The Guild’s Aims

To encourage and promote the craft of enamelling and the work of members.
To seek to exert a progressive influence on standards of workmanship and design in enamelling.
To foster good public relations and develop links with other crafts.

Everyone joins as a Member; no qualifications are required other than an interest in enamelling.

In the UK the Guild is divided into seven geographical regions, each having a representative on the Executive Committee. Details of regional meetings are posted in the journal and some have their own local newsletter. Members from any area are welcome at these regional meetings.
Overseas members receive the journal, attend the annual conference and regional meetings, but do not borrow books from the library.

Selection and Annual Awards

The Guild of Enamellers offers recognition of levels of enamelling skill, through its’ selection, and annual awards. For selection members are asked to submit 6 pieces of work with notes/photos/acknowledgement of work not their own [full rules are available to any members]. At the time of the yearly conference the work is considered by a group of eminent enamellers [Selectors] and awarded marks out of a possibility of 100 marks. An overall 50% marks will gain a pass of Associate Craftsman level [ACGE] while 75% marks will gain Craftsmen level [CGE].

At conference there are a number of prestigious awards, including the Hans Theilade Memorial Award, for members with less than 3 years experience, and Enameller Elect, chosen by the members at conference. The awards aim to keep the level of member’s skills high. The Fred Barnes Memorial Award is for the best work on precious metals using the Champleve, Plique-a-jour or Basse-Taille techniques. The Peter Wolf Cloisonné Cup for the best example of Cloisonné technique. The Kenneth Benton Award is for a member showing original and innovative use of enamelling. The Chairman’s Rose Bowl is a personal choice by the chair. Maureen Carswell Award goes to the member with the highest marks in selection to Craftsman, and there is now a new award for painting enamels, inaugurated in 2008 by Gillie Hoyte Byrom. Members are encouraged to take part in the selection and the awards.

The Journal

The Guild Journal is published quarterly and posted to all Guild members.
It is the main means of communication between members, who contribute most of the contents.
It is full of information, tips and techniques for both the beginner and the experienced enameller. There are colour illustrations of recent enamelwork, a ‘For Sale & Wanted’ section, details of courses and exhibitions and a special section for news of meetings in different parts of the country.
The ‘Winter’ issue, distributed at the end of December, has the details and booking forms for the coming April conference also an index for the past year.
An up-dated Library List is issued with the ‘Spring’ journal, in time for the conference to which the librarian brings a large selection of the books.
‘Summer’ features events at the recent conference and is accompanied by a current membership list (not available to non-members).
The ‘Autumn’ issue carries a list of suppliers.

Copies of the journal are exchanged with those from other enamelling organisations and items may be reprinted subject to acknowledgment as to source.

The Library

The Guild has an extensive library of books, videos and DVDs, providing an unrivalled resource for information and inspiration for members in the UK. Books may be borrowed for one month for only the cost of postage. Videos and DVDs are hired for £5 including the outward postage; copies of some are available for sale from the Librarian.

Books by members of the Guild: