Amazing class with Anna Mazon

I have just had the most wonderful weekend hosting a class run by the very talented and inspiring teacher Anna Mazon. It was my first experience of inviting a guest tutor from overseas and her first experience of teaching in the UK. I was a bit nervous and really wanted it to be a great experience for everyone.

On the Saturday, after brief introductions Anna explained some of her processes. The aim of the workshop was to learn to make a pendant with a raised box setting for a cabochon stone and tiny delicate vines, leaves and floral decorations. She brought with her some wonderful samples of her work to inspire the group. In the first photo the group are on the early stages of their designs.

Here Anna is demonstrating steps in the construction process using a large scale cardboard model she had made, which was very easy to follow.

In the background to this picture are Lesley Messam and Tilly Wilkinson both of whom are talented teachers and regularly run workshops themselves. (They will each be running classes here in my studio later in the year – for more information see my website )

This is the beginning of Chu-mei’s pendant followed by a photo of the early stages of Anna Cambell’s

At the end of the first day they had all completed the basic structure and open work, ready for the addition of tiny details on the Sunday.

This one is Joy Funnell’s . (Joy will also be running a workshop here making her colourful carnival masks in June. There are a couple of places still available see my website for more information or to find the link for booking enquiries).

After a day of concentration we all went into Whitby to the Magpie Cafe so the visitors could sample some of the local fare.

The second day began with Anna demonstrating techniques for creating tiny little leaves, flowers and berries. Then everyone had to work on their little decorations before a late lunch break while the pieces were fired in the kiln.

Anna sell tutorials for projects that that cover some of these processes in her etsy shop

Here are all the pieces ready to go into the kiln.
After lunch Anna demonstrated bezel making techniques and here she is helping Jackie Sisson to solder her bezel into place.

(Sorry this one is slightly out of focus!)
Once the bezels were all soldered on Anna showed us how to refine the bezel and set the stone

clockwise these are by Joy, Jackie, Pam, Pauline and one by Anna that she made to demonstrate each step.

Then finished, these are by Tilly (above),

Joy (above, can you see her little bird hiding there?) and Anna Campbell (below)

Hopefully Lesley will post a photo on her own blog when she finishes her piece (it was fired but she wanted to polish it more before she set her stones).

They were all beautiful! I am thrilled with the outcome and hope everyone enjoyed it as much as I did. I learned such a lot, great techniques and tips (I only made a tiny bit of mine as I was really concentrating on hosting and looking after the smooth running of the workshop), but I am planning to work on it later this week. I have to say a huge thanks to Anna for coming over to teach here; thanks to everyone who came and made it so enjoyable and thanks to my partner Jonathan (for constant encouragement, collecting and transporting people around & cooking); to Tilly’s husband David Cowling (also ferrying people around, cooking and preparing lunches and to Lesley’s husband Keith Messam (more ferrying, shopping trips for more food, helping prepare lunches, encouraging us all and making endless cups of tea – couldn’t have managed any of this without you all!