Art clay silver settings for dichroic glass

I have had a lovely day today teaching Amanda ways of creating fine silver settings for her beautiful pieces of fused dichroic glass. She brought along three pieces of fused glass and we first discussed different styles and possible methods of setting each piece, looking at some of my own examples including some pieces of beach glass I had set in different styles.

Here are her three pieces. We began by creating a clay snake for wrapping around the corners of a largish piece of glass, drying it and attaching a simple bail. For the small piece of glass she created a small round bezel and a textured panel – making her own texture sheet first using a bit of polystyrene sheet. Once the pieces were dry she made a bail and attached it overlapping the edge of the textured sheet. These two pieces were dried thoroughly then fired in a small electric kiln following a low firing schedule suitable for the glass, including a slow cooling in the kiln.

While these pieces were being fired Amanda created the other setting, this time embedding fine silver loops in a clay back plate, allowing a bit of extra space for shrinkage during firing. Again a bail was added, the edges refined and dried and this was fired at 800 C in another kiln. Because this piece could be removed from the hot kiln at the end of the firing schedule it was the piece that was finished first. I a happy to say Amanda was very pleased with her first experience of art clay silver and I look forward to seeing what she produces next.

I still have a few dates available for one-to-one classes later in August and in the second half of September and can offer all kinds of different classes, customised to suit your interests. These include enamelling on copper at introductory and more advanced levels, introduction to cloisonné enamel on silver, enamelling on silver clay, making hollow beads in silver clay and ring making. Please email me for more information or to make a booking.

There are also places still available on the following workshops

Saturday 18th August 2012 Introduction to Art Clay Silver £145
Saturday 22nd September 2012 Introduction to Art Clay Silver £145
Saturday 29th September 2012 – Rings in Art Clay Silver at ArtisOn, Masham

Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st October 2012 Cloisonne enamel on art clay silver £350
A two day workshop. On the first day you will design and make a silver pendant, learning about design for enamel. On the second day you will prepare and apply wire patterns followed by thin layers of enamel, firing each layer in turn. You will then learn methods for finishing the piece to a high standard. The course includes small amounts of enamel, enough to complete the project.

Saturday 27th October 2012 Introduction to Art Clay Silver £145

Thursday 8th and Friday 9th November 2012 – two day workshop. Glass and art clay silver combination beads with Lynne Glazzard £360. On the first day you will learn to apply a variety of art clay silver products to the surface of glass beads before firing and annealing them in the kiln. On day two you will make some art clay silver beads to complement the glass beads before finishing them all to a high standard. Some glass beads are included in the course fee but not the art clay silver. A detailed materials list will be supplied in advance but you will need approximately 20g Art Clay 650; 10g Syringe type, Art Clay Silver Overlay paste

Other dates by arrangement. Booking essential

My studio is based in the beautiful village of Glaisdale on the North Yorkshire Moors, approximately 12 miles inland from Whitby. I can recommend B&B accommodation locally if you wish to take two or more classes or extend your stay and enjoy the area.

I am just beginning to put together a schedule for the Spring and have lots of exciting ideas so please check back regularly. Places for each class are limited and early booking essential.