{"id":3011,"date":"2020-02-25T10:12:24","date_gmt":"2020-02-25T10:12:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/2020\/02\/25\/a-dream-comes-true\/"},"modified":"2020-02-25T10:12:24","modified_gmt":"2020-02-25T10:12:24","slug":"a-dream-comes-true","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/?p=3011","title":{"rendered":"A Dream Comes True"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Last night a long held dream of mine came true when I won a Silver Award at the 2020 Goldsmiths\u2019 Craftsmanship & Design Awards<\/a> #JewelleryOscars. This was the my winning entry. \u2018Magic Carpets flying over the City of my Dreams\u2019, an appropriate title in the circumstances it turns out! It is cloisonn\u00e9 enamel on silver, in a silver setting with four extra cloisonn\u00e9 panels, all engraved with lapis lazuli and Argentium silver beads strung on hand knotted silk. The reverse of the main pendant has silver stars pierced in the silver. It is now on display at Goldsmiths Hall until Friday 28th February and then it will travel to the Birmingham Assay Office and be displayed there 11th -27th March. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Magic Carpets Flying over the City of my Dreams – Silver Award at GCDC Awards 2020 #JewelleryOscars<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The path to here has been a long one. I planned to enter a similar piece last year but in the event it wasn\u2019t good enough so I didn\u2019t. I learnt a huge amount from the things that went wrong. Basically this was all in the finishing which is a major part of making a piece like this. It ended up being fired an additional six or seven times to repair it which made the colours rather faded, and then I cracked the edge when I was setting it! A real saga and such a familiar tale because these are the most difficult steps when it can all fail at the last moment! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I was determined this year would be different! There is an old saying I am fond of repeating to my students that you learn more from your failures than from things that go right! It is so true. I was meticulous in trying not to replicate my mistakes and all my efforts paid off. Did I mention I won Silver? I can still hardly believe it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To begin I pressformed the shape and then I engraved the surface with gravers using the skills that I learnt last year on an Engraving Course at Goldsmiths Centre taught by Joan Mackarell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Engraving the surface of the silver using gravers.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Next step was the wires. These had been formed during several gallery manning duties and they travelled everywhere on double sided tape on a tile, protected by a tracing paper cover. The original design of course took many hours of research and drawing. I studied images of moghul carpets and used memories of my travels in India over twenty years ago. They were fired into place over several firings. Each one was transferred by hand, carefully positioned before firing in groups. After they were all in place I photoed them, traced them on my iPad, coloured the image and used this to check they were all correct. I had to make a couple of changes but much better to do this before I started adding colour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Adding the cloisonn\u00e9 wires and firing them into place<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Wet laying and firing the Enamel\u2019s around the wires. Bottom right is a tracing of the wires on my iPad before I corrected them.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

I spent many hours choosing and testing the colours before finely grinding the ones I had chosen to use. These were wet laid very carefully and fired in thin layers. Each fired layer was checked for problems with my magnifying visor before continuing, holding my breath for much of the time. The whole piece had repeated sessions of grinding, refilling, refining before I started to polish the finished surface using my JoolTool to start, polishing sticks and finishing with diamond paste used with my pendant motor. The preliminary finish was done just in time for Christmas, but there were many hours of work to come when I recommenced in January! It was hard to be patient with my heart in my mouth all the time, but I was determined to learn from my previous mistakes. Failure was not an option! Finally after many trails, near disasters and a few tears it was finished. I nearly decided it wasn\u2019t good enough to enter but I did! You have to push your self to your limits and dare to fail if you are to stand any chance of succeeding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I heard that I had won a award at the end of January, the day before my birthday. I was so excited and amazed! The award ceremony was last night 24th February 2020 at Goldsmiths Hall when I learned that I had won a Silver Award. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Silver Award winner at the 2020 Goldsmiths\u2019 Craftsmanship & Design Awards #JewelleryOscars<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

It has been a long journey to get here. I have been enamelling for over thirty years and am largely self taught. I have been very lucky to attend several short courses at West Dean with Joan Mackarell back in the 90s and am hugely grateful to her for her encouragement and excellent teaching. After my son was born I went to SCOLA one day a week where I studied Jewellery Making with Louise O\u2019Neill. Credit also goes to the Guild of Enamellers, for all the workshops, tutorials, talks and the many friends and colleagues that I have made there over the thirty years or so I have been a member. I didn\u2019t go to Art School and I don\u2019t even have an Art O\u2019level and for many years I felt I wasn\u2019t good enough and waited for people to find me out. Enamelling has been a hugely important part of my life and it is hard to imagine where I would be without it. I have been utterly dedicated and at time obsessed. I work at times ten hour days, six or seven days a week. Success hasn\u2019t come easily or on a plate but I honestly believe that if you want it enough you can do anything you want. Thank you to everyone who has helped and encouraged me over the years, especially to my long suffering husband Peter who bought me my first kiln and has been there to pick up the pieces more times than I care to remember . It means the world to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Last night a long held dream of mine came true when I won a Silver Award at the 2020 Goldsmiths\u2019 Craftsmanship & Design Awards #JewelleryOscars. This was the my winning entry. \u2018Magic Carpets flying over the City of my Dreams\u2019, an appropriate title in the circumstances it turns out! It is cloisonn\u00e9 enamel on silver, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pagelayer_contact_templates":[],"_pagelayer_content":"","_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3011","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-httplindaconnellyenamels-wordpress-com"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":false,"thumbnail":false,"medium":false,"medium_large":false,"large":false,"1536x1536":false,"2048x2048":false,"woocommerce_thumbnail":false,"woocommerce_single":false,"woocommerce_gallery_thumbnail":false},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"admin","author_link":"https:\/\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/?author=1"},"uagb_comment_info":2,"uagb_excerpt":"Last night a long held dream of mine came true when I won a Silver Award at the 2020 Goldsmiths\u2019 Craftsmanship & Design Awards #JewelleryOscars. This was the my winning entry. \u2018Magic Carpets flying over the City of my Dreams\u2019, an appropriate title in the circumstances it turns out! It is cloisonn\u00e9 enamel on silver,…","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4101,"url":"https:\/\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/?p=4101","url_meta":{"origin":3011,"position":0},"title":"Silver Award at 2023 Goldsmiths\u2019 Craftsmanship & Design Awards","author":"admin","date":"March 20, 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"I am really excited to announce that I won a silver award at this year\u2019s Goldsmiths\u2019 Craftsmanship & Design Awards for my necklace, \u201cAll I want is to be beside the sea\u201d. \u201cAll I want is to be beside the sea\u201d - silver and gold cloisonn\u00e9 necklace with freshwater pearls\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Linda Connelly Enamels"","block_context":{"text":"Linda Connelly Enamels","link":"https:\/\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/?cat=7"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/img_4736-scaled-e1683556454824.jpg?fit=600%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/img_4736-scaled-e1683556454824.jpg?fit=600%2C800&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/03\/img_4736-scaled-e1683556454824.jpg?fit=600%2C800&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4599,"url":"https:\/\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/?p=4599","url_meta":{"origin":3011,"position":1},"title":"Silver Awards at 2024 Goldsmiths\u2019 Craftsmanship and Design Awards","author":"Linda Connelly","date":"March 28, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"I am very pleased and excited to say that these two Iris necklaces both won Silver Awards at the 2024 Goldsmiths competition #jewelleryoscars. It is the first time I have entered more than one piece and this year having finished them both, I couldn\u2019t decide which one to enter. I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Linda Connelly Enamels"","block_context":{"text":"Linda Connelly Enamels","link":"https:\/\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/?cat=7"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/GCDC-silver-award-2024.jpeg?fit=960%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/GCDC-silver-award-2024.jpeg?fit=960%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/GCDC-silver-award-2024.jpeg?fit=960%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/GCDC-silver-award-2024.jpeg?fit=960%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4565,"url":"https:\/\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/?p=4565","url_meta":{"origin":3011,"position":2},"title":"New \u2018Irises\u2019 Cloisonn\u00e9 Enamel Jewellery","author":"Linda Connelly","date":"February 14, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Here is a selection of my latest work featuring Irises in cloisonn\u00e9 enamel jewellery. For the past six months I have been working on a succession of cloisonn\u00e9 enamel pendants, necklaces and earrings which are inspired by Irises. I especially love the look of these flowers, particularly the bearded irises.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Cloisonne Enamel"","block_context":{"text":"Cloisonne Enamel","link":"https:\/\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/?cat=28"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/PhotoRoom_20240114_124329.jpeg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/PhotoRoom_20240114_124329.jpeg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/PhotoRoom_20240114_124329.jpeg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/PhotoRoom_20240114_124329.jpeg?fit=900%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":5207,"url":"https:\/\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/?p=5207","url_meta":{"origin":3011,"position":3},"title":"Enamel Necklace inspired by visit to Dubrovenik","author":"admin","date":"March 13, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Pearl in the Adriatic cloisonn\u00e9 enamel necklace - Silver Award at Goldsmiths\u2019 Craftsmanship & Design Awards 2026 This necklace is inspired by a visit to Dubrovnik late last year. 'Pearl in the Adriatic' is the name often given to Dubrovnik, Croatia. The design is inspired by the view from the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Basse taille"","block_context":{"text":"Basse taille","link":"https:\/\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/?cat=51"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Photoroom_20260113_200346-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Photoroom_20260113_200346-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Photoroom_20260113_200346-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Photoroom_20260113_200346-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Photoroom_20260113_200346-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":4753,"url":"https:\/\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/?p=4753","url_meta":{"origin":3011,"position":4},"title":"\u201cEvolution\u201d Success in Goldsmiths\u2019 Competition 2025","author":"Linda Connelly","date":"April 17, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Evolution Necklace and Earrings 2025 I was absolutely delighted to receive an award for this necklace and earrings at the Goldsmiths\u2019 Craft and Design Awards. They are the latest in a series of pieces which are inspired by fossils especially ammonites. The necklace comprises a central pendant which features a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Linda Connelly Enamels"","block_context":{"text":"Linda Connelly Enamels","link":"https:\/\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/?cat=7"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/img_7574-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/img_7574-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/img_7574-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/img_7574-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/img_7574-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":3776,"url":"https:\/\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/?p=3776","url_meta":{"origin":3011,"position":5},"title":"Goldsmiths\u2019 Craftsmanship & Design Awards 2022","author":"admin","date":"March 1, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Last night I was absolutely delighted and so excited to receive a Silver Award in the Enamel and Enamel Painters 3-D craft category of this year\u2019s awards. It was a huge honour to have my achievement recognised amongst such illustrious company and very special to be able to attend the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Linda Connelly Enamels"","block_context":{"text":"Linda Connelly Enamels","link":"https:\/\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/?cat=7"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/img_3588-e1684853371894.jpg?fit=500%2C333&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/ph6F06-Mz","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3011","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3011"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3011\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3011"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3011"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lindaconnellyenamels.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3011"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}