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Foldforming and Microfolding
Discover and invent new forms and textures! Foldforming, and its cousin microfolding, lead to spontaneity, creativity, and innovation, since complex forms can be made quickly. Foldforming and microfolding share many concepts, making them highly compatible. Microfolding is also called corrugation----each “hill” can be folded individually, or metal can be folded and then corrugated. Both techniques make strong, light, dimensional designs that can be interpreted as earrings, bracelets, vases, bowls, and more.
Demonstrations will alternate with hands-on work time. Students may choose to make many samples while learning and experimenting with a lot of different techniques, or to complete a few finished pieces. Process, technique, and design are emphasized in this class, instead of being project-oriented. We’ll work primarily in copper to learn, but students may also choose to use fine silver, Argentium Silver, or traditional sterling. This class is appropriate for students with basic metalsmithing skills as well as professionals.
Meet the instructor
Whether using hammers and stakes, or hydraulic press tools, Cynthia's sculptural jewelry and hollowware shows her focus on exploring the fluidity with which metal can be moved, formed, and joined.
Cynthia Eid co-authored the book Creative Metal Forming, with Betty Helen Longhi, published in 2013 by Tim McCreight's Brynmorgen Press. In his foreword for the book, Michael Good says the authors "have succeeded in assembling the first comprehensive textbook on synclastic and anticlastic forming." (More about the book available at www.creativemetalforming.com.)
Cynthia and Betty developed a set of anticlastic stakes, and Eid also works with Knew Concepts and Bonny Doon to help make tools for jewelers and metalsmiths. Lee Marshall has dubbed Cynthia Eid "Godmother of the Knew Concept Saws" since it was her idea for him to produce these saws for jewelers.
Excited about working in sterling silver without the problem of firescale, Cynthia has been working with Argentium Silver since 1999. After meeting Peter Johns (the inventor of Argentium Silver) in 2003, Eid has participated in AS's development. Argentium International, Ltd recognizes her as a Pioneer.
Cynthia Eid's metalwork has won awards for creativity and design, been featured in many publications, and been exhibited internationally. With a BS in Art Education and MFA in Jewelry, Design, and Silversmithing, she has previously worked as a bench jeweler for fine goldsmiths, a model-maker in a gold jewelry factory, and on private commissions. Her work is in museums in the US and UK. Currently an independent metalsmith and educator, she teaches weekly classes at Metalwerx in Massachusetts, and workshops and short courses in the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia.
Materials & Tools
There is a $50 materials fee for this workshop that is payable upon registration. The materials kits include various gauges of copper a NuGold sheet as well as tools necessary for working with fold forms.
Metalwerx has tools for students to share and use during classes but if you like to use your own tools, you might wish to bring:
- Opening Tools --- Any of the following can be useful tools for opening a fold form:
- Straight burnisher
- old butter knife or any knife without a serrated edge
- old letter opener
- clam shucker
- folding bone
- hard plastic food "scraper" or spatula
- Old toothbrush (to make into a tool for opening folds) *If there is interest, instructor will demonstrate forging your own opening tool from a brass rod.
- Hammers such as:
- Planishing hammer
- Forging, raising, or forming hammers
- A bench block if you want to be sure to have a polished surface to work on
- paper, pencil, fine tipped permanent marker
- A Sharpie marker
- A couple pieces of stiff paper, such as a file folder
- Files
- Metal shears (Hand-held), such as Joyce Chen
- Close-toed shoes (safety in case of dropping something hot, sharp, or heavy)
- 1 or more clean "shop cloths", such as an old towel, (to save on paper towels, and to wrap up your work at the end of the workshop)
- Ear plugs
- Fabric, ribbon, etc for roll-printing (imprinting texture into metal using a rolling mill)
- Pliers, such as round nose, flat, Chain nose pliers & Half-round/flat combination pliers
- Apron
- Camera
- Sandpaper, Sanding sticks
- Favorite flex shaft tools, including rubber wheels and radial bristle discs
- Diamond saw(s) &/or carbide "cut-off" wheels, (mounted on flex-shaft mandrel)
Microfold Brakes
There will be microfold brakes available for students to share. If you have your own microfold brake, put your name on it prominently, and bring it to the workshop. If you would like to have the instructor purchase a microfold brake for you, please contact Metawerx so we can put together a group order before the workshop. Price is likely to be around $145 with shipping (payable to instructor at workshop).