---

Learn to enamel with Ricky Frank
New Online Programs

"Creative Enamel" Classes

Creative Enamel Color

• Learn Ricky's "Six Enamel Layer" techniques
  
• Learn Ricky's 5 Personal Tutorial  Styles
• Combine colors and color layers
• Use foils to "paint with light"
• Develop your own personal enamel vocabulary.
• Find your color confidence
• Give yourself freedom to play
• Begin to develop personal themes
• Includes several mini-courses: Enamel Science, Make a Canvas, Transparent Color Samples, Bending Wires, Silver Foil, & more

Creative Cloisonne´: A Three Class Series

• Explore  visual design elements: shapes, lines, value, color, & patterns.
• Translate visual design elements into enamel design elements
• Use wires, enamel layers, foils
• Explore & combine different types of wires
• Combine opaque, transparent, & opalescent colors within cells
• Includes Introduction to Cloisonne´ tutorials
• Includes several mini-courses: Enamel Science, Make a Canvas, Transparent Color Samples, Silver Foil, & more
• Create your personal cloisonne´ vocabulary
• Develop your artistic vision using icons, symbols, & silhouettes

learn more about creative color

learn more about creative cloisonne´

What if I don't have much enameling experience? Are classes for beginners?

Both the Creative Color and Creative Cloisonne´ classes are designed for learners at all levels.
Each class contains a collection of "min-courses" to help new students quickly advance their skills.
These include...

• Kiln-Firing Basics
  
• Enamel Science
• Make an enamel "blank canvas"

• Silver Foil Basics
  
• Enamel Vocabulary
• Tools and Materials
  

We all bring different strengths and weaknesses to the class.
There will be beginners and experienced students.
If you are challenging yourself to step out of your comfort zone, then you will fail.
Part of the journey is allowing yourself to let go of Judgement and Comparison.

Student Testimonials

If you want someone to teach you how to make a “souvenir” project, take a class from someone else who teaches that way. If you want to learn the details of enamel work (and are willing to put in effort on your own),  then this may be the class for you. If you want to develop your own style and artistic voice (and you already know some enameling basics),  then this is definitely the class for you.
- Bill O

"What I really appreciate about this online class is having time in between the lesson drops to actually let ideas marinate, contemplate the steps I want/need to make, and then proceeding. I’m learning to let go of the need to have a “finished” piece, even as I advance towards that goal. I am experimenting with ideas that I never would have thought about. I am deep down the rabbit hole now, in an immersion sense, that is penetrating the information deep into my psyche, this is stuff I will not forget."
-Melissa V

...the more I thought about why those characteristics were appealing, I was able to reach an emotional response and connect with memories from my childhood. All that to say I am now starting page 4 of brainstorming and understanding what my story is!! Now to brainstorm how to tell that story. This is exactly what I was hoping to get from this class - my story and how to tell it! 
-Mary D.

I like to think of myself as an "enamel singer-songwriter.
Let me help you find your enamel "Happy Dance"

Learn & practice the enamel and artistic skills
that will empower you to make enamels that sing a song from your heart!

 Online class that combine...

• ENAMEL SKILLS & SCIENCE
• ENAMEL DESIGN
• CREATIVITY
• SELF-EXPRESSION
• LEARNING "HOW TO LEARN"

"your teaching method was transformative for me as both an enamel technician and an artist"
-Candie P

What are your enameling goals?

Beyond "happy accidents"

Do you want to rely on making "happy accidents' or do you want to be more intentional in your approach to making your enamel artwork?

Rules or principles?

Do you want to follow what you think are the "rules" of enameling or do you want to understand the "principles" that create specific results? Do you want to try to remember what the teacher said or be able to think and problem-solve?

Do you want to make original art?

Do you want to make derivative enamel artwork that looks like your teacher's or the artists that you admire or do you want to make artwork that speaks from your heart?
Traditional classes emphasize copying the teacher and trying to do it the "right way". You will learn to find "YOUR way"!

Challenge yourself to discover new images and approaches

Do you want to make repetitive artwork that looks like what you have always made or do you want to challenge yourself to step out of your comfort zone, work through the anxiety that is part of the creative process, and make something personal, original, and meaningful?

Feel empowered and Independent

Do you want to be able to feel empowered and independent  without relying on a teacher to show or tell you the "right way" or "best way"? Develop the confidence that "Yes, you can...".

Do you want to improve your skills?

Improvement requires commitment and engagement. Simply doing something over and over does not help you improve. The change occurs when you challenge yourself to step just slightly outside of your comfort zone. This makes you pay attention to details or "nuance" that you may have missed. Your awareness is heightened and as you repeat this your habits change and you "improve".

Why is enameling so challenging and sometimes frustrating?

Your are using HEAT to bond two materials: metal and glass. Heat can be scary.

The firing process changes both the enamel and the metal; physics & chemistry

So many colors, manufacturer brands, and firing temperatures

So many technical questions along with the artistic questions makes it easy to become confused.

Teachers and books often tell you the "right way" but present conflicting information and methods.

There can be many steps to remember. Sometimes just one small mistake causes a big problem later in the process.

Many materials, tools, techniques, and skills to explore. And distract you.

Many of us don't have TIME and want shortcuts. It takes repetition and perseverance.

There are many variables to consider. One of the big questions to ask oneself is "What does it depend on?". And that isn't always an easy question to answer.

This is a lot to consider? No wonder it can be confusing and overwhelming.
Creative Enamel classes help you navigate through the many challenges and myths.

Creative Enamel Color
The Creative Mindset Skills

Design

Understand and see Design elements

• Lines, shapes, color, value, pattern
  
• Learn to SEE the world through the eyes of an artist
  
• Assemble your Design Elements using Design Principles to create compelling imagery.

Creativity

Become more Creative.

• Crop to find what you like
  
• Change to make it different
• Combine to create new relationships
• Play with enamel to see what is possible
• Develop your Imagination

Self-Expression

Make artwork that speaks from your heart.

• Find YOUR stories
• Consider "Why you care?"
• Create a series
• Make it meaningful
• Find a deep sense of connection and joy

Learn more about Creative mindset skills

I like that you have taken time before presenting the technical aspects of enameling, to discuss the mental/emotional landscape of the artistic process.  I have taken other art classes, and have never had another teacher walk me through this.  That, in itself, is just priceless to me."
- Mary C.

Student Samples & Testimonials

What is keeping you from making the enamel artwork of your dreams?

Here is where I was stuck...

• My focus had been on my "technique" questions; what is the "best way" or "how can I make ...?
• I felt disconnected from my feelings and inner life.
• I was not aware of how to intentionally use my experience and memories to tell personal enamel narratives.
• My self-imposed rules of what was "good or bad" or "right or wrong"  limited my creativity.
• I didn't know how to step out of my "technique" comfort zone.
• I did not know my WHY? I believed that my WHAT and HOW were enough. But this left me feeling empty and uninspired.
  
• I had tons of doubt. Was I "good enough"?
  

 Group Coaching
Makes your learning come alive.
(Six week courses  and Bundles include "group coaching".)

Combining  Zoom classroom discussions and a vibrant Group Forum (without the distractions of Facebook) enables us to talk with each other and not at each other.

• Instead of just saying "Isn't that beautiful", We discuss what we see and WHY we like it.
  
• We learn to connect with not only ourselves, but with each other.
  
• We see new perspectives as students share their "point of view".
• We learn  WHY we care about what we are making as we also care about our fellow students.
• We connect with ourselves and with each other.

This becomes a magical group learning experience where transformation can occur.
This is different than any live 5-day workshop. Time is not as precious as in an "in-person" class.

• You have TIME to listen: to ourselves and others. The six-week program takes removes some of the urgency that you often feel in a workshop.
• You feel INSPIRED as you see other students make changes.
• You become part of a culture of LEARNING. There is no pressure that you "need to like everything that you make".
  
• We work together and share our strengths so that we can improve our weaknesses.
  

• It's not Me giving YOU the answers.
  
• It's you becoming aware and open. Challenging yourself. Looking within instead of to me.
• It's the other students who support you and share their struggles and journey.
• And it's our Group that joins together to create a safe place for you to escape the pressures of needing to be right, and good, and successful.
  

Why?

You want to...

• learn and improve your enameling abilities.
• make something that you like and love.
• make something that feels meaningful and unique.
• be more creative and expressive with your enameling.
• move beyond the "project-based" classes and understand how to apply what you learn in your own way.
  
• study with someone who has over 43 years of creating enamel jewelry and 20 years teaching enameling who is dedicated to your artistic growth.
  

Samples from video tutorials

What?

Sample from video tutorials

You will learn...

• the skills and techniques that I use to  apply and combine my colors and enamel layers.
• to develop a personal visual imagery and translate it into enamel imagery.
• to let go of fear as you play and ask more questions.
• develop a process to help you move towards your artistic goals.
• create complete tutorials so that you can teach your yourself in your studio what you want to learn.
• to become a self-directed and focused artist.
• observe and provide feedback to support yourself and other students.
• let go of needing to like everything that you make as you achieve small goals to help reach your larger goals.

How?

You will...

• watch more than 20 hours of specially-created video tutorials (3-4 hours each week).
• see Ricky model not only what he does, but how he thinks as he learns, designs, and creates his artwork.
• learn to use and apply Ricky's "Seven Enamel Layer" techniques.
• be challenged to create 5 different types of enamel layer tutorials each week.
• share your results and receive feedback on our dedicated forum of current and former students (not Facebook).
• participate in two Zoom classes each week (one 2-hour and one 1-hour) to explore creativity,design, and story-telling with enamel.
• begin a journal/vision book to help you explore, record, and brainstorm the many new ideas that you will have.
•  access all of our content for 3 months after the course has finished.
• be part of Ricky's Creative Color group forum after the course to keep you inspired and motivated.
• have 6 weeks of access to Ricky's (43 plus years) of enamel jewelry experience during the course.
  
• use the Bonus mini-courses in the Creative Enamel Color Bundle to refresh your basic enameling skills and science.
  

Samples from video tutorials