.leah m.
metalsmith
Students will learn how to marry metal and gemstones together with several torch-less techniques.
Create several types of rivets including standard, flush and tube rivets. Rivets are a durable, and popular way to connect metal to metal or other materials without a torch aka a cold connection in jewelry.
This class is perfect for starting your own torch-less home studio practice as we will also be covering rivets, textures & finishing techniques. Students leave class with sample pieces of rivets and a finished pendant that utilizes cold connections.
Metalsmithing & Jewelry 2
Tuesdays, April 5-26
Stone Setting Basics
April 23 & 24
This weekend workshop shows students how to create an original pendant featuring a cabochon gemstone. Student learn the basic principles of design alongside several stone setting techniques. Techniques include faux prongs, pedestal prongs and tab prongs. Prongs are metal posts that hold a stone securely to a piece of jewelry. They allow minimum obstruction, while showcasing the stone. Students will leave class with finished samples and learn how to fabricate their own original design.
Rings 102: Cabochons!
April 30
Students will learn the basics of creating a sterling silver ring with the addition of a cabochon gemstone. Students will start with sterling silver sheet and learn how to size, saw, solder. They will then create their bezel, solder again, polish, set their gemstone, and then texture the ring. Each student will leave with an appreciation of the skills it takes to create original jewelry and a stunning bedazzled sterling silver ring!
Beginning Jewelry:
The Art of the Earring
Tuesdays, May 3-10
This fun, 2 day class series shows students of any skill level how to design and create a set of original 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.
Beginning Jewelry:
The Art of the Ring
May 28
This one-day workshop introduces the basics of creating a sterling silver ring. Students start with a sterling silver sheet and learn how to size, saw, solder, polish, and texture the ring. You’ll leave with a solid foundation of metalsmithing skills and a beautiful new sterling silver ring!
Metalsmithing & Jewelry 3
June 17 & 18
Most jewelers fall in love with making jewelry at first light of the torch. Often, it’s when they’re soldering that they accidentally turn their project into a beautiful, glowing molten puddle of metal. Did you know that it was possible to intentionally melt metal and cast it into a mold to create usable shapes?
In this workshop, students will learn to create both intentional and unintentional shapes by casting molten metal into various types of molds and materials. These molds will completely transform the molten metal. Students start class by getting comfortable with a jeweler’s torch and playing with ideas around alternative casting. Alternative casting techniques will include: water casting, broom casting and salt casting. We will also create more intentional shapes by pouring molten metal into ingot molds and carved cuttlefish bones.
Description continued on link below.
Metalsmithing & Jewelry 1
Thursdays, June 2-July 14
Have you ever wondered how to create stunning one of a kind jewelry? If so, this beginning jewelry class series is for you. It is the perfect introductory class that will help you to develop fundamental metalsmithing skills, good studio habits, and an appreciation for handcrafted jewelry.
Throughout this class series, you will learn essential processes and techniques that create the foundation for good studio practice. Class time will be spent learning a variety of processes that include piercing shapes from metal with a jeweler’s saw, adding texture to metal, soldering, and annealing metal with a torch. As well as how to bezel set a cabochon gemstone and create a stunning sterling silver ring. While a majority of these processes are reinforced through the creation of samples, you will also leave class with several finished original pieces of jewelry including a ring and a pendant.
Metalsmithing & Jewelry 4
June 24-26
So now that you’ve made a whole bunch of beautiful organic forms out of molten metal, what do you do with them? In this 3-day workshop, students will go through the process of creating a one of a kind piece of jewelry. They will utilize the elements that were cast during Part 1 of Alternative Casting in combination with wire, sheet and gemstone(s). We will discuss elements of design as well as the advantages to using various types of settings such as bezels, prongs, tube settings, flush settings, etc. with different types of gemstones. During the first day of class we will review drawings and ideas, then create a plan for how to get from their drawing to the final product. During Day 2 & 3 we will create our one of a kind pieces independently and the instructor will perform demonstrations as necessary for techniques involved in students projects.