On December 10th 1983 an international association for enamellers was formed in Images, France, aiming to maintain contact between enamellers through national committees. National committees were then formed in Australia, Chile, Israel, Korea, The Netherlands, Spain, and USA and on January 28th 1984 a group of enamellers working in the UK met to form a UK Steering committee. This initial committee comprised Georgina Follett, Edward Heath, Endre Hevezi, Pat Johnson, Alex Placzek (Raphael), Jane Short, Gudde Jane Skyrme and Maureen Carswell.
Initially the society was to have been titled the Society of British Enamellers, until it was realised that a large number of potential members were enamellers of other nationalities permanently residing and working in the UK.
During 1984 the Steering Committee had arranged the delivery of members' enamels to the 1984 Limoges Biennale, where the British entry increased from 1 piece in 1982 to 12 pieces in 1984 by Society members Pauline Barrie, Maureen Edgar. Amal Ghosh, Edward Heath, Pat Johnson, Terry Jones, Evangeline Long and Alex Placzek
Maureen Carswell and Endre Hevezi had attended the symposium in Limoges in July.
THE FOUNDING OF BSOE
‘The British Society of Enamellers came into being following an initiative by the French enamellers to set up an international enamelling organisation, headed by the French, with its base in Limoges. This idea was put forward at the conference at the opening of the 1982 Biennale, L’Art de L’Email. The idea was that the French would act as a focus for each country’s enamelling society. In the U.K. the Guild of Craft Enamellers, as it was known, had been established for four years, but at the time there was an emphasis on beginners, and there were very few full time enameller members.
I knew that there were many superb artist and craftsmen enamellers in the country, many working in isolation, and I wondered if I could get them together. Behind me I had the experience of having helped to found the Guild, being on the steering committee and being its chairman in its second year. I therefore approached Alexander Placzek (nee Raphael), who had also been a chairman of the Guild and asked if she would help. Together, we drew up a list of names and invited them to a meeting to discuss the founding of a society. This was held at Alex’s home at 30 Kensington Square. The enamellers who attended the first two meetings became the Steering Committee, they were Maureen Carswell, Georgina Follett, Edward Heath, Endre Hevezi, Pat Johnson, Alex Placzek, Ian Robertson, Ruth Rushby, Jane Short, Gudde Jane Skyrme and Erika Speel. It is interesting to note that of these eleven, eight are still members and active in the society.’
Initially the society was to have been titled the Society of British Enamellers, until it was realised that a large number of potential members were enamellers of other nationalities permanently residing and working in the UK.
During 1984 the Steering Committee had arranged the delivery of members' enamels to the 1984 Limoges Biennale, where the British entry increased from 1 piece in 1982 to 12 pieces in 1984 by Society members Pauline Barrie, Maureen Edgar. Amal Ghosh, Edward Heath, Pat Johnson, Terry Jones, Evangeline Long and Alex Placzek
Maureen Carswell and Endre Hevezi had attended the symposium in Limoges in July.
THE FOUNDING OF BSOE
‘The British Society of Enamellers came into being following an initiative by the French enamellers to set up an international enamelling organisation, headed by the French, with its base in Limoges. This idea was put forward at the conference at the opening of the 1982 Biennale, L’Art de L’Email. The idea was that the French would act as a focus for each country’s enamelling society. In the U.K. the Guild of Craft Enamellers, as it was known, had been established for four years, but at the time there was an emphasis on beginners, and there were very few full time enameller members.
I knew that there were many superb artist and craftsmen enamellers in the country, many working in isolation, and I wondered if I could get them together. Behind me I had the experience of having helped to found the Guild, being on the steering committee and being its chairman in its second year. I therefore approached Alexander Placzek (nee Raphael), who had also been a chairman of the Guild and asked if she would help. Together, we drew up a list of names and invited them to a meeting to discuss the founding of a society. This was held at Alex’s home at 30 Kensington Square. The enamellers who attended the first two meetings became the Steering Committee, they were Maureen Carswell, Georgina Follett, Edward Heath, Endre Hevezi, Pat Johnson, Alex Placzek, Ian Robertson, Ruth Rushby, Jane Short, Gudde Jane Skyrme and Erika Speel. It is interesting to note that of these eleven, eight are still members and active in the society.’
© 2009 Maureen Carswell.
