Gretchen Goss (b.1955)
At the Edge (from the series), Set of 5, 2019
Commissioned by Summa Health
Materials: Enamel on copper (three pieces: 15” x 15”; two pieces: 11” x 11”)
Location: Summa Health – Dr. Gary B. and Pamela S. Williams Tower, Akron Campus
(141 N. Forge St.), fourth floor, outside family lounge overlooking downtown Akron
About the Art and Artist
Inspired by the landscapes of Ohio, At the Edge captures the delicate balance between the cultivated and the untamed—the space where nature meets human-made environments. Goss describes the roadside as a “garden both chaotic yet organized, populated with weeds and flowers, evoking memories of roads traveled through life.” Her work highlights the richness of these in-between spaces, where diversity thrives, and new perspectives emerge.
Goss’s enamel-on-copper compositions invite the viewer to look more closely at these often-overlooked edges. She abstracts natural forms from her photographs, distilling them into vibrant, floating elements—Queen Anne’s Lace, the brilliant hue of cornflowers, or the golden clusters of dandelions and hawkweed. The interplay of scale in her five-piece series encourages viewers to step forward for detail, then back to take in the full composition.
A Mastery of Enamel
For Goss, working with enamel is both a technical challenge and an artistic pursuit. She explains:
"Merging the processes of drawing, painting, and photography with vitreous enamel on metal drives my work. Fusing glass to metal over multiple firings creates a metaphorical dialogue between the medium and myself. I find satisfaction in experimenting with materials and processes that challenge my ability to control. Enamel provides that challenge, thus motivation … the physics and risk inherent to the process hold my interest. The traditions and stringent guidelines associated with the medium impel me to work outside the rules, aiming to make discoveries with the material."
Goss earned both her Bachelor of Fine Arts in jewelry/metals and Master of Fine Arts in enameling from Kent State University, a program known for its excellence in enameling since its founding in 1958 by Mel Someroski. Today, she serves as Chair of Material Culture and Environment at the Cleveland Institute of Art and has taught, lectured, and led workshops across the U.S. and the U.K. She has also curated notable enameling exhibitions, including Metalsmith Magazine’s exhibition in print, “Enameling: A Current Perspective” (2003).
Where You Can See More of Gretchen Goss’s Work
Goss’s work is featured in the collections of University Hospitals and the Cleveland Arts Foundation, as well as in museum collections at the Butler Institute of American Art (Youngstown, OH) and the University of Michigan. She exhibits widely both nationally and internationally, and her work has been published in 500 Enameled Objects (2008) and The Art of Enameling (2004), among others.