Glass Craft Expo!

One of my goals for 2015 was to expand my teaching venues beyond Roadhouse Arts - and I was a little nervous about it, because there are some seriously awesome teachers out there. (You know that little voice in your head that wonders how you measure up? Yeah. Me too.) After a lot of back and forth, my friend and business partner Gail Stouffer finally suggested that I send applications in to Glass Craft Expo, and come up with some projects that would introduce metalwork to a very glass-oriented audience.

So I did.

And all four classes were accepted.

source

(Yes, I was a little excited.)

I had never sent teaching applications out because I was intimidated by what I thought the process was going to be, but it turns out to have been a lot easier than I expected. I spent some time imagining what metalworking techniques might be of interest to someone who loves glass, based on some of the things I learned in the first year I worked with glass. Putting myself in the shoes of prospective students is one of the things I do regularly when I'm developing my regular projects and classes, so this didn't feel particularly alien to me - but I also asked glass artists I know (especially my friend Gail Stouffer!) what they would want to know if they were just starting out with metals. Then I wrote up the descriptions, put together the sample projects and snapped some photos.

Classic Glass: Bezel Setting Cabochons

Bezel setting is one of those things beginning metalsmiths generally find very intimidating - I was one of them. There is very little that I find more rewarding that watching someone in that mental place achieve success with this technique - and all with a culinary torch, even with larger pieces.

Sticks and Stones: Prong Setting

Making organic prong settings for flat-backed cabochons is easier than it looks, and the results can be quite dramatic. It can also be done with a simple culinary torch, which makes it a terrific technique for the "kitchen table" jewelry maker.

Cuff 'Em: Copper Cuff with Glass Cabochon

This is a simple, uncomplicated cuff that combines some very useful techniques for people just starting out with metal: annealing and forging copper, drilling holes in glass cabochons, texturing and cutting metal, and creating and setting rivets out of copper wire.

Hang 'Em High: Pinch Bails

I love this one! Some simple texturing and basic soldering techniques yields a unique, customized bail that can be added to any cabochon or pendant with a front-to-back hole.

* * * * *

I am so excited - and a little nervous! - about teaching at such a huge venue. I am sure I'll have some tips and lessons learned after I've actually done the teaching part, but for now I'm working on making all the glass cabochons I'm going to need. And if you're going to be in Las Vegas next April, I'd love to see you - make sure you stop in and tell me you're part of the AJE community!

Until next time -

Make Your Own Simple Folded End Cones

I love strung and knotted pieces, and it always requires a lot of head-scratching to decide the best way to finish off the ends. Most of the time, I prefer to hide my "dirty work"--all the knots, crimps, etc.--involved in fastening the ends. This idea was inspired by some beadcaps I bought at a gem show:

I thought something like this might work as an end cone, if the two "wings" on either side were wider; then I could curl the ends over and hide more of my dirty work.

The easiest way was to just modify my poppy cap design, creating just two giant "petals." I started with a couple of discs, as usual (these are 1" in diameter, but you could make them any size you like), and textured them:

Then I made center holes, and two more holes on either side of the center hole:

I cut notches on both, as shown, with my metal snips, and rounded the ends a bit:

Then I annealed and pickled, then folded each shape over, as pictured, with my tiny bail-making pliers (but you could use a kebab skewer or something skinny like that as well):

Then I curled the wings on one side inwards, at a slight angle (so that it's slightly pointier at the top):

Then I folded the remaining wings up and over with my fingers, tapped them down gently with my nylon-head hammer, et voila!

Now you're ready to string and knot away!

Keirsten
Etsy
Flicker
Facebook