Fall Classes 2012

Here's whats on my plate for fall...sign up now, classes start soon!  I'll be at Mesa Art Center, Central Arizona College, and doing a few weekend workshops all over the place(more details on those to come).

Mesa Art Center:

Intro to Fabrication Basics: Beginning Jewelry

Mon. Aug. 27-Dec. 10, 9:30am-12:30pm

Hand Fabricated Chains

Thursday, August 30 - Thursday, October 18, 2012, 9:30am-12:30pm

Brooches and Pins

Friday, August 31 - Friday, October 19, 2012, 9:30am-12:30pm

Filigree
Saturday, September 8 - Saturday, September 15, 2012, 9am-5pm

Creative Entrapments/Cold Connections for found objects

Saturday, September 22 - Saturday, September 29, 2012, 9am-5pm

Earrings

Thursday, October 25 - Thursday, December 13, 2012, 9:30am-12:30pm

Marriage of Metals 

Friday, October 26 - Friday, December 14, 2012, 9:30am-12:30pm

Holiday Ornaments with the Hydraulic Press

Saturday, December 1, 9am-5pm

Central Arizona College (Superstition Mountain-Apache Junction Campus)

Beginning Jewelry Design/Metalsmithing

Tuesdays 2:30-5:00pm

Tuesdays 6:00-8:30pm

August 20-December 12

Hand Fabricated Chains Workshop

This weekend I taught a Hand Fabricated Chains Workshop at Mesa Art Center. This is a class I have been teaching and developing for a couple of years now and each time I teach it it gets better. It may be my favorite class to teach. The possibilities are just endless with chain, which I guess is what makes it so much fun. Some people don't like the detailed monotony of it, but I love chain making.
I start the students out with a discussion of their backgrounds and goals, and then I show them a powerpoint with about 200 slides of historical and contemporary chains. We discuss chains in depth from historical, industrial, and adornment viewpoints. It really helps to get their creative juices flowing.
After the discussion, I move on to talking about wire, different shapes, metals, gauges, hardnesses, etc. I talk about how to choose each of these before getting to work on their designs. Then we go in to making and cutting jump rings, soldering, and assembling.
The format of this workshop is two 8 hour Saturdays. I've taught the class in an 8, 6, and 4 week format, but never 2 days. I like the weekend time frame but there is so much to cover!! The students learned how to make round and shaped jump rings, solder, and texture. I demonstrated traditional chains like the loop in loop and sailors knot, and also a dozen or more cold connected chains with NO soldering. We briefly touched on forging and twisting as well. Whew, it was one packed Saturday! Next week we go in to using the Smith Little Torch and working with sheet metal for linkage. I hope the students are having as good a time as I am!

Back in the Saddle (Its about time...)

So...I'm ashamed to say that it has been more than 6 months since my thesis show and I am just now finally finishing some new pieces (I haven't made a single thing since my show besides teaching samples!!!). It really seems like my show was just yesterday, but when I count back the months its embarrassing! After my show it seemed all I could do to just make it to graduation...summer followed and I started teaching, and then I took my trip...and now its 6 months later! Eek. Well anyway, here are some new pieces I just finished up this week. It feels good to be back in the saddle!
You may or may not remember, but a few months back I scored this awesome lot of antique hardware on ebay. Well, these five necklaces I just finished are all made with these old antique wood drawer pulls. I sand off the old paint, inlay them with silver wire, make some pretty chains to hang them on and many many hours of labor later, here they are!"Worn" Series

sterling silver, found antique drawer pulls, fine silver inlay, pearls

Report: Hand Fabricated Chains Class

Just finished up 4 weeks of one of the most fun classes I have ever taught, Hand Fabricated Chains at Phoenix Art Center! I had a great group and they worked hard in what little time they had and finished with some great stuff. The first few images are chains I made as samples for the class, and the rest are a few images of some of the student work (I didn't get pics of everything unfortunately) . Ill be teaching this class again in the fall, but in an 8 week format as opposed to 4 weeks, and it will be at Mesa Art Center...stay tuned for details!samples

More samples. I made a bunch of copper samples too but forgot to take pics of them so I guess I'll post them later.

samples
Sandy Halka

Paula Ellis

Paula Ellis
Kay Cummins

Cole Allen
Nina Jeffre
Nina Jeffre


Nina JeffreNina JeffreNina JeffreNina Jeffre

Hand Fabricated Chains Class at Phoenix Center for the Arts

This summer I am teaching a hand fabricated chain class at Phoenix Center for the Arts. There are a few pictures of the types of chains I will be teaching at the bottom of this post.
Here is the info:
Sign up here if you are interested!!!
Description:
Ages: 18 Yrs. and over
Fees:- Course Fee $70.00Description:
This class focuses on the methods used to make hand made chains and findings from silver wire and sheet metal. Students will have the opportunity to explore a wide range of chain making techniques using soldering, piercing, forging, texturing and various fabrication methods. The Instructor will work closely with the students to refine skills needed to create beautiful chains for necklaces or bracelets. Students should expect to spend a minimum of $30 for materials depending on project choice. Open to all levels. Materials list will be announced on the first day of class.
Registration End Date: 06-27-2010Meets:
Friday 07-09-2010 2:00PM - 5:00PMFriday 07-16-2010 2:00PM - 5:00PM
Friday 07-23-2010 2:00PM - 5:00PM
Friday 07-30-2010 2:00PM - 5:00PM