metalclaynorth

Amazing rings in art clay silver

May 26, 2012 4 Comments

I have had a brilliant day teaching ring making in silver clay at ArtisOn near Masham in North Yorkschire. I had a group of ten students, some of whom had done some metal clay jewellery making and others who were absolute beginners. I gave them a quick introduction and showed them a variety of rings I had made using Art Clay Silver. I talked about the principles of sizing and shrinkage before getting them each to measure their chosen finger and set up a small wooden mandrel with paper ready for the start of their silver clay ring. They each chose a texture plate and began by making a strip of textured clay and putting it onto the mandrel, trimming back and joining the edges. While the ring bands were drying we discussed options for the decorative tops. After another couple of quick demonstrations they started their chosen decoration. They then worked a bit more on the main ring bands, reinforcing the join and refining the inside and edges.

I then did a quick demonstration of one technique for creating a setting for a fireable stone and some of the group selected stones and made their settings. All the various elements were joined together before lunch and most made it into the kiln – three were not quite ready for firing so they were left drying while we all sat down to a delicious lunch. I had been warned in advance that the lunches here are quite special and they definitely are!

After lunch the remaining three rings were popped into another kiln and the fired ones taken out to cool. Some of the students had a bit of clay left over and did simple rolled out textures to make pendants. After a lot of brushing and polishing the group had the option to oxidise their work using liver of sulphur – they went outside to do this while the rest carried on with a bit more polishing and burnishing.

The results of the day are here to speak for themselves – Katy had to leave slightly early so her’s is the ring photographed on its own. I am thrilled to have been part of this adventure in silver clay ring making and to see all the pleasure and sense of achievement at the end of this busy day.

Filed under art clay silver, Art Clay Silver Courses, Jewellery, jewellery making class, Making rings in silver, Metal clay, Metal clay classes in Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, PMC, Silver clay classes, silver clay rings, workshops, Workshops in North Yorkshire Tagged with Art clay silver rings, jewellery classes in silverYorkshire, making silver rings, metal clay classes, metal clay rings, Silver rings

Rings and things

May 25, 2012 Leave a comment

Today I have been finishing off samples for a ring making class tomorrow. These beautiful silver rings are made using art clay silver. Two of them include pearls, one set within a hollow form. The other has a laboratory created gemstone which can be set into the metal clay and fired into place during the sintering process in the kiln.

If you would like to learn to make your own unique silver ring then please see my class schedule or email me for more information or to book your place.

I will be adding some enamel to the centre ring with the set stone, but it won’t be until after tomorrow’s class.

Filed under art clay silver, Art Clay Silver Courses, workshops, Workshops in North Yorkshire, Enamelling classes, Paper textures, North Yorkshire, Silver clay classes, jewellery making class, Jewellery, Metal clay classes in Yorkshire, Hollow beads in metal clay, PMC, Metal clay, Sterling silver, Silver and enamel jewellery Tagged with art clay silver classes, jewellery making class, pearl rings, ring making classes in Yorkshire, silver jewellery, Silver rings

Pretty locket

May 19, 2012 2 Comments

The reason I have been a bit quiet this week is I have had a bit of a treat. I have attended a three day class with the wonderful Terry Kovalcik learning something of his techniques for making tiny hinges and also for decorating using silver paste.

Here is my lovely silver locket, not quite finished yet but I am thrilled with the things I have learned. Of course I now need to set aside some time to practice this. Sometimes you meet people or take a class just at the right moment and this is definitely one of those. I have lots of ideas in my sketchbooks and I feel this class gives me a little push in the direction I wanted. Thank you to Terry for his quiet and thoughtful manner as well as for sharing his techniques.

I am now having a few fun days out with my talented friend Lesley Messam and her husband Keith. We have had a few short trips out, visited Gillies Jones Glass and Alan Davis Stained Glass and we have had a bit of studio play time. Today we will probably pop over to the Moors Centre at Danby – I just wish the sun would shine and then it would be perfect!

Filed under art clay silver, Art Clay Silver Courses, Hollow beads in metal clay, jewellery making class, Metal clay, Metal clay classes in Yorkshire, Silver clay classes, Sterling silver, workshops Tagged with hinged locket, learning to make hinges and clasps, locket, PMC, Terry Kovalcik

Hearts and a lovely day at the Castle Museum

May 12, 2012 2 Comments

I have had a lovely day at the Castle Museum in York teaching art clay silver jewellery making to a small group (five). After a brief description of our aims for the day – to make a silver keepsake pendant, I took the group down to Kirkgate, a street created within the museum which has a variety of Victorian shops. We spent a bit of time looking at the jewellery in one of the shop windows and talking about ideas of sentimental jewellery. There are some lovely examples of cameos and name brooches but I wanted the group to focus on a pretty little gold open work heart shaped pendant. Because the museum light levels are fairly low to protect the objects in other displays and the pendant it was quite a way back in the window I couldn’t get a good photo of it. Having had a good look at the examples we went back up to the meeting room and I showed them the sample I had made and talked a bit about the art clay silver products and production. I then did a demonstration of the first steps for rolling out, creating the textures and forming the main heart shape.

This is based upon a project published by the Artist Alcina Nolley some time ago and adapted slightly by me to fit into this theme of creating a sentimental keepsake. After rolling out and trimming a textured strip it is wrapped twice over a plastic straw. We had to add a little moisture to the surface of the strips – it was really warm in York today! The ends were joined with a little paste and gentle pressure and trimmed, keeping the clay trimmings safely in a bit of plastic film. The shape was tweaked slightly while the metal clay was still soft.

Then the main pieces were put to dry while the students re-conditioned the trimmings and made another small piece. At this point some of them chose to set a small fireable stone. This little piece was also put to dry. By using the trimmings to make this little additional shape the project uses a complete 7g pack of art clay silver. After refining the edges of the pieces using ‘baby wipes’ (which avoids the need to sand and having to supply students with dust masks and makes it easier when away from my own studio) the pieces were joined using a little of the paste, dried fully and fired in my kiln.

After firing and cooling the students polished and burnished their pieces before threading them onto chains. They can be threaded through one loop so that they hang asymmetrically or, as all the group chose, by threading the chain through both loops so that the heart hangs level.

I can safely say they were all delighted with their little treasures and one of the class said it would be a perfect birthday present for her sister!

Thanks to them and to the staff and volunteers at the Castle Museum, York for making this possible and to Alcina Nolley for sharing her original idea on which this project is based.

Filed under art clay silver, Art Clay Silver Courses, Jewellery, jewellery making class, Metal clay, Metal clay classes in Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, Silver clay classes, workshops, Workshops in North Yorkshire Tagged with Art clay Silver jewellery, Castle Museum York, Introduction to art clay silver, metal clay class, Sentimental jewellery, Yorkshire

Have kiln, will travel

May 11, 2012 2 Comments

Tomorrow I am teaching an introductory class in metal clay at the Castle Museum in York. I have spent part of this afternoon checking my list of tools and equipment and packing them ready for the trip. Art clay silver really lends itself to teaching in other venues as all the necessary tools pack into quite a small volume.

This will really be a taster session and the participants will make a pretty little keepsake pendant inspired by Victorian sentimental jewellery in the museum collection. I will take them to look at some examples on display before showing them how to make their own piece of unique jewellery using silver clay. We are going to make little heart designs and I am really looking forward to the day. The museum has an amazing collection of inspiring objects and it is always enjoyable being involved in their events.

I particularly like this little moth brooch on display in one of the Kirkgate ‘shop’ windows.

Filed under art clay silver, Art Clay Silver Courses, Jewellery, jewellery making class, Metal clay, Metal clay classes in Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, Silver clay classes, workshops, Workshops in North Yorkshire Tagged with Castle Museum, Introduction to art clay silver, jewellery classes in York, metal clay classes, teaching in Yorkshire

New classes, new dates

April 28, 2012 Leave a comment

A few more dates for workshops and courses this summer

Saturday 5th May 2012 Enamelling £140
Wednesday 9th May 2012 Enamelling on art clay silver £140
Thursday 10th May 2012 Enamelling £140

Tuesday 29th May to Friday 1st June 2012 Colour and metal clay £540
(or £140 for individual days)
Four days designing and making colourful jewellery including adding patina,
coloured pencil, resin and an introduction to enamel

Saturday 2nd June 2012 Introduction to Art clay silver £145
**Stop Press
**Saturday and Sunday 7th and 8th July 2012 Special Two Day Enamelling workshop with Guest Tutor Tilly Wilkinson – While the Guild of Enamellers Exhibition is on at the Pannett Art Gallery in Whitby

Images into enamel with Tilly Wilkinson

Enamelling on copper and steel using riso screens. Learn how to make your own silk screens to produce a range of images, either from existing illustrations/ photographs or from your own drawings. Produce colourful and beautiful wall panels from these images on either copper or steel. Suitable for those who are new to enamelling or those with some enamelling experience. A range of ready made screens will also be available for you to use. There will be a charge for copper and steel used during the course. The maximum size of copper or steel will be 100mm x 100mm, smaller pieces will be available. Riso screen material will be charged at £3.50 per A4 sheet. Enamels and equipment are included in the course fee.
Course fee £150 per person for the weekend

21st July 2012 Introduction to Enamelling in the round – Embellish silver beads £170
28th and 29th July 2012 Plique a jour enamel with art clay silver £340 two day course

For more classes, details, terms and conditions and booking please visit

Filed under Art clay certification courses, art clay silver, Art Clay Silver Courses, Enamel silver jewellery, Enamelling classes, Hollow beads in metal clay, jewellery making class, Learn to enamel, Metal clay, Metal clay classes in Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, Silver and enamel jewellery, Silver beads, Silver clay classes, Sterling silver clay, Workshops in North Yorkshire Tagged with art clay silver, jewellery making classes in Yorkshire, make silver jewellery, Metal clay

Rings and pearls

April 27, 2012 2 Comments

I have had another lovely day in the studio teaching Amy, today making rings in art clay silver. We have gone through the processes for making a textured silver band, learning how to make it the correct size allowing for the shrinkage of the silver during the firing process. While the ring band was drying we made shapes for the top of the ring, curved and with a silver pin to attach a half-drilled pearl onto.

After firing them in the small electric kiln we polished and patinated them before adjusting the length of the little pin and adding the pearl. We ended the day with a lovely ring each – although we each preferred the one the other had made! Thanks again to Amy, it was lovely teaching this one-to-one workshop and I hope she goes on to enjoy her adventures in metal clay.

If you would like to learn how to make your own silver jewellery then please see my class schedule or email me and let me know what you would like to try.

Filed under art clay silver, Art Clay Silver Courses, Jewellery, jewellery making class, Metal clay, Metal clay classes in Yorkshire, Silver and enamel jewellery, Silver clay classes, Sterling silver clay, workshops, Workshops in North Yorkshire Tagged with learn to make a silver ring, pearl rings, Silver clay rings, silver jewellery

Teaching and learning

April 25, 2012 Leave a comment

I have had a lovely day teaching Amy, in a one-to-one class in art clay silver. She had read a bit about the metal clay in advance and a friend had bought her a book as a present so she came with quite a few ideas. One to one classes do mean much more flexibility for the student to create their own projects and here you can see the first pieces she has made.

The butterfly pendant with its delicate pattern is made using one of her favourite stamps. The oval pendant has a stone set and fired in place and Amy drew her own design into styrofoam sheet (see Wanaree Tanner’s blog for instructions) to make her own little texture plate to roll the clay over. I love this technique and quite often use it now to produce designs for enamelling into (so thanks to Wanaree for sharing this).

Amy then said that she would like to make a pair of cuff links for her father’s birthday, with his initials on them. I had some cuff link backs in stock so just had to have a quick think about how she should construct these while Amy made a drawing of her design for the lettering onto baking parchment so that she could trace them in reverse. She created a little styrofoam texture plate for each of these including a raised border. After firing, polishing and burnishing she had to learn to make silver rivets to firmly attach the findings. I am not particularly keen on making rivets myself (am sometimes a bit heavy handed) but do understand the principles well enough to be able to teach it and Amy made an extremely good job of this, quite an advanced technique for someone who was completely new to silver work.

Well done Amy and thank you for a very enjoyable day!

Here the cuff links are shown resting on a couple of acrylic ring stands to prop them up so I could photograph the lettering.

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Tree frog pendant

April 15, 2012 3 Comments

My Tree Frog Pendant is enamel on art clay silver. The beauty of using fine silver clay is that I am able to create three dimensional pieces of work and add vivid vitreous enamels, creating unique silver enamelled jewellery.

Here are three views of my finished pendant. On one side it has deep cells and cloisonné enamel and on the other it has vivid colours added into the textured cells of leaves. In between the two layers are my tiny silver frog, now oxidised and also three bright green enamelled leaves. This pendant has been created with partly hidden layers of interest and this is a theme I need to explore in future work. In the meantime I intend to relax for a couple of days to make up for my exciting but exhausting weekend away at the Guild of Enamellers annual conference.

If you would like to learn how to create your own unique jewellery then please see my class schedule or email me

Filed under art clay silver, Art Clay Silver Courses, Enamel jewellery, Enamel silver jewellery, Enamelling, Enamelling classes, jewellery making class, Learn to enamel, Metal clay classes in Yorkshire, North Yorkshire, Silver and enamel jewellery, Silver clay classes, workshops, Workshops in North Yorkshire Tagged with enamel Jewellery, enamel silver jewellery, enamel silver pendant, frog jewellery

Frog and leaves

April 11, 2012 1 Comment

I have done a bit more work on my pendant today. It has been enamelled, stoned back, re-fired and partly polished. I think that I am going to oxidise it, partly because I want to create more contrast between the inside and outside surfaces and also to enhance the detail on this tiny frog.

I have been doing little bits of work on it while June has been busy enamelling at the other end of the studio. She has been experimenting with enamel on steel and learning to apply wet process enamel to copper, cleaning and dipping her shapes before drying and firing them in the kiln. I think she has had a good day, learning quite a few different techniques that will hopefully help her to develop her project.

Here is one of her little pieces of enamel on copper with the pattern drawn into the unfired enamel using the scraffito technique and then fired, leaving this delicate outline of exposed and oxidised copper.

Tomorrow I will be packing ready to set off to the Guild of Enamellers annual conference. This year it is being held at Reaseheath College in Cheshire and I am looking forward to meeting up with lots of old friends and maybe even making a few new ones.

Filed under art clay silver, Art Clay Silver Courses, Enamel jewellery, Enamel silver jewellery, Enamelling classes, jewellery making class, Learn to enamel, Metal clay classes in Yorkshire, Silver and enamel jewellery, Silver clay classes, Workshops in North Yorkshire Tagged with cloisonné enamel, enamel Jewellery, enamel pendant, frog pendant, Learn to enamel, silver jewellery making

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