Weekly Instructors
Founding instructor Raychel Wengenroth is an artisan member of The Society of American Silversmiths (www.silversmithing.com) and is a nationally recognized artist who has completed commissions for Oprah, LJ duPont and the Bob Hope “Humana Award”, among others. She has taught at: The Woodstock Guild, Mill Street Loft, Silvermine School of Art, Brookfield Craft Center, Wesleyan Potters, Farmington Valley Arts Center, The Connecticut School of Jewelry Arts and Southern Connecticut State University in Connecticut; Fletcher Farm in Vermont; Pennsylvania Society of Goldsmiths in Pennsylvania, Peters Valley and the Art School at Old Church in New Jersey.
She has also run a successful wholesale jewelry and giftware business selling to over 100 accounts in the US and abroad. She began teaching in order to train potential employees and found a second career. She maintains her studio work with limited edition and one-of-a-kind pieces.
Website: www.raychelwengenroth.com
William Greenwood received a BS in art at University of Missouri, Columbia Missouri, with a focus on figurative sculpture and graphics.
In graduate school he ran the sculpture department that created large ceramic shell bronze castings from waxes. After college he moved to NYC, and was hired by Moscovitz Original Jewelry on 47TH St. and worked alongside of professional jewelers. This honed his expertise in designing. When he moved to Woodstock NY he was hired by Howard Gaber Designs in Woodstock as a jewelry designer and carved wax models for the company which within two years was sold to David Zales. He opened his own business in 1984, casting original designs and selling in art and craft fairs until recently. William currently has a retail space in the JJ Newberry building in Saugerties NY where you can see and try on his unique hand carved designs.
Website: www.greenwooddesigns.com
My name is Armando Blanco, and I have been making jewelry for over 15 years. I grew up in America’s southwest, raised in El Paso, TX. I studied creative writing while doing stand-up comedy. One day I realized I did not want to do either any longer, and I randomly took up making jewelry.
After a year in the craft, I decided to focus all my energy towards running my own business. Since then, my art has provided a living for me. It has taken me to places like Japan, and it has even brought me to this northeastern part of the country! I began with making resin pendants. Eventually I studied wire wrapping, which led to my current journey in the world of silversmithing. Along the way, I developed a passion for teaching and I encourage anyone who wants to learn how to do what I do. My belief is if I can do it, anyone can!
Workshop Instructors
Elizabeth Tokoly is a graduate from Cranbrook Academy of Art with a MFA in metalsmithing. She is the founder of EatMetal Art Jewelry Gallery and Metals Studio. Elizabeth participates in Museum and Fine Art Craft exhibitions/shows and her work exhibits nationally. Elizabeth is an educator with over 20 years’ experience. She teaches a large range of traditional metalsmithing techniques and enjoys teaching in a craft school experience. Elizabeth is published in numerous jewelry books and magazines from editorial shoots like Harper’s Bazaar Thailand, British Vogue and Elle Italia to instructional how to’s in Lapidary Journal and Chain Mail Jewelry Contemporary Design and Techniques.
Elizabeth work is bold, simple, geometric art jewelry with an eclectic edge; inspired by the raw beauty of nature, scared geometry, and simplicity. Each original collectible piece of artisan jewelry is skillfully designed and crafted using traditional metalsmithing techniques and contemporary ideas.
Stephanie Maddelena has a BA in fine arts and has been lampworking since 1994 after a workshop with Kate Fowle Meleney launched her addiction to molten glass.