Describe your work.
I live on the Outer Banks Coast of North Carolina and my work is influenced by the flora and fauna of my coastal environment. I enjoy forming and fabricating metal into 3 dimensional forms that mimic botanical and marine forms, then adding color with enamels.
What is your background and training?
I have been enameling for about 15 years now. I received my undergraduate degree in art from the University of Southern Maine and my MFA in metal and jewelry design from East Carolina University. I am a studio artist and the head of the Professional Crafts Jewelry program at College of the Albemarle in Manteo, North Carolina, where I teach metalsmithing and enameling.
What are you working on in your studio now?
I have several pieces in progress on my bench right now. They are dimensional pieces that are part of my Tidepool series, based on marine plant and animal forms. I am looking forward to enameling and adding color to these pieces!
Tell us about your process and how you came to work this way and has your practice changed much over time?
I create dimensional forms to enamel and usually work on a series of pieces concurrently. I will form and fabricate several pieces, usually from copper, then enamel. Once I have several pieces enameled, I design settings for them. I generally prong set my enamel pieces often including fiber or felt elements, along with pearls or beads to create the finished piece.
Do you experiment a lot or do you work within a specific set of parameters?
I tend to experiment and let the results of those experiments lead me to a new set of parameters to work within.
Describe your teaching style.
I believe in inspiring students with samples of the techniques that we will be learning, and also with examples of finished pieces. I provide students with the technical information that they need and then encourage them to experiment and find their own voice with the technique. My workshops provide an encouraging, supportive, and challenging learning environment. I am passionate about enameling and metal work and I pass that enthusiasm along to students.
What most inspires you?
I am inspired by the colors, texture, and forms of coastal North Carolina; by my walks on the beach, the shell fragments that I collect, and by the sand, water, and wind.
Who are your favorite artists/enamelists? (what are your most important influences)
There are so many wonderful enamelists whose work I admire that it is hard to name just a few. I was fortunate to have Linda Darty as a professor and mentor and she has been a big influenceon me and on my development as a enamellist.
What is your dream project?
My dream project is always the next project! I look forward to each new piece. I primarily make jewelry but I enjoy working on a large scale and anticipate creating larger pieces in the future.
Tell us about the workshop you will be offering at the EGNE conference.
I will be teaching “Enamels: Exploring Texture and Color”, where we explore my two favorite enameling elements: texture and color. We will move beyond the traditional glossy fired enamel surface and investigate a variety of textures, including firing down non-traditional materials such as cubic zirconia, sand, reflective glass beads, and frit. We will also explore methods of texturing and forming metal to create interesting tactile surfaces. I will demonstrate ways to set enamels and incorporate needlefelted elements to provide textural accents.
I am also teaching a workshop focusing on Enameling Botanical Forms. In this workshop. We will create three dimensional jewelry forms based on botanical elements, including pods, leaves, flowers, buds, and petals. We will use a variety of forming techniques including shell forming and fold forming to create our forms and then add color using opaque and transparent enamels. I will demonstrate ways to enamel and fire on a three dimensional surface and ways to set enamel components to create finished pieces.
I look forward to the conference!
Kathryn Osgood is an Associate Professor, and head of the Professional Crafts Jewelry program at College of The Albemarle in Manteo, North Carolina. She received her Master of Fine Arts degree in metal and jewelry design from East Carolina University and her undergraduate degree in art from the University of Southern Maine. Her work has been featured in publications including The Art of Enameling, 500 Necklaces, 1000 Rings, The Art of Jewelry: Wood, Contemporary Enameling: Art and Techniques, and Metalsmith magazine. Kathryn’s work is included in private and public collections including the Gregg Museum, the Racine Art Museum, and The Enamel Arts Foundation.
Kathryn Osgood, Associate Professor
Professional Crafts Jewelry
252-473-2264 ext. 7524
Roanoke Island Campus, PAB 208