JANUARY WORKSHOPS
Most winter workshops are scheduled for Saturdays, leaving Sunday as a make-up in the event of inclement weather.
10:00 - 4:00
Jan. 14 Design Your Own Wedding Bands *Part 1 - Wax Carving*
Wedding Bands signify a never ending circle of love, making casting one of the best methods to execute these rings, plus the technique is accessible to nearly everyone. Learn how to carve, file, melt and manipulate wax to create your own design that will be cast into the metal of your choice (gold of any karat, silver, platinum etc.). The methods of centrifugal and vacuum casting will be discussed, however the actual casting will be done at a casting house. This workshop will give you the technical knowledge and resources to be intimately involved in the creation of your never ending symbol of love. Once the castings are complete they can be cleaned up in the finishing workshop on Feb. 11th (or other arrangements can be made).
Skill Level: No experience necessary
Tuition: $100
Lab Fee: $5
Materials: $20
Jan. 21 Loop-in-Loop Chain Making
Byzantine style Etruscan chains date back to antiquity and are still made by hand to this day. Students will learn the basics of taking fine silver wire and wrapping it around a dowel to make a coil, cutting it into individual links that are fused closed using a torch, shaping and then assembling a variety of different chains. We will focus on learning the various “stitches” allowing students to continue their studies at home. This technique requires very minimal equipment and the results are professional quality chains that impress everyone and are truly a labor of love. Caution: Extremely addictive!
Skill level: No experience necessary, Good eyesight is!
Tuition: $100
Lab Fee: $5
Materials: Payable in class - 20’ Fine Silver Wire (market price, approximately $45)
Jan. 28-29 Basic 101
Immerse yourself in this fast paced course on the basic tools & techniques used in making jewelry. Demonstrations will be plentiful with hands-on bench-time to cement the knowledge. Sawing, drilling, texturing, filing, sanding, polishing and basic soldering techniques will make time fly. Students can expect to complete 2 projects, a flat pendant or keyring out of sheet metal and a simple ring. Learn to recognize quality craftsmanship in the pieces you currently own or want to buy. The skills acquired in jewelry making come in handy on many levels, even fixing and altering things! This workshop is perfect for those interested in taking more advanced classes requiring basic skills.
Skill level: No experience necessary
Tuition: $200
Lab Fee: $10
Materials: $20
