Teaching & Lectures
"Give a person a fish and they eat dinner. Teach them how to fish and they eat forever."
As a student it comes naturally to me to apply one piece of information to as many scenarios as I can:
To generalize from the specific.
As a teacher it's my goal to share that mindset and to help students develop the creative problem-solving tools that will allow them to see beyond tired solutions and open new doors into their creative approach.
Longer classes allow for more experimentation and work time. Content is basically the same, although spontaneous discussions and demos often develop in these extended formats..
A few words about the Virtual Classroom:
While the possibilities of "Clicks & Mortar" instruction have always made sense to me as an augment to my Bricks & Mortar classes I have decided to hold off on adding to what seems a pretty congested landscape. I would rather offer more intimate and immediate in-person experiences with smaller class sizes, moving slowly closer to "normal" as the world emerges into the new normal. There is power in the chemistry you can only find in an in-person environment. Safety First, of course.
2022
There are no remaining classes scheduled for 2022. Check below for classes in the coming year.
2023
March 10-13
Bang & Bend:
Smallscale Forging
4-day
Forging--moving metal by hammering-- is a process that underlies many other processes in the studio. In fact, the word smith is derived from smite: to strike . Once you understand the principles, forging can be applied to rings, pendants, earrings, bracelets and small to mid-sized and large objects. Forging can play a supporting role or can be the star of the show. If you want to heat things up this spring, 4 days of Bang & Bend in Alaska will light the fire.
For more information contact: akmetal907@gmail.com
University of Alaska, Fairbanks.
April 26 & 27
More Than a Drill: Grokking the Flex Shaft
2-day
Grokking? The word grok was coined by the writer Robert A Heinlein in his seminal novel A Stranger in a Strange Land and has come to mean to deeply understand something. From foot pedals to hand pieces, burs to bits, this 2-day hands-on class will open doors onto a new understanding and appreciation of this amazing tool. Through a mix of lecture, demo and real-time exercises you'll come to really grok the Flexible Shaft Machine. This is a great way to launch into Bang & Bend.
Berkeley CA.
April 28- May 1
Bang & Bend:
Smallscale Forging
4-day
If you plan on attending More Than a Drill at Silvera Jewelry School, stick around and swing a hammer. Moving metal by hammering--forging-- is a process that underlies so many processes in the studio. (In fact, the word smith is derived from smite: to strike .) Once you understand the principles, forging can be applied to rings, pendants, earrings, bracelets and small to mid-sized and large objects. Forging can play a supporting role or can be the star of the show. It's good for the soul and Berkeley is a great place to hear the anvil ring!
Berkeley CA.