Annamária Mikulíková
Enamel is a material which has been used for over four thousand years as a surface treatment for decorative and practical objects. It has ornamented pharaohs, medieval kings, Russian tsars and the modern aristocracy. It is a vitreous coating which is melted at high temperatures onto the base material, usually metal. It is applied in the form of water suspensions or powdered mixtures composed of pre-molten frit (a fragile substance arising from the rapid cooling of molten enamel) and other ingredients. It has a unique place and long tradition in history. Work with this material continues to be inspirational, partly due to the low level of predictability and the frequent occurrence of accidental decorative phenomena. The designer Annamária Mikulíková, who followed on a family tradition of working with this beautiful and long-lasting material, has based her work on the rich enamel-making tradition of the Spiš region and on the work of Ján Silaši.