Dip your toe into the dazzling world of "metal clay" with this intermediate class where we will build a silver ring with a gemstone, fire it with a kiln, then polish and add patina. You'll leave with a ready to wear fine silver ring set with the stone of your choice. Those with some metal clay experience are best positioned to benefit from this class. If you have zero knowledge of metal clay, take heart! We'll give you extra attention to help you succeed.
There are a myriad of jewelry techniques for making rings, but the advantage of using the "metal clay" method is its suitability for sinuously sculpted detail. In the class we will learn which gemstones can be fired in place and which must be set after firing. We will discuss how shrinkage during the firing process affects the size of the ring and adjust for that. We will learn how to make a strong ring band and various ways to decorate it. We will also discuss kiln firing versus torch firing and the advantages of each.
Class takes place Sat, Sep 19 from 1-5:30pm.
Medium: Jewelry
Age and ability: adults, beginner to intermediate
About the Instructor:
A childhood fascination with plants led Lisa to a master's degree in Plant Anatomy and she uses the textures and forms of the plant kingdom in all her jewelry. Moving from Arkansas to Idaho in 1989 opened up her vistas, changed her color palette, and inspired her to add leather and stones to her designs.
She began her jewelry-making journey by learning to repair her treasured flea-market finds. She quickly progressed into making first silver metal clay and then bronze and copper metal clay pieces. In the last five years, she moved into traditional metalsmithing, adding sheet metal to the metal clay. She began teaching jewelry-making classes ten years ago and now topics on her class list range from metal clay to cold connections and fabrication.
Cancellation reimbursement deadline: Sept. 5, 2020
For additional questions regarding this workshop, please email Jeanne Knott, Visual Arts Class Assistant at
[email protected].
