- Please note: classes are subject to change or cancellation
- Our classes are limited to 9 students
- All tools and materials will be provided
NEW SCHEDULE! December 2011 through June 2012
Online registration is OPEN; follow the registration links below, or call the studio at
310-581-4844 to register.
Not available for a scheduled class? All of these techniques (and many more) can be explored through small group tutoring offered several times each week. Call the studio for more information.
Use the "register now" link to sign up online.
View Classes on a calendar (opens on a new page) Class descriptions follow list
| Class | Dates | Times | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction to Metalsmithing: Metals A |
Saturday-Sunday March 3 and 4 |
10:00 am to 5:00 pm | $290.00 plus 50.00 materials fee register now |
| Introduction to Metalsmithing: Metals B |
Saturday-Sunday January 21 and 22 |
10:00 am to 5:00 pm | $290.00 plus 50.00 materials fee register now |
| Introduction to Metalsmithing: Metals C |
Saturday-Sunday April 14 and 15 |
10:00 am to 5:00 pm | $290.00 plus 50.00 materials fee register now |
| Introduction to Metalsmithing: Metals D |
Saturday-Sunday May 26 and 27 |
10:00 am to 5:00 pm | $290.00 plus 50.00 materials fee register now |
| Precision Wax Carving for Precious Metal: Wax A |
Saturday-Sunday February 11 and 12 |
10:00 am to 5:00 pm | 290.00 plus 50.00 materials fee register now |
| Precision Wax Carving for Precious Metal: Wax B |
Saturday-Sunday June 16 and 17 |
10:00 am to 5:00 pm | 290.00 plus 50.00 materials fee register now |
| Precision Wax Carving for Precious Metal: Wax C |
Saturday-Sunday March 24 and 25 |
10:00 am to 5:00 pm | 290.00 plus 50.00 materials fee register now |
| Precision Wax Carving for Precious Metal: Wax D |
Saturday-Sunday May 5 and 6 |
10:00 am to 5:00 pm | 290.00 plus 50.00 materials fee register now |
| Easy Wax Designs for Precious Metal: Soft Wax A |
Sunday, January 29 |
10:00 am to 5:00 pm | 190.00 plus 50.00 materials fee register now |
| Easy Wax Designs for Precious Metal: Soft Wax B |
Sunday, February 26 | 10:00 am to 5:00 pm | 190.00 plus 50.00 materials fee register now |
| Easy Wax Designs for Precious Metal: Soft Wax C |
Sunday, March 18 | 10:00 am to 5:00 pm | 190.00 plus 50.00 materials fee register now |
| Creative Wirework |
Tuesday, December 13 or |
6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | 170.00 plus 25.00 materials fee register now |
| Riveting and Cold Connections: How To Connect Metal Without Soldering |
Riveting: Tuesday, June 12 |
6:00 pm to 10:00 on | 170.00 plus 25.00 materials fee register now |
| Cuffs and Textures |
Tuesday, December 6 or Tuesday, February 21 | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | 170.00 plus 50.00 materials fee register now |
| Precious Metal Clay: Introduction to PMC |
Tuesday, April 17 | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | 170.00 plus 50.00 materials fee (includes 28 gr. pmc) register now |
| Practical Gemology |
Saturday, April 28 | 10:00 am to 4:00 pm (1 hour break) | 175.00 register now |
| Stone Setting: Prong and Bezel |
Prong Setting (Faceted) Tuesday, May 15 Bezel Setting (Faceted) Tuesday, May 22 |
6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | 170.00 plus 25.00 materials fee register now |
| Stone Setting: Bead and Flush |
Flush Setting: Tuesday, March 13 Bead Setting: Tuesday, March 20 |
6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | 170.00 plus 25.00 materials fee register now |
| Charms | Tuesday, January 24 | 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm | 170.00 plus 25.00 materials fee (includes four castings) register now |
| Torch Enameling | Tuesday, April 24 |
6:00 pm to 10:00 pm |
170.00 plus 25.00 materials fee |
| Tutoring | ongoing 3 hour sessions | Wednesdays
2:00 pm to 5:00 pm |
Semi-private (2 people): 80.00 per hour Private (1 person): 100.00 per hour Please call 310-581-4844 to schedule |
| Semi-private and Private instruction |
Minumum 2 hour session | By appointment as available | Semi-private (2 people): 80.00 per hour Private (1 person): 100.00 per hour Please call 310-581-4844 to schedule |
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Introduction to Metalsmithing |
Pierce, solder, hammer, polish... the four class sections of this technique
based series will introduce you to all the basic concepts of working
in metal. Metals A will introduce you to piercing, sweat soldering, working with metals of different colors, various polishing techniques, and soldering a jump ring on to a pendant. Metals B features different projects using basic techniques, and includes making and embellishing a band, fabricating a series of "stackable" wire rings, and piercing a pair of "mirror image" earrings. Metals C focuses on bezel setting; projects include fabricating a bezel for a ring and a pendant, as well as exploring the use of pre manufactured bezels. Metals D offers an introduction to chain making, including a handmade clasp. Students will create a charm bracelet with pierced and stamped charms. The classes are designed to be completely independent and require no prior experience; students may take sections in any order, and are free to repeat the classes that are of particular interest to them at a discounted price. |
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Introduction to Wax Carving |
Did you know that most of the jewelry that you see started out as a
piece of wax? Lost
wax casting utilizes special jeweler’s waxes
to create a design, which can then be cast into gold, silver, or platinum.
From the first metal piece, a mold can be made to reproduce a few or
a few hundred more. We offer four sections of wax carving classes,
each one suitable for beginners; students should feel free to start
with any section. Wax A teaches basic techniques used to pierce, shape, and hollow, and includes a “stack” ring project carved from round wax tube. Students will also be introduced to using a wax pen for "build up" techniques. Wax B introduces a layered pendant and mirror image earrings, with the focus on build up and hollowing. Wax C explores the use of D shaped wax tube to create a "D-Blank", which will be continued to other ring designs. Students will also experiment with engraving and texturing techniques using cold carvers and the wax pen. Wax D will take students from a pre-made D-Blank to a gypsy ring for a faceted stone. This class does not include creating the actual D-Blank, which is covered in Wax C. Classes are completely independent and may be taken in any order; many students choose to repeat the sections that are of particular interest in their work. (This class does not include casting) |
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Soft Wax Workshop (six hours) |
Would you like to make “instant” jewelry? Then the incredibly
user friendly soft wax is for you. These workshops start with an
introduction to soft sculpting wax in it’s various forms, where
students create a pendant or ring using simple tools and techniques.
We continue the day exploring more complex applications: Soft Wax A includes a sculpted wax pendant and faceted stone ring. Soft Wax B includes a flat wax pendant and a cabochon stone ring. Soft Wax C includes a cap for a stone or crystal and a wax wire ring. The class fee includes having 2 of your pieces lost wax cast into sterling silver, pre-polished, and having one stone set for you. Alternatively, students may choose to learn to polish the piece and set the stone themselves in three hour tutoring sessions. (Pieces may be cast in gold or platinum for an additional charge.) A two hour version of this class is available for those looking to just "get their feet wet" in these techniques. The short class features an intro to the materials and the creation of a simple pendant design, which will be cast into sterling silver. |
Cold Connections |
We love playing with fire. But we also realize that not everyone can or should be lighting up a torch in their home or studio. Or maybe you found that perfect color of plexiglass and you're just dying to make it into jewelry. There's a whole host of scenarios where you need to connect two pieces and you need an answer that won't toast your components; join us for a class that explores "cold connections" and promises to be truly riveting!
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Torch Enameling |
Yeah, we know. EVERYONE wants to learn enameling. That is, until they actually LEARN enameling and how many hours in front of a hot kiln it takes to create that masterpiece.
Peter's solution? Hit it with a torch and see what happens. Torch enameling has it's limitations, but also offers a fast, fun way to incorporate this ancient art into your pieces. If your creativity is greater than your attention span, this class is for you!
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Cuff Bracelets and Textures | How many times have we heard it? "I saw this great gold cuff at Barney's and it was a kajillion dollars." There are good reasons for that...but it doesn't mean you have to sell the farm to get one. This class will introduce you to the basics of creating a cuff bracelet and utilizing a variety of metal textures to make it really interesting. Where you go from there is totally up to you... |
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| Charms | This fun evening workshop uses wax techniques to create a variety of
small charms, limited only by your imagination. Use these to start a line,
create a special gift, or jazz up your beaded designs. The class fee includes
casting 4 of your designs in sterling silver.
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| Stone Setting Workshops: |
Stone setting is an art unto itself, one that experts spend years of their
lives perfecting. But if you're willing to practice, these introductory
workshops will have you well on your way to setting a variety of accent
stones in your own designs. |
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Precious Metal Clay |
Introduction to PMC
PMC is a space age compound of organic binders infused with particles of pure silver, that fuses into solid metal when fired in a kiln. This workshop will cover basic techniques of working with the clay, a sculpy “practice session” to formulate a design, and creating a variety of pieces from the 28 grams of PMC provided. Students will have a chance to participate in firing at least one of their pieces, as well as learn techniques for incorporating a small faceted stone. PMC for Enamel Because Precious Metal Clay fires to 99.9% pure silver, it is especially well suited to creating designs for glass enameling. PMC for Enamel is a special version of our introductory class; students will learn basic techniques, as well as have the option to explore ideas for designs that are particularly suited to the enameling process. |
| Polishing, Finishing, and Textures | This 4 hour workshop teaches all the steps to take a raw casting or
fabrication to a professional finish. Techniques include removing sprues,
filing and sanding, hammer and satin finishes, antiquing, and more.
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| Practical Gemology | Everyone knows that gemstones add beauty and value to your creations. But how do
you know what questions to ask when purchasing stones or beads? This informative
one day seminar will walk you through the basic factors that can help you determine
which gems are best suited to your designs and your budget. Students will have the
opportunity to examine a variety of beautiful stones using both a microscope and a 10X
loupe. Topics will include rarity, quality, durability, and common treatments, as well as
the 4 C's (Color, Clarity, Cut, and Carat Weight) of both diamonds and colored stones.
You won't leave a gemologist, but we promise you will be more comfortable with your
future design and purchasing decisions.
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Creative Wirework | Ready to bring your beaded jewelry to the next level?
This workshop offers fast, simple steps to professional wire wrapping,
earring designs, making your own ear wires, and a streamlined technique
for one of today's hottest items- chandelier earrings.
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