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Carved Bakelite Jewelry

Up-cycle vintage plastic game pieces into jewelry! Bakelite is a hard plastic with a long history of use within jewelry and other consumer products. Though it’s heyday has long since passed, many still love this material for its unique appearance and working properties. In this one-day workshop, students will learn how to carve, shape, and polish Bakelite for jewelry applications. Each student will receive pieces of Bakelite in the form of found backgammon chips, which they will transform into a finished ring, a cabochon for use in a future piece, or a different self-directed project. No metalsmithing experience is required; we will focus on using simple hand tools and equipment to achieve stunning results.

Meet the instructor

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William Vanaria is a Massachusetts based artist with a penchant for oddball materials. His work utilizes traditional metalsmithing techniques and a wide verity of non-traditional materials to produce jewelry which both questions and comments on notions of romanticism, value, fakery, and the hierarchy of materials present within modern day consumer culture. Through his work he pushes for a broader system of value which has been formulated though experience, consideration, and critical thinking.

William received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design with a concentration in "Jewelry & Metalsmithing" in 2012. Afterwards, he spent time working within the jewelry industry and volunteering as a teacher's assistant for various art institutions. He found that the latter was much more fulfilling, so he went on to further his education within the arts and to pursue a career in teaching. William received his Masters of Fine Arts degree from the University of Massachusetts: Dartmouth in 2016; once again with a concentration in "Jewelry & Metalsmithing."

Materials & Tools

There is a $35 materials fee for this course, which is payable upon registration. The materials kit includes 2 backgammon chips made of Bakelite for carving, a new half-round ring file and a set of needle files for use on Bakelite, saw blades, a dust mask and other various finishing supplies necessary for this process.

Students should bring
  • Sketchbook
  • Pen/pencil to draw and take notes with
  • An ultra-fine tip Sharpie marker
  • A fine tip Sharpie marker
  • A small box (shoebox, toolbox or similar) for their new tools and materials

Metalwerx will supply all of the tools and equipment necessary for this process.

 

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