Spring Session: March 30 through June 1, 2022
"Find Your Way"
Discover, Explore, & Embrace your enamel voice.
  • 6 Bi-Weekly Zoom classes (every other Wednesday @ 4:00 Eastern). Recorded
  • Two weeks for lessons in between each Zoom class
  • Final Project to challenge you out of your comfort zone
  • Online Community to share ideas, images, successes, and struggles
  • One year access to class video lessons and Zoom class recordings
  • 3-month access to a large library of enamel video tutorials
  • Personal attention and feedback
  • March 30 through June 1, 2022
  • Price: $329
  • Limited space available
Learning new enameling techniques is not always what you need.

What will help you become a more creative & expressive enamel artist?

Collect ideas and reference materials to stay inspired.

Ask new and different questions as you embrace your curiosity.

Make lots of “starts” while letting go of the fear that it’s “not good enough”.

Change your images to create interest and excitement.

Combine images together to develop unexpected relationships.

Translate visual imagery into enamel imagery.

Let ideas flow easily into one another.

Every individual should study his own individuality to the end of knowing his tastes. Should cultivate the pleasures so discovered and find the most direct means of expressing those pleasures to others thereby enjoying them over and over again."
Robert Henri
I found "My Way"
with Cloisonne´

After college and with no art experience, I discovered and fell in love with enameling. I took a few classes and developed my skills so that I could make cloisonne´ enamel jewelry .

Several years later I hit a wall; my skills could only take me so far. Something was missing and I felt stuck.

I gave up and decided to pursue a career as a sport psychologist.

I signed up for a creativity class and used mixed-media, enamel, and text to explore three big questions:

1. What did I feel?

2. What did I want to express?

3. What blocks my creativity & self- expression?

The result: my art and my life changed because my questions changed.

Instead of trying to make “good art”, I was allowing myself to explore and discover my process of art-making. My goal was to "find my way"; not the "right way"!

I found a new excitement, freedom and joy in this process of self-discovery.

This process transformed my life and my artwork. It jump-started a second career of over 45 years in which I've used enamel to explore my questions. through making cloisonne´ jewelry and teaching enameling.

I've based this class on my own experience and hope that I can help you Find Your Way.

Before my transformation...
  • I was uninspired with my enamel imagery and artwork
  • I was unaware of how I felt or what I wanted to say with my artwork
  • I made enamels that were generic and derivative
  • I felt stuck and wanted to "give up"
  • I struggled to sell my enamel jewelry
After my transformation...
  • I felt excited and overflowed with “good ideas”
  • My artwork often led me to a deeper understanding of myself
  • I used my enamels to discover and explore personal stories and themes.
  • I developed the ability to re-invent myself as both a teacher and videographer
  • I ran a successful business for over 35 years
Our Building Blocks
From Idea to Enamel
Translate Images, Enamel, Ideas, and Text

Translate visual images into enamel images.
Translate enamel images into visual images.
Become comfortable flowing back and forth between the two.

Commit to an Idea

Choose an Idea to explore with which you can connect.
Don't worry if it's the "right one". You can change it as you go.

Just Start Somewhere

It does not matter where you begin, as long as you begin somewhere! Practice starting with different materials, steps, and images.Let go of the fear of the "blank white page".

Create a New Artistic Language

When the goal changes from "make something that you like" to "discover what is possible", you cannot fail. Your sketchbook will become a place where you can explore mark-making in different types of media. Find what you love and become fluent with your new vocabulary.

Let your ideas and images FLOW!

Practice letting ideas, images, text and enamel merge together. Words lead to images. Enamel samples lead to new ideas. Collage photos lead to new enamel studies.

Your "Project Sketchbook"

We will use a sketchbook to collect, change, and combine new visual imagery. It's your safe place where "anything goes". You are not making "sketchbook art:, you are building a home for new ideas and language to grow.

Yes! Sign me Up
The class has 4 Modules to inspire your creative flow.
You can pace yourself based on time and interest.

Each Module contains exercises, prompts, and challenges to help you Find Your Way

MODULE 1
Collect
MODULE 2
Change
MODULE 3
Combine
MODULE 4
Translate
Let Ricky guide you towards your enamel vision.
Find Your Way with Coisonne´

Ricky's new "coaching" class challenges you to step outside your comfort zone.
Students will use a sketchbook/journaling process to collect and make visual marks which can be translated into enamel marks. Change and combine your marks to create a new personal visual language. Combine mixed-media, enamel, and text to discover and embrace your artistic voice.

  • Choose an idea (don't worry you can change it)
  • Collect images, materials, enamels, and text.
  • Use your sketchbook to create new relationships as you change and combine your elements.
  • Give you ideas and images time to grow and evolve.
  • Step outside of your sketchbook and create a project that combines enamel with another element.
Yes! Sign me Up
Step outside of your comfort zone!
Your Final Project

The last three weeks of the class are devoted to working on your Final Project. This is an exercise designed to help you step outside of your Sketchbook and take the first steps of making what you have been designing.

Your Final Project will be…

1. About something that you love

2. Imagery that you love or with which you feel connected

3. A combination of materials that inspire you

That’s it! You can do this.

  • does not need to be finished.
  • does not need to be successful
  • does not need to be something that you like
  • Does not need to be the “last step”
Zoom Class Schedule
Spring Session
March 30-June 1
Wednesday March 30: Zoom class #1

Two weeks Module 1 exercises.
Collect images, ideas, text.
Begin your sketchbook

Wednesday, April 13: Zoom class #2

Two weeks Modules 2 & 3
Focus on Changes & Combinations
Mixed media and enamel exercises

Wednesday, April 27: Zoom class #3

Two weeks Modules 2 & 3
Focus on Changes & Combinations
Mixed media and enamel exercises

Wednesday May 11: Zoom class #4 Introduction to Project

Step outside of your sketchbook.
Design and build a project using your new artistic vocabulary.
Combine enamel and one other material.
3 weeks

Zoom Class #5 (Date to be determined)

Share your progress with your project.
Share your success and struggles.
Ask for feedback.

Wednesday June 1: Zoom class #6 Present and Review

Presentation of class projects.
Review of class content.
Where do yo go from here?

Yes! Sign me Up
This is for you if:
  • You want to develop your personal enamel voice.
  • You are willing to let go of needing to always make something that you like.
  • You are willing to find YOUR way and YOUR answers.
  • You want to develop the skills that will lead to your success.
  • You want to create enamel artwork that comes from your heart.
This is not for you if:
  • You want to learn more enameling techniques.
  • You must make a "pretty" piece in order to feel successful in the class.
  • You need the teacher to tell you the "right way"and the "right answers".
  • You want the shortcuts and recipes to success.
  • You want someone to tell you what to make and how to make it.

How much enameling experience do I need?

If you are comfortable with these skills, you have enough experience to Find Your Way.

Create a “blank canvas” using either copper or fine silver

Bend, apply, and fire at least one wire to create a wall or cell

Cut, apply, and fire foil pieces to create layers of reflective light within your enamel piece

Prepare, apply, and fire enamel layers that combine colors: next to each other or on top of one another 

Add and fire flux layers as desired to build up depth

Grind and polish to your taste.

Yes! Sign me Up

Our Class Curriculum

Here is how you'll do it (lessons to be added)

    1. Welcome

    2. What are YOU expected to do?

    3. Calendar & Curriculum

    4. Assignments

    5. Our Materials

    6. Your Artistic Sandbox

    7. Mixed-Media Supplies

    8. Learning Objectives

    9. You WILL hit bumps in the road.

    10. Our Online Community

    1. What is Your Sketchbook?

    2. Begin Your Sketchbook

    3. Play with Two Important Lists: "Change it" and "Visual Contrast"

    4. Use Your Sketchbook to become familiar with Creative Concepts

    5. Handouts to Print and Use

    1. Semester 1: 5 Minute Daily Exercises

    2. Semester 1: It Figures

    3. Semester 1: Monster Mash

    4. Semester 1: Enamel Translations with Lines

    5. Semester 2: Practice "Change" Exercises

    6. Semester 2: Can you imagine "In Enamel"?

    7. Semester 2: Change the Layer and Ask Translation Questions

    8. Semester 2: Your Enamel Fluency

    9. Semester 2: Let Your Monster Grow.

    10. Semester 3: Your Two Languages

    11. Semester 3: Ricky's Enamel Language Challenge

    12. Find Your Way Project

    1. Zoom Class #1

    2. Zoom Class #2

    3. Zoom Class #3

    4. Zoom Class #4

    5. Zoom Class #5

    1. Make Color

    2. Make Lines

    3. Make Shapes

    4. Make Patterns

    5. Make Lines and Shapes

    1. Why Collect?

    2. Collect: Pieces of Custom Paper

    3. Collect: Images on a Pinterest Board

    4. Collect: Design Elements

    5. Collect: Ideas

    6. Collect: Your Enamel Images

    7. Collect: Paper

    8. Collect: Text

    9. Collect: A Brainstorm List

    10. Collect Questions

    11. Collect Scenes

    12. Collect: Characters

    13. Collect: Sketches

    14. Collect Art Images

    15. Collect: Nature

    16. Collect: Jewelry Elements

About this course

  • $329.00
  • 96 lessons
  • 0 hours of video content