Having completed my Higher diploma in Art Clay Silver, I am pleased to launch a list of silver jewellery workshops and courses I can now offer so you can have a go at making your own beautiful pieces of silver.
All courses are taught in my fully equipped studio in the Staffordshire countryside, and include enough materials to make the prescribed pieces, the teaching, use of all equipment and tea and biscuits. For the full day silver jewellery workshops, you will need to bring some lunch with you, or there are a few local shops where you will be able to purchase some supplies on the day.
We have a list of planned silver jewellery workshops for a maximum of 6 people, but if you would like to have a special day tailored exactly to what you would like to make, please contact me
Planned silver jewellery workshops .
Setting Stones in Silver clay – full day
This full day course will teach you stone setting fireable stones into silver clay.
Make a beautiful piece of jewellery with fireable stones in.
During this course you will learn how to set fireable stones in 4 different ways on your pieces. The course is suitable for beginners so you will also learn how to design a piece, using a template to shape your piece, texturing, adding a shaped bail and many more techniques.
This is a great course to learn how to manipulate the clay and includes use of 3 types of clay – the lump clay, the syringe and the paste.
Once your piece is designed and made, we will fire the piece then burnish and finish it off so you go home with a fully finished 99.9% silver piece.
Locket style bead pendant course
During this course you will make a fixed locket style 3D pendant. This locket doesn’t open, but has a little window on the front so you can put a decoration inside that will peep through the opening in the front of the pendant.
During this course you will learn to manipulate the clay, cut shapes, add texture, mould the clay to a 3D shape, make a little mould and use that mould to add accents.
You will then learn to file and sand the clay to get the best finish on your piece, then how to put it together and fire it.
You will also learn how to make a round bail for the top of your piece to thread your chain through.
You will then have the piece fired, and then learn about burnishing and finishing your piece. If time allows on the day, I will show you how to add oxidation to your piece to add a little colour and bring out the details
Half day course to make stunning silver jewellery from a real leaf. No experience necessary. Techniques taught – painting silver clay paste onto leaf, sanding piece and preparing for firing. Firing the piece, burnishing piece, adding antiquing colour to piece, polishing piece, adding chain.
Introduction to Silver Clay workshop – 3 hours
Half day introduction into how to use the silver clay, come away with at least 2 pieces of silver clay. No experience necessary.
Techniques taught – handling the clay, rolling out, texturing and cutting; making moulds and using the mould to create pieces to add in, combining separate pieces into 1 piece; sanding and preparing for firing, firing the piece; burnishing the piece, adding antiquing colour to piece, adding chain and earring wires
Beginners 2-day silver clay course – 6 hours per day
2-day course combining all the techniques you need to use all 3 types of the silver clay. No experience necessary
Techniques taught – as above in silver leaf course and introduction to silver clay workshop, plus making a hollow form using a syringe and setting a fireable stone.
Basic Silversmithing course – 3 hours
Half day course to make a ring from sterling silver wire. No experience necessary
Techniques taught – Measuring and allowing for curvature, sawing to size, bending ring, annealing silver, soldering the ring, pickling and polishing. Adding texture if required.
More advanced courses, an introduction to silver clay course is required before attempting these
Basic silver clay ring course – 5 hours
Full day course making a basic flat silver clay ring with some decoration – a little experience would be an advantage
Techniques taught – sizing the ring and allowing for shrinkage; how to create a seamless join; adding some decoration, can include addition of a glass stone; preparing the ring for firing; firing the ring; polishing and finishing the inside to a high polish; adding antiquing colour where required
Art Clay Silver Diploma Level 1 course – £500 – 6 hours per day
3 day course going through the level 1 Art Clay silver diploma course syllabus – need some experience working with clay, I recommend either the introduction or beginners courses or equivalent. Once the three days are completed, I am accredited to assess the finished pieces and award the level 1 diploma where standards are high enough to pass*.
Art Clay Silver Diploma level 2 course – £505 – 6 hours per day
Please contact me to arrange a suitable date.
3 day course going through the level 2 Art Clay silver diploma course syllabus – completion of the level 1 course is required. Once the three days have been completed, I am accredited to assess the finished pieces and award the level 2 diploma where standards are high enough to pass*.
*photos of the finished pieces and marks will be submitted to the central diploma awarding body, who will ensure consistency and award the certificates. The body may request I send off Student’s pieces to quality check the level of my marking.
Notes:
Most courses are available as gift vouchers, just click on the ‘Gift Voucher’ option on each page. I will send you a voucher in a presentation wallet personalised to your gift recipient.
All prices are per delegate and include all materials required to make the specified pieces for the courses. More materials may be available to be purchased on the day if you require a larger piece or want to make extra. Please discuss with me beforehand so I can make sure we have what you require.
Prices and dates may change without warning. Prebooked courses and vouchers will be honoured at price paid at time of purchase.
A suggested design will be given at the beginning of each course, but there is plenty of space for you to design your own pieces. If there is something special you would like to make, please discuss with me beforehand to make sure it is within the course limits and feasible.