What did they learn?
Students reflect after a class...
-Diane B
"I have taken lots of classes and am a collector of technique and information. I take a class, get excited, go home and then I get stalled. As long as I have an “assignment” and apply the technique I have learned, I am moving forward. My problem has been to be able to create the project or assignment once I get home. Every once in awhile I can see the finished project (assignment) in my head and I know what steps to take to achieve the result. When that happens, I have defined that as magic. These moments are few and far between. Meanwhile I sit in idle really not knowing how to move forward.
So, I began this class with the same anticipation of learning more about enameling technique. What I came away with was the realization that my frustration at not being able to move forward, to feel I was always in idle, and only occasionally feel that “magic” was because of my approach to creating art, to involving myself in the work. I viewed the process of creation as an algorithm to be applied to achieve an end result. Of course one needs technique, but to have to come up with an assignment in totality was something that always eluded me, except occasionally. I felt uninspired and was sitting at the red light in idle, waiting for that moment to happen. In other words, I would take a class, get excited, but when I went home I didn’t know what to do as there was no assignment for me to complete, so I just waited.
.
Ricky opened that gate for me by presenting me with a new approach to the creative process and invited me to walk through that gate. By explaining his stories behind different pieces showed me how one puts themselves and their “story” into their work. Each of his pieces tells a story, which in turn connects folks to his work. They may not know his story, but because there is A STORY in the work, the piece being viewed allows this connection to occur. It connects to the viewers own story: playful, joy, sadness. It’s the same process that occurs when hearing a song that moves a person to tears, inspiration, etc. The first element is to know that you have a story. The second element of this process is to understand how to explore this story and to share that in your work.
It’s the process of exploration versus completing an assignment. I don’t know until I get into the construction of the piece where it will go, and that’s ok. I’ll see how it evolves and how I evolve with the process of creating the piece. Not knowing exactly how a piece will look before I make it would have bothered me in the past. But, now I am willing to let that go in order to explore this new process and take “the journey.”
So, I began this class with the same anticipation of learning more about enameling technique. What I came away with was the realization that my frustration at not being able to move forward, to feel I was always in idle, and only occasionally feel that “magic” was because of my approach to creating art, to involving myself in the work. I viewed the process of creation as an algorithm to be applied to achieve an end result. Of course one needs technique, but to have to come up with an assignment in totality was something that always eluded me, except occasionally. I felt uninspired and was sitting at the red light in idle, waiting for that moment to happen. In other words, I would take a class, get excited, but when I went home I didn’t know what to do as there was no assignment for me to complete, so I just waited.
.
Ricky opened that gate for me by presenting me with a new approach to the creative process and invited me to walk through that gate. By explaining his stories behind different pieces showed me how one puts themselves and their “story” into their work. Each of his pieces tells a story, which in turn connects folks to his work. They may not know his story, but because there is A STORY in the work, the piece being viewed allows this connection to occur. It connects to the viewers own story: playful, joy, sadness. It’s the same process that occurs when hearing a song that moves a person to tears, inspiration, etc. The first element is to know that you have a story. The second element of this process is to understand how to explore this story and to share that in your work.
It’s the process of exploration versus completing an assignment. I don’t know until I get into the construction of the piece where it will go, and that’s ok. I’ll see how it evolves and how I evolve with the process of creating the piece. Not knowing exactly how a piece will look before I make it would have bothered me in the past. But, now I am willing to let that go in order to explore this new process and take “the journey.”
-Trish M
"I got involved in enameling because of Ricky Frank. First, it was his beautiful work that drew me in. Then it was his YouTube videos. I gulped them down and then replayed them bit by bit so I could take notes. Then I was lucky enough to be included in a Beta of his first online class. Then I traveled to Albuquerque to attend a 3-day cloisonne class. Now I've signed up for 2 longer ones. What's different about Ricky is not just that he's a remarkable artist, craftsman and teacher. It's his generous openness and willingness to share his knowledge, his tricks, his discoveries, his sources, his insights, himself. He doesn't hold back. He gives. He demonstrates and while he's doing it he points out things that are subtle, like "Notice how I'm holding my hands. That's so that...".
Then he talks about variations on the idea/skill. Then he talks not about "being there," but how to get there. He talks about the process of learning, the process of mastery, the process of letting the artist inside you "emerge." He's a mentor of the best kind. He teaches, but isn't pedantic about it. His approach is "Here's what I know, what I do and how I do it, but it was a process for me and it'll be a process for you." He teaches you how to answer your own questions. Every lesson isn't just instructional, it's inspiring, liberating and empowering. I'm an engineer, not an artist, and, being me, I started out looking for answers, knowledge, details, details, how-to, how-to.
Ricky has given me mountains of that, but probably the most valuable thing I've gained is that now when I sit down at my bench I'm not worried about producing something "good," or the value of my time or the value of my materials or whether I'm meeting some goal. I can zone in on the process, the miraculous properties of water, the beauty of light, the way colors work together. I'm OK. I'm free. Whether I start out to make something specific or try something new, at the end of the session, I sit back and smile and I recall what I've learned from it, how my muscle memory is improving, how much pleasure it's given me. I signed up for 2 more classes not because I expect each one to be different, but because I'm in the process of becoming an enamelist and Ricky brilliantly enables that process.
Then he talks about variations on the idea/skill. Then he talks not about "being there," but how to get there. He talks about the process of learning, the process of mastery, the process of letting the artist inside you "emerge." He's a mentor of the best kind. He teaches, but isn't pedantic about it. His approach is "Here's what I know, what I do and how I do it, but it was a process for me and it'll be a process for you." He teaches you how to answer your own questions. Every lesson isn't just instructional, it's inspiring, liberating and empowering. I'm an engineer, not an artist, and, being me, I started out looking for answers, knowledge, details, details, how-to, how-to.
Ricky has given me mountains of that, but probably the most valuable thing I've gained is that now when I sit down at my bench I'm not worried about producing something "good," or the value of my time or the value of my materials or whether I'm meeting some goal. I can zone in on the process, the miraculous properties of water, the beauty of light, the way colors work together. I'm OK. I'm free. Whether I start out to make something specific or try something new, at the end of the session, I sit back and smile and I recall what I've learned from it, how my muscle memory is improving, how much pleasure it's given me. I signed up for 2 more classes not because I expect each one to be different, but because I'm in the process of becoming an enamelist and Ricky brilliantly enables that process.
Samples from my classes.
My students' enamels are unique, personal, and fun!
They make pieces that come from the heart.
They learn skills and then apply the skills to their vision.
I challenge and encourage them, and then step out of their way
so that they can find their own path.
I am constantly amazed by what comes out.
What are my students saying?
"His style pushes me beyond my comfort zone (which is what I need). After this most recent online class, I have so many questions written in my notebook that I can keep busy for quite some time just exploring new ideas"- Bill O.
"Your questions have helped me view my desire to play with enamels in ways I hadn’t considered before. It has expanded my ideas and changed how I view the interplay of color, metal, texture and detail and my design ideas are evolving."-M.B.
"What I get is that we need to learn to deal with ourselves as much as we need to learn technique. What I get is that skill is not enough. It's only part of it."-Trish M.
There are many "show to" books and classes out there. Your way of teaching brings us beyond them. I have learned so much in such a short time...not especially about enameling, but about myself. " - Amy H.
"All I can say is that I feel your passion for not just the art but us as students as well . I'm excited to have help in discovering some parts of me that I have not known how to pull out and learn some discipline. " - Cindy F.
What are my students doing?
You don't need to aspire to become a professional
but some of my students pursue challenging goals.
but some of my students pursue challenging goals.
Check out some of my former and current students who sell and teach.
Monique Perry
Sheryl Haupt
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Callie Leed
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