Enameled Portrait

Backyard Portrait, Spring was a way for me to push the scale of the enamel. Wanting it to be wearable, but take up a larger portion of the body. The piece comes out in bas relief with the addition of the formed sheet metal leaves and cast tiny acorns. The added elements were fused into the enameled surface and adjusted into place through multiple firings.

The cast elements within the composition and the toggle were found in my yard, lying alongside miniature worlds of evidence left behind from the movement of birds, animals, and changing weather. I'll walk along the paths around the house and in the woods to clear the lists in my head, and pick up or study these objects. They are just common objects anyone living in the Northeastern United States would find. However they are packed with texture, color, and detail that hold my attention.

For this composition, local color was pushed, using vibrant hues within shadows and surfaces to accentuate the subtle punctuation of relief. The enamel is set within a box construction made of copper and sterling silver. A double strand of tiny brass beads allows the piece to hang somewhat close to the neck.

Anna Sprague

Necklace: Backyard Portrait, Spring, 2015

vitreous enamel, copper, sterling silver, brass, mixed media

3" x 3" x 1/4"