Queen Elizabeth I

Gillie Hoyte Byrom hand paints enamels for a world-wide clientele from her studio in Dartington, Devon. She creates portrait miniatures using traditional vitreous enamel skills taught to her in Barcelona in 1990. some are of living people, others take their inspiration from historic artworks.

Original art work: Oil on panel 787mm x 610mm. Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool

Techniques
• Engraved “rose” and “crown” emblems on either side of figure.
• Two coats of counter-enamel gold flux.
• Gold flux on top.
• Created silhouette of figure using Soyer opal white, surrounded with clear flux.
• Applied line drawing.
• Laid stiff raised paste for pearls and for slashes in sleeves
• Laid transparent ground and washed ruby and black enamel for gem stones.
• Laid paste of 23.5ct gold powder to outline jewels.
• Painted underglaze black for embroidery on chemise.
• Applied line drawing for costume and jewellery.
• Two coats of opal applied to figure with flux laid over background.
• Hand painted.
• Limoges white used to highlight pearls.
• Stippled 23.5ct gold paste around engraved emblems.
• Finely graded C4 flux applied in three coats.
• Stoned with diagrit and dipped into hydrofluoric acid, rinsed and refired.
• Polished with pumice slurry using mop on 1400 rpm motor.
• Minimum 30 firings

Prizes
Goldsmiths’ Craftsmanship and Design Awards 2010
• Silver for Enamel Painting

© Gillie Hoyte Byrom