Tim Ellis has been working with enamels for 35 years. He was first introduced to the art of applying glass to metal by his brother Tom Ellis, who at the time was the studio enamellist at the John C Campbell folk school in Brasstown, North Carolina. In the mid-1980’s his brother took a job as editor for Glass on Metal Magazine published by Thompson Enamel of Bellevue, Kentucky.
Thompson is the world largest manufacture of jewelry glass for metal. Tim started working with Thompson in developing small glass wafers that when fired on a metal substrate such as copper, bloom to make beautiful glass flowers. These glass flowers have become a product sold to glass artist all over the world and they are known has floral wafers and buttons.
In the early 90’s Tim became interested in glass photography and screen printing with glass. He connected with Dave Berfield of Bainbridge Is. WA who was well known for his abilities as an informational sign maker for the United States Forest Service. Dave’s signs are made entirely of glass on metal and incorporate the arts of enamel photography, screen printing and hand painting. Each sign he produces is truly a work of art. Tim took different classes with Dave and he and Dave started doing workshops together.
Tim continues to teach screen printing with enamels, making special enamel threads with copper shaping tools and the riso printing technique. He teaches workshops in his enameling studio in Wilmington, Ohio and at the John C Campbell Folk School. From his ongoing interest in paths less traveled in enameling his own unique style of jewelry making was born and continues today with the pin and pendants on display at the Wombat Gallery.
Tim works with both his originals and designs by Tom Ellis. Tim can be reached via email at sales@e-namels.com
