A last minute call and I am off the next morning for a hastily arranged enameling workshop. My favourite type of artistic work, besides beading.

Being a "fire sign", I am drawn to the kiln. Being a "mystic", I am fascinated with the alchemy of tapping miniscule grains of powdered glass onto copper then firing them in the kiln, watching them coalesce, bubble up into what my teacher calls the "orange peel" look, then quickly smooth out to a hard, glossy shine.

I love that no matter what mistakes one may make, another firing will work them out; sometimes the ugly duckling mistakes turn into a swan by mistake and the piece is finished before you know it.

I have one more precious day of play, to finish the tile for a friend; the tile for myself; and, if I am lucky, something special to put here in the auction.

I've worked in metalsmithing, bronzecasting, and enameling. Of the three, I prefer enameling for the instant gratification, impatient that I am; then the cauldron of the molten metal and creating the form of wax in bronze-casting. Metalsmithing was more of a challenge than certain parts of my bod are geared for these days, plus being tedious. (Sorry, Don Meixner, if you read this. I bow to your superb talent and abilities!)

So...while you read this, I will be away enameling, reveling in the *magic* of creative firing!

kat