Alexandra Raphael
Olee Maatee
Enameller
London, United Kingdom
Watercolours in glass
- Alexandra is a master of the Japanese plique-à-jour technique
- She is inspired by the transparency of glass
- Her Lace bowl is in the permanent collection of the V&A Museum in London
Fascinated by jewellery from an early age, Alexandra Raphael was only 13 when she attended a summer art class in her native USA. Such was her dedication that by the age of 18 she was the course assistant teacher. There, she started learning to solder and make silver jewellery, and began enamelling on copper bowls. In 1969, Alexandra moved to a remote part of Ireland with her husband. "I bought my first kiln and began experimenting with enamels, because working with glass colour was so much richer than working with plain silver jewellery," she shares. In 1980, mesmerised by Japanese examples of plique-à-jour, or backless enamels, she began experimenting with this technique. To this day, she uses thin gold wires and translucent glass colours to create plique-à-jour collectibles. Alexandra's work was awarded by the Goldsmiths' Craft and Design Council in 2023 and 2025, and she became a Freeman of the Worshipful Company of Gold and Silver Wyre Drawers in 2026.
INTERVIEW
It had to do with the colours that can be created with enamel and glass. I have always been interested in jewellery but it was only when I took my first course at the age of 13 that I really saw the process up close, and the artisans at work really intrigued me.
For me, it comes down to the fact that no one has ever written down how to do it, that there are very few people who use it, and that I really like a challenge. The earlier bowls I made were all in silver and very simple. I started using gold later.
To make my bowls, I like to have a subject that is naturally translucent, so I depict a lot of flora and fauna. Insects are perfect for using little tiny wires to define the filaments of the wings, for example. When I make sea-inspired motifs, it is the translucency of the water that inspires me, while with the sky I turn to rainbows, moons and celestial bodies.
I hope not! There is always something that has yet to be tried. When I made the Lace bowl, it was new for there to be all these holes in it. I wanted people to say 'How on earth did she do that?'
Alexandra Raphael
Olee Maatee
Enameller
London, United Kingdom
AVAILABILITY
By appointment only
PHONE
+44 7748648985
LANGUAGES
English
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