Bristol-based designer-maker Janine Partington combines the traditional craft of enamelling with fresh, clean, contemporary designs.

Enamelling is the art of fusing glass onto metal. Janine's work is mainly created using the technique of dusting powdered vitreous enamel over hand-cut stencils onto copper. Watching an enamelled copper panel emerging from a kiln glowing red hot after being fired at a temperature of 800°C is always an exciting experience. As the metal cools the true colours of the panel emerge. It takes multiple short firings to create a finished piece of work.

Janine’s enamel panels and jewellery are generally inspired by trees, flowers, leaves and seed heads, taking their shape and form in new directions through the creation of intricate hand-cut stencils. These stencils form the basis of many of her panel and jewellery designs when enamel powder is sifted over these stencils onto the bare copper.

Exploiting the sensitive relationship between the copper and enamel is at the heart of her work. Janine is constantly playing with the materials, seeing where they can take her.

Enamel is a versatile, durable, strong and impervious material which is well-suited for every room in the home or workspace from kitchen to bathroom, from washroom to boardroom. The inherent qualities of the enamel, its sheen and its interplay with light bring something new and very tactile into a living space.