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The Enamelist Society' s Awards for 2003 : Edmund MassowTo be presented at the opening reception of "On the Edge," The Society's biennial conferenceJean Tudor ; The Enamelist Society Newsletter - Fall 2003 |
| As one looks at the background, education,
activities and the work of the honorees this year, it be comes apparent
all of them are deeply established in their lives as craftspeople and
artists. It seems that, despite what may have brought them to enameling
in the first place, all were caught up by the medium and its attributes,
and that as time went on their enthusiasm spilled out of the lonesomeness
of the studio and into an expanded world related to their medium. Not
only are they consummate artists but they also all share their excitement
with otters. Same of them teach, same of them write, same of them help
administer organizations. Many times it is in their teaching that our
lives are touched. These dedicated people teach children, young adults,
college and university students, independent seekers for more knowledge;
full time and part time enamelists, enamelists only, or jeweler/enamelists-any
and all interested in the craft. These artists and teachers share with
all. The honorees' willingness to give time outside of their studios is a tremendous gift to us all. But underlying it all is the greatest gift, that of their work. If it weren't for the work, the rest would seem a façade only. Where is the excitement of line, shape, texture, contrast and color without the works? That is what gives substance and body to their lives and ours. |
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EDMUND MASSOW The Creative Arts Award Given
to a living enamelist who shows evidence 01 pushing the creative edges
01 the medium in design, technique and presentation throughout his/her
career. |
| This was the beginning of an impressive pro
gram of self-teaching: buying every enamel book he could find in both
German and otter languages, establishing contact with otter enamelists
including Lili Schultz, Irmtraud Ohme, Kenneth Bates, and Margarete Seeler. All of these gave him support, with Lili Schultz urging him to enter an enameling exhibition in 1964. His work was accepted and exhibited. His first international show was in Limoges in 1982, and he has since participated in exhibitions in Australia (Adelaide and Melbourne), France (Limoges, Noirlac, Morez 'and Paris), Japan (Hiroshima and Tokyo), Spain (Salou), the U.S. (Cincinnati), and many places in Germany including Coburg, Dusseldarf, Hanau, Cologne), Pforzheim, and Siegen. Furthermore he has teen co-chairperson in the exhibits at Dusseldorf/Langenfeld, Pfaffenhofen and Wolnzach, and has juried the 2001 and 2003 exhibitions in Salou, Spain. |
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In 1981, after the first international exhibition
in Coburg, Edmund founded the "Coburger Emailrundbrief" and
was editor-in-chief from
1981 through 2000, providing its readers with valuable information about the enameling world in Germany, Europe, and around the world. Since the early 1990s Edmund has taught extensively, providing enameling workshops for children and for both beginning and advanced adult enamellists. In recent years, Edmund has teen emphasizing his jewelry making, working with well known materials, bringing them into his con_ temporary enamels, and giving them a legitimate place. We see his designs (Glass on Metal, Vol.19, #1, p.9) using millefiori and decals. Millefiori is captured in small metal cir_ des, presenting each grass piece as a small framed entity which is then added to otters. Reminiscent of children's marbles or slices of hard candy, when put together in necklace form the millefiori maintain their feeling of playfulness, but with just a suggestion of the fetish. |
| In his jewelry work we see his abilities
with, and interest in, metalworking. Equally helpful to us all we see his innovations in the shop, bringing us new tools, jigs, and procedures for working with domed pieces, with press-forming, with bead-making, with copper ball making, and with polishing techniques. He has a willingness to share his experience with us through his writings in Glass on Metal; Email International, Coburn; Craft-Enamellers; The Australian Enamel Newsletter; Glass on Stone; and the British Society 01 Enamellers Newsletter. Mr. Massow's interest in design, metal-working, enameling and processes, and his background as an artist and chemical engineer, together with his inquiring and creative mind has proved a benefit to us all, and we thank him. |
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