Michael Romanik

I didn't know what enameling or cloisonné was until I was 21 years old. In 1988, a fellow classmate at the Cleveland Institute of Art introduced me to enameling. I took the class for a semester and was truly intrigued with the process! After receiving my BFA degree in Drawing in 1989, I pursued cloisonné on my own, refining my techniques and learning how to fabricate and solder gold and silver settings. Twenty years after my initial introduction to enameling, and being primarily self-taught, my work is sold in galleries nationwide. I exhibit in art fairs, festivals and exhibitions around the county. I have been included in many national and international magazine articles, and have won many awards. I am inspired by the imagery of many ancient cultures and aspects of nature. My latest work involves my interest in repetitive, geometric shapes and patterns, and the contrast of color.

I create my work using the process and technique of cloisonné enameling. Enameling is the process of applying small granules of glass to metal and firing in a kiln. Cloisonné is the technique that of firing thin, flat wire onto a base of enamel coated silver. The gold or silver wire is formed into linear designs using tweezers and small pliers. These enclosed areas are filled with colored enamel and fired in a kiln for about a minute at 1400-1500E F. Several layers are applied and fired until the cloisons are filled to the top with enamel. Each cloisonné piece goes through a minimum of 7 firings. A setting is fabricated for the finished piece using a combination of silver, gold, and gemstones. A small pendant may take 6 hours; a pair of earrings, 12 hours; a large brooch, 25 hours; and a bracelet, 40 hours. I received my BFA in Drawing in 1989 from the Cleveland Institute of Art. My work is inspired by geometric patterns of Eastern and Asian textiles, the colors and imagery of ancient cultures, and natural elements such as fish, plants and birds.