Virtual Courses

In this technique based class students will learn all things rivets, from how to use materials such as wire and tubing (to create secure cold connections) to hidden, telescoped, and decorative rivets. Melissa will demonstrate and showcase many pieces that will spark the imagination on how to use rivets in creative ways!

EXPLORE, CREATE, AND INNOVATE by learning how to harness the design and form possibilities of the hydraulic press - a great tool for making both one-of-a-kind pieces and multiples. We will begin with an overview of hydraulic press basics, safety, and care. In addition, embossing dies and urethanes will be covered, followed by silhouette dies and their variations, as well as demonstrations on numerous other dydraulic press tools such as Bonny Doon Delrin Anticlastic Forming Kit, the steel BD Synclastic and Anticlastic Bracelet Forming Kits, and much more!

This virtual course offers participants the chance to learn lapidary techniques for carving stones from the comfort of their own studio bench! No large lapidary equipment required! Students will be shown numerous diamond bits to achieve a variety of designs and textures, as well as how to polish those carvings. Ryan will also cover the process for creating laminations and gold inlay designs in stones!

Add color and style to your jewelry repertoire with resin inlay! This live, virtual workshops will cover every step of the resin inlay process, from making your colors and inlaying them to curing and finishing your work.

In this virtual course, students will learn how to fabricate their own prong settings using a dual-gas torch and how to then prong-set their stones appropriately. Strong emphasis will be placed on torch temperature control, as well as flame placement. Students can expect to gain knowledge, strategies, and confidence to make both calibrated and free-form prong settings. 

Learn how to entrap stones and other small objects using fundamental wire wrapping techniques, pliers, and your hand skills in this live virtual course. Students will enhance their understanding of wire and its potential to accentuate jewelry work through layers of cascading texture.

This virtual course is a direct follow-up to Set It & Forget It: Part 1. In this class, students will build off of the knowledge and techniques learned in the first workshop while taking steps forward into more complicated settings. Emphasis will be placed on settings for faceted stones. We will cover tube and prong settings, as well as variations of both of these that add a unique touch to your work. 

In this virtual course students will use forging and chasing techniques to develop complex, sculptural, and functional utensils, while learning how to develop patterns for forging, make their own chisels, and interweave silversmithing and blacksmithing processes.

Beginning with a brief look at the material wire, its role in history, how it has been made, and its application as a 3-dimentional line, this virtual workshop will demonstrate lots of techniques as well as highlight working methods based on Slovakian Tinkering.

In this virtual course students will start their journey at the very beginning of the enameling process and will work through several exercise to build a solid foundation for this beloved metalsmithing technique that enhances the beauty a piece of jewelry through color!

This virtual workshop teaches the Hoodoo Hex weave and the related Dragog weave, also known as Japanese Hoodoo, through the construction of a bracelet and a pair of chain earrings in sterling silver.

In virtual workshop, students will learn industry level tips, tricks, and techniques for producing numerous finishes on the surface of metal. The flawless mirror finish seen in commercial jewelry and the matte brushed finish popular with many art jewelers are just the tip of the iceberg! 

This virtual course will delve into the inherent potential of the jeweler's saw frame. Students will begin by learning the fundamentals of using this indispensable tool, from blade selection and tension to grip, bench pin options, body positioning, angle, pressure, and more. After covering the basics, the class will shift gears as Erica demonstrates two different project options - tab setting a cabochon, coin, or found object (two ways) and slot connections with built-in tab/prong setting for cabochon or faceted stones.

This virtual workshop explores some of the many techniques the instructor has discovered using liquid polymer clays. Class will begin with the basics such as mixing colors, using raw versus baked clay, and tools for application, before moving on to exploring some of the super powers of liquid polymer, including techniques for creating backgrounds, using stencils/masks, exploring mark making, and playing with sgraffito.

In this virtual workshop students will focus on a variety of different ways that texture can be created both on the surface of metal and in a 3D format, by manifesting dynamic hand tools with easy, straightforward applications. Course objectives will cover traditional and less common styles of tools used by artisans for generations. Additional focus will be placed on the value of form and design in order to develop unique, specialized tools that enhance, embellish, and personalize your jewelry work. 

Explore synclastic forming, anticlastic forming, and spiculums, while learning to hammer comfortably and with control. In this live, virtual course, students will create concave and convex curves to transform a flat piece of metal into elegant fluidity through domed synclasts, saddle-like anticlasts, and tapered tube spiculums.