Portland Spring 2027

Dive into the world of unconventional jewelry design with my hands-on workshop. Learn how to layer wire and sheet metal to create thought-provoking pieces that capture the essence of stones and objects in their raw, natural form. This workshop focuses on building prongs and unusual wire structures + stone settings that highlight the unique characteristics of each object, embracing their shapes and forms.  Embrace the road less traveled in jewelry design and learn new and unusual techniques to grow your work into distinctiveness .  

What You'll Learn:

Layering Wire and Sheet Metal:

Techniques to construct elegant and thought-provoking settings.
Building structures that capture stones and objects without distraction.

Handling Unconventional Objects:

Working with oddly shaped and curved stones.
Showcasing dimensional layers of beauty, especially in materials like petrified wood and layered mica.

Innovative Stone Settings:

Building prongs and wire structures that allow full visibility of stones.
Creating settings for uneven shapes and forms.

Metalworking Techniques:

Proper techniques for layout, shaping, forging, polishing, and cleaning up.
Twisting, setting, soldering, and forging wire to build raw and architectural settings.

Students will leave with a unique pendant or a ring. Please bring your favorite object. Gem or stone. 

Materials Fee $TBD paid at beginning of class includes:

16 gauge silver wire,
20 gauge silver disc,
14 gauge wire for shank attachment or ring shank. soldering materials, sandpaper,  expendables,( I will also provide extra bronze wire for additional links as time allows)
flexible shaft, picks, solder, flux, pickle pot and pickle, sand paper, 

Supplies Needed  to bring for Class:

please bring Wire snips,
round needle nose and chain nose pliers,
small hammer,
bench block,
small file
Extra tools if you have- magnifiers, awl, soldering pick and soldering brick if you are local