Course description: In this informal class you will learn to design and make jewelry using the lost wax casting method. Joni will help you take your design and teach you to carve your model in wax. Then you will be guided through how to make a mold. Then, replicate your model in sterling silver or ancient bronze using centrifugal casting. Students will be guided step by step in the process in order to make unique pieces of jewelry. Upon request the instructor will also cover vacuum casting and making rubber molds of your finished piece so you will have production options for making multiples.

Materials: Students should bring and a dust mask rated P100 or N95 (or purchase at the studio). Students who want to cast in silver should bring sterling casting grain or scrap. Ancient bronze casting grain is included.

Prerequisite: Beginning jewelry or equivalent. Students should know how to saw, solder, file and polish metal.

Course description: There's a reason the flexible shaft drill is indispensable in the jeweler's arsenal of tools. It can be used to sand, polish, drill, hammer, texture, make jump rings, twist wire, set stones, carve wax and much, much more! Not sure what you can do with all those attachments? Jennifer will show you all the time saving tricks the flex shaft can offer in the way of stone setting, sanding, and polishing, including how to achieve different finishes from matte to high shine. Jennifer will show you all the mysteries of the flex shaft and how to make it work for you! Learn all about the maintenance requirements of your new baby, and a wide range of uses that will make it the number one tool in your studio! Jennifer will also discuss options, accessories, different handpieces as well as compare and contrast the different flex shaft brands and similar tools. 

Materials: Bring in your unfinished polishing projects and questions. Optional: bring any attachments you have questions about.

Prerequisites: Beginning jewelry or equivalent

Course description: Learn how to create settings for flat backed objects and cabochon cut stones. Bezel setting is also perfect for setting beach glass, coins, buttons, almost anything!  In this class we will cover selecting appropriate bezel wire, silver soldering, fitting irregular and freeform objects, making a ring band or pendant bail, polishing and stone setting.

Materials: Bring a stone or object to set or purchase one from our assortment. Students should bring $10-$20 to cover the cost of silver.

Prerequisite: No experience necessary!

Course description: Learn the basics skills needed to create jewelry of your own design. We will use a jeweler's saw, rolling mill, hammers and mallets, and torches to cut, texture, shape, and solder metal sheet and wire into unique jewelry pieces. Possible projects include things like cuff bracelets, textured earrings, and a ring or pendant with a bezel-set cabochon stone.

Materials: Copper and brass included. Students may buy silver and stones from instructor for ring project, or bring their own.

Prerequisite: None

Course description: Roughly translated as honey (mitsu) wax (ro) drawing (hiki) texture (me). Of Japanese origin, mitsuro-hikime is a pliable sculpting wax which behaves like taffy and develops a unique linear pattern. A pioneer in the rediscovery of this method, Susan will show you tricks and tips on how to best work with this wax to develop the texture and form it into uniquely fluid forms. Most effective in simple designs, mitsuro-hikime will bend, and curl, giving fantastic surface detail and a wonderful fluid quality. Susan will demonstrate spruing methods and share her recommendations for casting. You will also learn Susan's formula for mitsuro-hikime and participate in making a batch of the wax during the class.

Students will be able to design pieces in the wax during class and take some wax home to continue working with. These waxes can then be transformed into silver, bronze or gold jewelry using the lost-wax casting method. NOTE: this class will not cover the casting process, just working the wax.

Materials:Students should bring small tupperware style container to transport waxes after class, x-acto knife. Also, if available, bring a hot wax pen and wax carving ring mandrel on a stand. Some are provided to share during class. The instructor will distribute CD's with all the class information instead of a paper handout. If you prefer to have a copy on a flash drive, please bring one to the class.

Prerequisite: Students should have some familiarity with the casting process. Minimum six students.

Course description: Learn how to create settings for flat backed objects and cabochon cut stones. Bezel setting is also perfect for setting beach glass, coins, buttons, almost anything!  In this class we will cover selecting appropriate bezel wire, silver soldering, fitting irregular and freeform objects, making a ring band or pendant bail, polishing and stone setting.

Materials: Bring a stone or object to set or purchase one from our assortment. Students should bring $10-$20 to cover the cost of silver.

Prerequisite: No experience necessary!

Course description:  : Bring an unadorned finger to class, and take it home decked out in a fabulous sterling silver spinner ring  different sparkly silver spinning bands, all handmade by you! Learn to shape, solder, texture and patina silver to create beautiful rings of your own design. We will learn to make a wide fashion band and one or more smaller spinner rings. You'll wearing your new jewelry. Have a blast in the process! (Making a ring for a lucky someone else? Measure the destination finger in advance with a strip of paper or a piece of string, and bring that to class.)

Materials: Silver availalbe for purchase in class. Or, bring your own: various gauges of

Prerequisite: None

Course description:  "Color! Color! Color! It starts all about color. The gorgeous jewel-like colors of glass on metal. The pleasure of looking through transparents to the underlying metal, to what happens beneath the layers of color. Line, pattern, texture, contrasts quickly become an integral part of the whole." -Jean Tudor

Enameling is a great way to incorporate color into your jewelry.  Learn to add contrast and impact using images and lines in your enamel pieces.  This class will cover enamel application basics such as cleaning copper, sifting enamel, and firing the work.   We will work with various effects in enameling such as stencils, sgrafitto, the use of opaque and transparent dry enamels, liquid enamels and embedding metal in the enamel. You will leave this class with a few pieces ready to wear as jewelry or a decorative tile.

Materials: Most materials included.  Students should bring an N95 dust mask and paper and pencil for notetaking.

Prerequisite: None!

Course description - An in-depth workshop in three days, perfect for anyone who has always wanted to learn jewelry-making but never had the time. Amy will cover all of the metalsmithing fundamentals, including sawing, filing, stamping, hammering, and texturing, and that is just the first day! We will also cover bezel setting stones, making rings, and lots of soldering. Students will be guided step by step in the use of studio equipment like torches, hand tools, rolling mill and hydraulic press. The instructor will also talk about how to set up a home studio so you can continue on your own after the class. No prior jewelry experience is necessary, students of all levels are welcome.  Small class size ensures plenty of one on one instruction. Copper and brass provided for in class use, silver available for purchase.

Materials: Most materials included. Students may opt to purchase silver to work with approx. $10 -$20

Prerequisite: None.

Course description: Learn to design and make jewelry using the lost wax casting method. Students will be guided step by step in the process in order to make unique pieces of jewelry. You will design and learn to carve a model in wax, and then replicate your model in silver or bronze using centrifugal casting. The first day you'll be guided step by step through carving a wax model and making a mold of it. On day two, you will cast your project into bronze, silver or gold using centrifugal casting. Then, Jennifer will show you how to clean up and polish your project into a beautiful piece of jewelry! Demonstrations will be geared toward completion of the ring project; students may opt to work on a different project.

Materials Fee: includes most materials, N95 dustmask and ancient bronze casting grain. Student who wish to work in sterling silver should bring clean silver scrap or casting grain.

Prerequisite: Beginning jewelry or equivalent. Students should know how to saw, solder, file and polish metal.

Course description:  Whether you need a little coaching or are brand new to soldering, Jane will help demystify the process. In this one day intro to jewelry techniques, you will learn how to construct chain bracelets and necklaces from wire different gauges of copper, brass or silver wire. Jane will also cover different methods to texture the metal for added interest and add patinas for contrast. Get hands on practice with different torches. Learn to create rings, links and simple findings to make earrings, necklaces and bracelets.

This is a beginning level class where students will learn how to form, cut, file, and solder sterling silver wire in order to make a chain necklace or bracelet. Various patterns of sterling silver rings are available students to choose from.

Materials: Copper and brass provided, sterling available for sale. Student can bring silver in gauges 16-20.

Prerequisite: None!

Course description - An in-depth workshop in three days, perfect for anyone who has always wanted to learn jewelry-making but never had the time. Amy will cover all of the metalsmithing fundamentals, including sawing, filing, stamping, hammering, and texturing, and that is just the first day! We will also cover bezel setting stones, making rings, and lots of soldering. Students will be guided step by step in the use of studio equipment like torches, hand tools, rolling mill and hydraulic press. The instructor will also talk about how to set up a home studio so you can continue on your own after the class. No prior jewelry experience is necessary, students of all levels are welcome.  Small class size ensures plenty of one on one instruction. Copper and brass provided for in class use, silver available for purchase.

Materials: Most materials included. Students may opt to purchase silver to work with approx. $10 -$20

Prerequisite: None.

Course description: Learn the techniques of this amazing material. Suz will show you how to build your ideas in clay and kiln-fire your pieces into finished bronze metal jewelry! Each student will have the opportunity to construct several pieces of their own design. Make earrings, pendants, and clasps. Learn about stone setting techniques and mold making with Bronze Metal Clay. Students are encouraged the bring items with interesting textures to mold onto their bronze clay creations. Almost anything with texture will work: tree bark, feathers, leaves, shells, etc. We will do one firing during class, those pieces will be ready to wear same day! Additional firings will be done by the instructor after the class; the second round of pieces will be available for pick-up at Tacoma Metal Arts Center one week after class.

Materials: $25 paid to instructor in class (cash/check only) includes 30 grams Fast Fire Bronze metal clay, findings, CZ's, use of tools. Additional clay will be available for purchase.

Prerequisite: none!

Course description: Discover the most successful ways to get your work into galleries, exhibitions, festivals and art fairs. Meredith will show you how using effective, tried and true methods.  You will learn marketing methods to represent yourself and how to make the most of presenting your work in advertising, social media, on business cards, etc. The last couple of hours will be devoted to a hands on intro to photographing jewelry.

Materials: Bring examples of your current work and a digital camera, or smart phone with camera.

Prerequisite: none, this is a class for students of all levels of experience

NOTE for Amy: For merediths Busines class have a white-board or foam core for projector and garbage bags to black out the window:

Course description: If you've taken the beginning class and want to improve on your skills then this course is for you! Intermediate Jewelry/Metals allows students to hone their soldering, fabrication and finishing skills while learning stone setting techniques. Jennifer will cover how to create various prong settings from wire for setting faceted or cabochon stones as well as unusual stone shapes and found objects. She will also share her tips and tricks for soldering success. You will also learn great ways to use the flex shaft for setting, finishing and more! Small class size of only eight students ensures plenty of one on one instruction.

Materials: Included: Copper and sterling wire in 20-16 gauge round, square and half-round wire and 20 - 16 gauge copper and brass sheet. Bring your own stones or choose from our assortment.

Prerequisite: Beginning Jewelry or equivalent

Course description - An in-depth workshop in three days, perfect for anyone who has always wanted to learn jewelry-making but never had the time. Amy will cover all of the metalsmithing fundamentals, including sawing, filing, stamping, hammering, and texturing, and that is just the first day! We will also cover bezel setting stones, making rings, and lots of soldering. Students will be guided step by step in the use of studio equipment like torches, hand tools, rolling mill and hydraulic press. The instructor will also talk about how to set up a home studio so you can continue on your own after the class. No prior jewelry experience is necessary, students of all levels are welcome.  Small class size ensures plenty of one on one instruction. Copper and brass provided for in class use, silver available for purchase.

Materials: Most materials included. Students may opt to purchase silver to work with approx. $10 -$20

Prerequisite: None.

Course description: Learn to use gold-filled wire and solid gold wire to create stunning stacking rings. Jennifer will show you how to work yellow and pink gold-filled wires of different shapes and gauges to create stunning rings. Get the rich look of gold without the cost! You'll learn how to measure, solder and shape the metal, then learn different ways to finish your rings: hammered, plain, matte finish or high shine! Jennifer will also talk about how to work with solid gold. Make a set of stacking rings for yourself, or to give as gifts. Jennifer will also show a great trick for adding a tiny tube set stone!

Materials: Students may bring 14/20 pink or yellow gold-filled wire in different shapes and gauges (2-3" is enough for one ring), and 10K or 14K yellow gold solder (hard, medium or easy), or purchase enough for their projects in class-approximately $10 - $30. Optional-1.5 mm round faceted stones. Students may opt to bring solid 14K gold to work with.

Prerequisite: Beginning jewelry or equivlent.

Course description: Forging is a great way to add dimension and detail to your work. Discover the secret to hot- twisting brass rods like silly putty and form them into an elegant cuff bracelet. Julia will also show you how to make a beautiful forged silver ribbon and twirl it into a chic ring.  You'll learn to do basic jewelry magic (aka: forging, shaping, sawing and soldering) in this fun short class. When friends exclaim over your lovely new jewelry, they'll be impressed with both your taste AND your new skills! If you have never used a torch before, this is an excellent class to start with. The instructor will be with you every step of the way.

Materials: included: 4" 10 gauge sterling wire, bronze rod for projects.

Course description - An in-depth workshop in three days, perfect for anyone who has always wanted to learn jewelry-making but never had the time. Jennifer will cover all of the metalsmithing fundamentals, including sawing, filing, soldering, hammering, and texturing. We will also cover bezel setting stones, making stacking rings, and lots of soldering. Students will be guided step by step in the use of studio equipment like torches, hand tools, and rolling mill. The instructor will also talk about how to set up a home studio so you can continue on your own after the class. No prior jewelry experience is necessary, students of all levels are welcome.  Small class size of eight students ensures plenty of one on one instruction. Copper and brass provided for in class use, silver available for purchase.

Materials: Most materials included. Students may opt to purchase silver to work with approx. $10 -$20

Prerequisite: None.