Cold Connections: Rivets & "Turtle" Prongs

April 24 & 25

This 2-day class is for beginning jewelers starting their own torch-less home studio practice.  This class reviews how to create turtle prongs. Turtle prongs is a technique used to connect cabochons, enameled works, etc. to a designed piece of metal without a torch; they are named “turtle” because the animal it resembles before the prongs are bent upwards to hold the gemstone; there are many possible variations for shape. This class is also reviews rivets, textures & finishing techniques.

Metalsmithing & Jewelry 1

May 6-June 10

In this six-week series students learn essential processes and techniques while creating the foundation for a good studio practice. Class time is spent learning processes including piercing metal with a jeweler’s saw, adding texture to metal, soldering and annealing metal with a torch. Class also reviews how to create & bezel set a cabochon gemstone while creating a stunning sterling silver ring. Students leave class with a variety of samples & several finished pieces including a ring and a pendant.

Stackable Rings

May 30

This one-day workshop shows students how to create a series of silver, stackable rings. Participants start with wire, sheet metal, loose stones and turn them into as many as 5 coordinating rings to wear together or alone. Throughout class, students are introduced to basic metalsmithing skills, including sawing, soldering, texturing & finishing metal, as well as sizing rings and bezel-setting cabochon stones. 

Creating 

Volume:

Intro to the Hydraulic Press

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June 26 & 27

In this workshop students are introduced to the hydraulic press. The hydraulic press allows you to create volume and/or texture on sheets of metal. Students learn how to create both a silhouette die and an embossing die. The silhouette die allows the artist to produce a consistent pillow-form and is traditionally made by sawing a shape out of a thick gauge metal and backed with plexiglass or pdf to allow space for the metal to grow in volume. While the embossing die produces a texture or pattern on their metal and can be is created by soldering wire or sheet to another piece of metal.

Teen Metalsmithing & Jewelry 1

May 14- June 11

Teen Metalsmithing & Jewelry 1 introduces students to essential processes & techniques while creating good studio habits. During class students learn wire wrapping, stamping, texturing, forming, and simple link bracelets. While a majority of these processes are reinforced through the creation of samples, students also leave class with several finished original pieces of jewelry including bracelets, handmade paper beads, charms and pendants.

Classes Postponed Until Further Notice

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Please contact the Jansen Art Center for details

Due to the concerns around COVID-19, the Jansen Art Center is temporarily closed. We will reopen and resume programming when it’s safe to do so, taking our cue from the government, health department & CDC.  

Ear Wires, Clasps, Jump Rings & Chains

This class is for any interested jeweler or any craft person.

Using wire, pliers, a hammer and a steel block students create a selection of sample clasps, jump rings, links and connections out of metal.

These samples can be used as inspiration for future projects or the closure needed to finish a necklace and/or bracelet. The simplest of details can add the right touch to your artwork.

Rivets

This class is perfect for beginning jewelers starting their own torch-less home studio practice. Students learn how to how to create several styles of rivets including a standard rivet, a flush rivet and a tube rivet.

This class reviews how each type of rivet can both enhance and perform the functions necessary to complete any project. Rivets are a great tool because you can connect more than just metal.

Texture & Patina

This class unveils the mystery of texturing metal. Students modify an old hammer to create a signature texture for their jewelry collection. Then, using this and a variety of other hammers, we experiment with a variety of textures and finishes on metal.

This class also reviews how to use a rolling mill to impress texture, pattern, etc. onto the surface of metal. Using samples created in class; we explore several patinas specific to copper, brass and/or silver.

Cold Connections: Rivets & "Turtle" Prongs

This 2-day class is for beginning jewelers starting their own torch-less home studio practice.  This class reviews how to create turtle prongs. Turtle prongs is a technique used to connect cabochons, enameled works, etc. to a designed piece of metal without a torch; they are named “turtle” because the animal it resembles before the prongs are bent upwards to hold the gemstone; there are many possible variations for shape. This class is also reviews rivets, textures & finishing techniques.

Wire:

Forged & Drawn

This class is for jewelers interested in learning a variety of ways to manipulate wire.

Forging is the art of controlled hammering to change the shape of metal. Forged wire can be used sculpturally for any scale  jewelry. Forging is a creative way to add volume to your artwork. Class reviews the importance of manipulating stock materials when creating an original piece of jewelry.

Cabochon Gemstone Ring

This 2-day workshop introduces the basics of creating a sterling silver ring with the addition of a cabochon gemstone. Students start with sterling silver sheet and learn how to size, saw, & solder. They then create their bezel, solder, polish, set their gemstone, and then texture the ring. Each student leaves with an appreciation of the skills it takes to create original jewelry and a stunning ring!

 The Art of the Earring

This one-day workshop shows students of any skill level how to make a set of sterling silver earrings. Participants start with wire, and sheet metal and turn their materials into either stud or dangle earrings. Students are introduced to basic skills that are essential to metalsmithing, including sawing, soldering, texturing and finishing metal. 

DIY:

Sterling Silver Pendant with Cabochon

This one-day workshop shows students how to create a beautiful sterling silver pendant with a cabochon gemstone. Students are introduced to a variety of tools while learning how to cut a sterling silver circle, solder on a pre-made bezel and a bail and set the gemstone. Class also reviews how to texture, polish and patina their pendant.

Ring in a 

Day

This one-day workshop introduces the basics of creating a sterling silver ring. Students start with sterling silver sheet and learn how to size, saw, solder, polish and then texture the ring. Students leave with basic knowledge of silversmithing and a beautiful new sterling silver ring!

Metalsmithing & Jewelry 2 

This 6 week class series encourages intermediate jewelry students to continue developing good studio habits & allows them to practice & expand their skills.  Techniques include rivets, cold connections, advanced soldering techniques, hollow forms, and more. Each new skill is reinforced through the creation of samples and students leave class with several finished pieces including a bracelet and a locket.

Basic

Bezels

This one-day class reviews how to create a box bezel for a cabochon gemstone. A box bezel is a technique used to connect a cabochon to a piece of metal using a thin band of fine silver that is formed around the gemstone to hold it in place. Students will leave class with a deeper understanding of basic metalsmithing practices and either a finished pendant or a sample. 

Bezels for Odd Shaped Gemstones

This one-day workshop reviews techniques that will help you to create a successful bezel for an odd shaped gemstone. A bezel is a thin band of metal that surrounds a cabochon and is formed around the edges to hold the stone in place. Shapes reviewed include freeform, square, pear and trillion cut stones.

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Students are encouraged to bring a cabochon gemstone that they are interested in learning how to set.

Pedestal Prongs

This 2-day workshop introduces how to create pedestal prong settings. A pedestal prong setting is built onto a pedestal or platform that is the same width as the stone and has prongs to keep the stone in place. Prong settings maximize how much of the stone you can see and are incredibly versatile with most jewelry designs. This style of setting can be applied to cabochons, and odd shaped objects with a flat or semi-flat backing.

Tube Set Gemstones

This one-day class teaches students how to make a setting for faceted gemstones out of thick-walled sterling silver tubing. Tube settings are essentially small bezels made from tubing and are useful for adding colorful stones to your designs.

This class reviews how to utilize the tube setting both as a bezel and a setting with prongs. This class reinforces and builds upon skills learned in both the Basic Bezel Class and the Pedestal Prong class.

Boxes, Lockets & Hinges

This 6 class series is for intermediate jewelry students interested in creating boxes & lockets. We review the basics of creating a box, adding volume and using a dapping block & hydraulic press. Each shape has their own tricks & students learn the tools & techniques that make these forms functional.

Additional skills include:

Toolmaking, scoring, sanding, sawing, riveting.

Finishing touches include either a tension fit lid or a hinge and clasp. Students leave class with a finished box, and/or a locket.