JEWELRY CLASSES

3-Hour Jewelry Taster
Entry-level

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Our three-hour Taster classes are an easy way to begin exploring the industrial arts. In this jewelry Taster you'll learn shop safety and the basic skills of annealing, texturing, stamping, filing, sanding, polishing and design. Taster classes make great gifts for a do-it-yourselfer, or take a class together with family and friends for a unique bonding experience.  You'll finish your Taster with a small finished project.

Introduction to Jewelry & Metals I
Entry-level

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This introduction to jewelry making begins with shop safety and the simple skills of sawing, filing, sanding, soldering, texturing, annealing, stamping, polishing, and design. You'll also learn the properties of such metals as copper, brass and silver. You'll make a sterling silver ring as well as technical samples for your future reference. You will gain hands-on experience with techniques that can be applied to almost any kind of project—large or small.

Also check out this class in our Youth Department and as part of a Family Fun Weekend!

Introduction to Jewelry & Metals II
Prerequisite: Introduction to Jewelry & Metals I

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This continuing course in jewelry making and the metal arts further develops the skills you learned in Introduction to Jewelry and Metals I. You will also learn new techniques, such as bezel setting, piercing, drilling, riveting and flexible shaft techniques. In addition to technical reference samples, you'll create an original piece of jewelry of your own design using a cabochon stone.

Three-Dimensional Metalsmithing
Prerequisites: Introduction to Jewelry I & II

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This class teaches the continuing student new techniques and design challenges to further your understanding of fine metalwork. You will learn movement through hinge making, how to incorporate handmade plastic dies and how to use the hydraulic press. This process allows you to create three-dimensional multiples and hollow forms for use in jewelry, boxes and lockets. The use of copper, brass and silver are encouraged, along with jewelry techniques taught in previous classes.

Casting Wax to Silver Jewelry
Prerequisite: Introduction to Jewelry & Metals I

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Learn lost-wax, an age-old sculptural jewelry-casting process that involves creating a positive wax model, using that model to create a mold, then using the mold to cast a form in metal. You'll carve, cast and finish at least one pendant or ring in silver and experiment with different waxes, learning their working qualities as you grow familiar with the techniques and tools of this process. Bring your sketches and ideas!

Also check out this class in our Youth Department.

Innovative Casting
Prerequisite: Casting Wax to Silver

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In this exciting casting course, you will expand your jewelry knowledge by immersing yourself in a variety of casting techniques.  These include traditional wax carving skills, casting gemstones directly into your designs, and casting organic materials.  In this fast paced class, you will enjoy the diverse results from these different processes.  After the three casting burnouts, you will leave with several finished one-of-a-kind creations.

Making Your Own Clasps & Findings
Prerequisites: Introduction to Jewelry & Metals I & II

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The instructor, having created her own production line of jewelry, will teach you how to make the components that jewelers typically buy. While buying these items can be convenient, it is often cheaper, faster, and easier to do it yourself. Not constrained by what is available through manufacturers, imagination will be your only limitation, giving your pieces a more unique, handmade look.

Exploration in Chainmaking
Entry-level. Offered twice a year.

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This class teaches the classical skills needed to make woven and Etruscan chain. You'll learn to manipulate wire through the selected use of hand tools, making jump rings, splicing wires and fusing jump rings shut. Your finished, one-of-a-kind silver chain will be able to accommodate an original pendant or be worn alone.

Incorporating Found Objects into Your Jewelry
Entry-level. Offered twice a year.

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Explore color, texture, fabric or a narrative by including found objects in your work. In this class, you'll learn how to connect objects with rivets, tabs, small screws and bolts, epoxies and bezel settings. You will learn how to fabricate a variety of pin backs and hinges and how to work through design issues presented by found materials. Bring objects and works you would like to incorporate into a jewelry piece to the first class.

Gemology
Entry-level

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This intensive class introduces you to gemology, gemstone properties and testing methods, critical steps to becoming a jeweler. You will learn how to identify different types of gems and stones and how to use testing equipment to identify unknown stones. Class discussion includes synthetics, imitations, treatments and enhancements. Bring your favorite jewelry pieces or gems to discuss.

Exploration in Stone Setting
Prerequisites: Introduction to Jewelry & Metals I & II

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This two-day intensive exposes you to three kinds of stone settings: prong, bezel and flush settings. The first day includes a demonstration of how settings are put together. During the second session you will set your stones (or objects) into settings you have created. Sterling silver settings and some stones are supplied.

Introduction to Keum-Boo: Korean Metalsmithing
Prerequisite: Jewelry-making experience. Offered twice a year.

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Keum Boo is an ancient Korean metalsmithing technique used to apply 24-karat-gold foil to the surfaces of silver and other pre cious metals. This simple decorative technique allows you to add rich gold to your work easily and inexpensively. You will learn this technique step by step by applying gold to your work.

Chasing & Repoussé
Prerequisites: Introduction to Jewelry & Metals I & II

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Learn to make your drawings come to life. Chasing and repoussé is a technique that allows you to produce highly detailed relief images in sheet metal. These techniques can help you spice up your sculpture or give detailed accents to your jewelry. Using specialized tools and a hammer, you will learn to isolate and control the movement of your metal, creating texture and depth. You will gain a comprehensive understanding of chasing and repoussé techniques via a sample design that demands your use of every tool in your kit. You will then have an opportunity to create a piece using a design of your choosing.

Introduction to Cast Resin & Silver Jewelry
Prerequisites: Introduction to Jewelry & Metals I. Offered biannually.

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Easy-to-use, water-clear polyester resin is a versatile material that can mimic the characteristics of metal, glass, or stone and possesses many qualities lacking in its older counterparts. You will learn to make molds, mix and pour resin liquid, polish hardened resin and create three unique pieces of jewelry that integrate silver with your completed resin pieces.

Introduction to Rubber Mold Making for Jewelry
Entry-level. Offered twice a year.

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Want to make multiple copies of your jewelry? With vulcanized rubber molds, you can make wax models to reproduce your original jewelry. The class explores the basics of two-part molds, including hot and cold molding methods. You will make at least one vulcanized silicone rubber mold. Bring at least two original small-scale metal pieces to reproduce.

Metal Clay I
Entry-level

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Using metal clay tools such as thickness guides, rollers, texture plates, rubber stamps, files, and brushes, you will learn skills in forming clay for both flat and sculptural designs; creating surface texture and enhancements; clay bail design, arrangement, and placement; stone setting; drying; firing with torch and kiln; and final finishing and polishing. Students will receive an in-depth orientation to Metal Clay while making three pendant projects.

Metal Clay II
Prerequisite: Metal Clay I

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Using basic metal clay tools including ring sizers and the ring mandrel, students will learn ring sizing methods to accommodate clay shrinkage; preparing ring mandrel for assembly of clay ring; wide and narrow band construction; stone setting; texture techniques and other decorative elements. Students will also review firing and finishing methods and enhance their metal clay skills to create 2 rings.

All Linked Up: Art Clay Silver
Entry-level

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This two half day workshop is designed for students with little or no experience in Metal Clay: a product that is 99.9% metal (silver, copper or bronze) with the addition of a nontoxic binder and
water. Because it is clay, it can be molded, rolled, shaped, carved, stamped, draped and adorned with other elements to create beautiful jewelry. In this class you will use Art Clay Silver, Art Clay Copper and Quick Fire Bronze clays to create links for a long elegant necklace. After the metal clay is fired, your links will be connected with wire cut and forged into jump rings.

Viking Knit with Art Clay Silver
Prerequisite: Introduction to Art Clay Silver. Offered twice a year.

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In this class you will form a silver wire bracelet using the ancient art of Viking knit, a looping technique that preceded traditional knitting by centuries. You'll add a clasp and other components made with Art Clay Silver, a new pure silver clay medium that can be molded, rolled, shaped, carved, stamped, draped and adorned with other elements to create beautiful jewelry. You'll embellish the bracelet with beads, and keep it to wear and enjoy.

Mixed Metal Silver and Copper: Art Clay
Prerequisite: Introduction to Art Clay Silver

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Art Clay Copper is now available. You can use this new, exciting, easy-to-use, easy-to-fire clay material to make a variety of 100% pure copper art pieces. In this class, you'll combine Art Clay Copper and Art Clay Silver to create one-of-a-kind mixed metal jewelry. You'll also learn techniques for using the new Art Clay Copper and several processes for combining Art Clay Copper and Art Clay Silver.

Art Clay Silver and Enameling
Prerequisite: Introduction to Art Clay Silver & Introduction to Enameling I

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In this class you will combine two exciting techniques to create colorful silver jewelry. First you will use Art Clay Silver, a medium that allows you to create jewelry or other decorative fine silver pieces without metalsmithing techniques. You will roll, press or mold Art Clay to create the perfect base for the colorful enameling process then create two to three pieces of fine silver jewelry, adding beautiful color through enameling.