Enamel artist Larisa Novikova

Enamel artist Larisa Novikova
Born in 1959 in Moscow, Larisa Novikova graduated from the Stroganov Moscow State University of Arts and Industry. The famous school, founded in 1825 by Baron Sergey Stroganov specializes in the applied and decorative art. Since 1990, Larisa has worked at the Experimental creative and production complex “Vorontsovo” of the Union of Russian Artists, and was engaged in miniature on enamel.
Larisa Novikova became the member of the Moscow Union of Artists in 1999. In addition, she is a participant of the international symposiums in Hungary, Rostov Veliky, and Mineralnye Vody. Her art works are in private collections in the country and abroad.

Enameling is thought to be of western Asiatic origin and has more than two thousand years. The oldest known products using enamel are metal objects of soldered plates of blue glass, manufactured between 1425 and 1300 years. BC. e., that were found at Mycenae (Greece). Greeks systematically fused enamel on gold jewelry. A significant contribution to technology made Iran (Persia), India and China. The Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans made extensive use of it in jewellery. In the Middle Ages in both Byzantium and western Europe—different enameling techniques (including cloisonne) were much used for the decoration of various types of ecclesiastical art, including book covers, reliquaries, and crucifixes.

Enamel artist Larisa Novikova

Enamel work, or decorative work in enamel, a smooth, glossy material made by fusing glass to a prepared surface, usually of metal. Though easily fractured, like glass, enamel is extremely durable and gives great brilliance of color, especially when used in translucent form against a ground of precious material. The color can come from the use of colored glass or from the application of color to plain enamel.

Despite considerable and compelling story, artistic enameling is still in the development process, and the quality of work defines the practical experience of enameler. Artists working today with enamel also actively use traditional technique used in enameled jewellery, and hot enamel allows them to expand the artistic expression of contemporary shapes and forms. The works of Russian enamel artists – appreciated not only in the domestic professional art exhibitions, but also in major international forums: in an old enamel heart of Europe – Limoges (France), in La Coruña (Spain), Covington (USA), and other cities and countries of the world.

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