative metals to steel, fusing powdered metals to steel, working with non-traditional forms such as perforated steel sheet and woven mesh and, most recently, painting with powdered metals.

Bette has published articles in Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist and MJSA Journal. Her book Creating Steel Jewelry, published by Artisan Ideas in September 2024, is a comprehensive how-to guide for all metalsmiths, including jewelers, bladesmiths and blacksmiths who want to venture into new areas.