Workshops - Barbara McFadyen Jewelry

Upcoming Workshops 2025

WORKSHOP TESTIMONIALS:

“Barbara McFadyen is an excellent instructor. I took her enameling class at Penland and she was incredibly patient and thorough in her approach and in the scope of the curriculum. She was also quite generous with her time and expertise, as well as sharing her own supplies with the class in order to give all students an opportunity to experiment in any way possible. I remember Barbara’s class often and fondly- I learned so much and was able to try so many techniques I would not have had the knowledge, supplies, or honestly patience to try on my own in my studio.”

C.A.

“I can’t say enough how much I enjoyed this workshop! I’ve already started consolidating my notes and making plans to play with more ideas this Thursday during Sertoma’s open enamel studio.

You are generous, patient and so knowledgeable. I’m so happy that I was able to participate in your workshop! I look forward to seeing more from you!”

T.C.

ENAMEL GUILD NORTH EAST – PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP / CONFERENCE PRESENTER

The Newark Museum of Art
Newark, NJ

5/29 – 5/30/25 (Pre-Conference Workshop) & 5/31/2025 (EGNE Annual Conference)

I will be presenting at the Enamel Guild North East’s annual conference (on 5/31/2025) at The Newark Museum of Art, where I’ll also be teaching a workshop the two days leading up to the conference.

Barbara McFadyen’s pre-conference workshop description

More conference information

THE ALCHEMY OF ENAMEL: TRANSFORMATIONS IN COLOR AND GLASS

Touchstone Center for Crafts
Farmington, PA

6/23 – 6/27/25

Transform your ideas, drawings, or personal photos into lustrous enameled surfaces as you explore mark making, painting, and drawing to capture your inspirations with the exciting possibilities in the colorful world of enameling. You will explore dry sifting, stenciling, silk screens, and sgraffito in combination with painting and drawing techniques using a variety of materials, from underglaze pigments to overglaze paints. Shimmering details will be added with mica powders, metallic inks, and precious metal foils. Participants may choose to create a collection of working samples to later inform their work, finished pieces to be set as beautiful enamel jewelry, or small works to mount on the wall.

*Some experience with enamel or metalwork is helpful but not required. Any painting and drawing skills will support a participant’s experience but are not required. More information

THE ART OF COLLAGE WITH ENAMEL

John C. Campbell Folk School
Brasstown, NC

8/10 – 8/16/25

Explore the fun and freedom of applying the principles of collage art to the beautiful world of enameling. Learn exciting techniques using transparent and opaque enamel to create overlapping and layered imagery or abstract designs in enchanting colors of fused glass on metal. All levels welcome. More information

Closed Workshops

UNDERGLAZE VERSUS OVERGLAZE: EXPLORING ENAMEL PAINTING TECHNIQUES
Pocosin Arts School
Columbia, NC

4/12 & 4/19/24

Explore the versatile world of underglaze and overglaze materials and discover how to capture your inspirations with Limoges style drawing and painting techniques . This class will investigate an interesting variety of materials beginning with graphite and underglaze pencils, crayon pastel chalks, semi moist underglaze cakes, ceramic oxide pigments and mason stains, to the beauty of overglaze China paints, Sunshine colors, and mica lusters in the form of powder, cakes, or pens. We will take an in depth look at the pros and cons, tools, techniques, and processes of these materials to get the effects you want.

THE ART OF COLLAGE ON ENAMEL
John C. Campbell Folk School
Brasstown, NC

6/2- 6/08/24

THE ALCHEMY OF ENAMELS: TRANSFORMATIONS IN GLASS ON METAL
Arrowmont School of Arts & Craft
Gatlinburg, TN

10/1-10/6/2023

Transform your ideas, drawings, or personal photos into colorful and lustrous enameled surfaces as you explore mark making, painting, and drawing.

OVER, UNDER, AND IN-BETWEEN
Silvera Jewelry School
Berkeley, CA

6/16-6/30/23

Join Barbara McFadyen in this exciting workshop designed to take you through the ins and outs of underglaze, overglaze and how to use the various options out there. Discover the depth and beauty of enamel as you learn to layer color, pattern, and imagery into unique and lasting pieces while exploring exciting enameling techniques. Working from personal sketches or printed images, learn how to incorporate drawing and painting techniques into layers of vitreous enamel. This class will allow you to use enamel as a dimensional canvas, while learning the basics of what transparent enamels, opaque enamels, and painting materials can do to create depth and luscious surfaces.

More Information

OVER, UNDER, AND IN-BETWEEN
John C. Campbell Folk School
Brasstown, NC

8/13-8/18/23

Discover the depth and beauty of enamel as you layer color, pattern, and imagery onto unique pieces. Working from personal sketches or printed images, explore drawing and painting techniques as you transform your designs, building layers of vitreous enamel. Learn the basics of using enamel as a dimensional canvas and explore what transparent and opaque enamels combined with underglaze and painting materials can do to create depth and luscious surfaces. All levels welcome.

PAINTING ENAMELS- COLORS AND PATTERNS
John C. Campbell Folk School
Brasstown, NC

6/12-6/18/22

Explore a variety of ways to achieve monochrome and multicolor designs using powdered and other enamels. Inspiration will be taken from geometric and organic patterned fabric designs, photographs, and paintings. Work will be refreshed with watercolor enamels, underglaze pencils, overglaze china paints, pen and ink, and more. Learn about color theory and practice rendering, drawing, mixing colors, making marks, and adding details on enameled copper. All levels welcome.

KEEPSAKES: FUSING MEMORIES IN GLASS
Pocosin Arts School
Columbia, NC

9/30-10/1/22

Learn to use enamels to preserve your treasured photos and memories as a keepsake. Through the process of waterslide decals, photos and images can be transferred and fired onto a vitreous enamel base. Students will learn the fundamental enamel techniques of sifting, stenciling, and wet packing, as well as painting and drawing techniques using materials such as underglaze pencils and mineral oxides, watercolor enamels, and overglaze china paints. Embellishments like mica powders or gold and silver foils will add highlights and a bit of sparkle and fun as you create unique and personal enamel keepsakes. Some knowledge of enamels is helpful.

ENAMEL WRAP-UP!
The Arts Center
Carrboro, NC

TBD

This workshop combines the fun of metal marking and the basse-taille enameling.

KEEPSAKES: FUSING MEMORIES IN GLASS
Sertoma Arts Center
Raleigh, NC

3/7-3/8/2020

This workshop will explore enameling as a medium to permanently save your treasured photos and memories into a beautiful keepsake made of glass fired on metal.

More Information

Testimonials:

“I sure did have a good time spending another weekend learning from you. It is a pleasure having you as a teacher…you are AMAZING and you have such a sweet and easy going personality! I agree with you mother in law that you do have the “patience of Job”. 🙂 I came home and told my husband that “I love this enameling teacher and she has so much knowledge to share!” I wish you were teaching at a local college or somewhere on a weekly basis because I would be the first to sign up to learn.” -C.C.

STAMP IT, ROLL IT, ENAMEL IT!
The Arts Center
Carrboro, NC

2/22-2/23/2020

This workshop combines the fun of metal marking and the basse-taille enameling.

All Fired Up! Enameling Basics and Beyond
10/5/2019
The ArtsCenter
Carrboro, NC

Enameled It? Now Set It!
11/9/19
The ArtsCenter
Carrboro, NC

Workshop at Yamawaki Art College, Tokyo, Japan
October 2018
Barbara was invited to teach a workshop on enameling at Yamawaki Art College in Tokyo.

Read more in this Spring 2019 Enamelist Society Newsletter. Read Story