Scholarship Available
The Larry Van Craeynest Goldsmiths Apprentice Scholarship
MAA is proud to offer two $1000 scholarships a year (once in the Spring and once in the Fall) to applicants of the Goldsmiths Apprentice Program in honor of Larry Van Craeynest. All donations to this program will go directly to students to use for tuition, accommodation and travel expenses to attend the program. To donate, please use the button below. To apply, please send an email to metalartsacademy@gmail.com
Goldsmiths Apprentice Program
In this intensive program students are immersed in the techniques of fine jewelry fabrication.
For more information and to apply, contact the office at metalartsacademy@gmail.com
During this comprehensive program, equip yourself with the skills needed to enhance your techniques or if you are a beginner, start your journey in the jewelry trade.
This program is designed to train the student as an apprentice, as it was throughout history when apprentices were taught the age-old practice of repetition to develop and master a skill while working under a master craftsperson.
Topics covered in the program include
Fabrication/Metal Work, Stone Setting, Tool Making, Repair, Craftsmanship, Sketching/Design
Additional costs not included in Tuition: Tool Kit Fee
FALL 2023 12 Weeks $7999
GOLDSMITHS APPRENTICE PROGRAM 2 Classes from SEPT 12 - NOV 30, 2023
TUESDAY-THURSDAY 9am-4pm
FRIDAY LAB 9am-1pm
GOLDSMITHS APPRENTICE PROGRAM 1 Classes from OCT 3 - DEC 21, 2023
TUESDAY-THURSDAY 10am-5pm
FRIDAY LAB 9am-1pm
JEWELRY CLASSES
**Minimum of 2 students to hold a class.
Please make sure to read our Cancellation/Refund Policy before registering. Cheers!
Beginning Jewelry Fabrication 1 $390 3 Days
In this 3 day workshop, learn the basic skills of jewelry fabrication including sawpiercing, soldering, filing, forming, texturing, annealing, and polishing. Technical vocabulary, tool and equipment use and shop safety is taught. Students learn the properties of metals such as copper, brass and sterling silver. This is a beginners class for those who have never had any jewelry instructions and for those who have had some experience and want to further their skills.
*Materials and use of tools included*
10AM-5PM
June 22-24
July 11-13
August 22-24
Sept 9, 16, 23 (SATURDAYS)
**If you are using a mobile device and want to sign up for BJF1...click the Book Now button above**
Beginning Jewelry Fabrication 2 $490 4 Days
In this 4 day continuation of BJF1, learn more comprehensive skills in basic fabrication such as disk cutting and doming, then piercing out the piece, as well as an introduction to stone setting and making a bezel. The skill of fabricating and filing a half round ring is also taught.
Prerequisite: BFJ1 or equivalent experience with sawpiercing and silver soldering.
*Materials and use of tools included*
10AM-5PM
June 27-30
Sept 30, Oct 7, 14, 21 (SATURDAYS)
Wax Carving + Intro to Casting $620 4 Days
In this 4 day workshop, learn to create a wax model by layout, carving, sawing and wax build-up. An introduction to casting includes making a plaster mold, burn out and casting in sterling silver.
Prerequisite: BFJ1 or equivalent experience with sawpiercing and silver soldering.
*Materials and use of tools included*
10AM-5PM
TBD
Stone Setting 1 $390 3 Days
Learn the basic skills of stone setting, including prong, flush and tube setting in this 3 day class. Also set a solitaire in a 4 prong setting.
Prerequisite: BFJ1 and BJF2 or equivalent experience with sawpiercing and silver soldering.
*Materials and use of tools included*
10AM-5PM
July 6-9
Aug 29-31
Stone Setting 2 $490 4 Days
Continue to learn new skills in setting shared prong stones and channel round stones in this 4 day class. Also set a square V prong setting.
Prerequisite: BJF1 and 2 and Stone Setting 1 or equivalent experience.
*Materials and use of tools included*
10AM-5PM
TBD
Introduction to Bead Setting $595 4 Days
Introduction to Bead Setting including how to shape and sharpen your graver, stone layout, setting in a flat plate, setting in a ring, and finish work.
*Tuition is $595 for the class and Tool Kit. Kit Includes 6 gravers, 6 handles and a beading tool.
Prerequisite: Stone Setting 1 or 2 or equivalent experience.
10AM-5PM
TBD
Soldering 101 $325 3 Days
Learn the basics of silver soldering in this three day intensive class. Tackle and learn how to solve different soldering
situations that may arise. Learn how to solder wire to wire, end to end, wire to plate, sweat soldering, etc. Instruction of when and why to use different solder is covered with practical soldering knowledge and technique being the focus. Silver soldering, using propane/oxygen torches.
*Materials and use of tools included
10AM-5PM
Aug 15-17
Nov 4, 11, 18 (SATURDAYS)-PLACER ARTISTS STUDIO TOUR WEEKENDS ARE NOV 10-12 AND NOV 17-19
Craft Jewelry Workshop - 3 Hours Tuition: $75
1. "Wire Wrapping with Lacey"
2. "Copper Craft Jewelry"
- This 3 hour craft class introduces the student to the basic skills in the art of wire wrapping jewelry. Join Lacey Buell, a local jeweler and past student of MAA for a 3 hours class where she will introduce you to this create artform! Stones and wire all included. There is an additional cost of $10 to use Sterling Silver. Leave with a beautiful piece made by YOU!
2. Copper has begun to see a revival. Join us for this 3 hour craft jewelry class where you will be learning skills such as cutting, forming, filing, texturing, making earring wire, forging bracelets, hammering, stamping and using a foredom flexshaft to do clean up and polishing. All materials are included, metals used are copper and brass. There is an additional cost of $10 to use Sterling Silver. Everyone will leave with a completed project, focusing on earrings, bracelets or pendants.
*minimum of 3 students needed to hold class
METAL ARTS CLASSES
Coppersmithing Workshop $150
"Copper is one of the most important metals mentioned by ancient historians. It was known before the time of Tubal Cain, who was an educator in its works as well as brass and iron. Historians say that Cadmus discovered it and taught its application to his countrymen. It was noticed on the island of Euboea, near the city of Chalcis and this may be why the Grecian's called it 'chalcos', which is the name that Homer and other authors called it. The Romans knew copper as 'aes cyprum' and 'cyprum', names from the island of Cyprus, where some believe the art of working it was discovered. In the mystic nomenclature of alchemists, copper is known as Venus, the sacred goddess of Cyprus." We will start with a square of copper, and then circle the square to begin the process of raising the copper into a vessel or bowl. This project is difficult yet rewarding and fun, we learn through the experience with copper that rhythm does indeed replace power.
- Keith Gelber, Instructor
10AM-5PM
TBD
Intro to Chasing: Art of the Chisel $525 3 Days
8:30am-5:30pm
An excerpt from Dougs website:
We’ll be focusing on the fundamentals of chisel technique, hammer control, pitch management, and how to use design to compliment our medium. You will have the option of what your project will be after our short warm up project.
The warm up allows us to go over the pitch and all the tooling provided. We’ll have time to adjust the techniques to suit a small subject of your choosing. It helps to choose something that will fit in the palm of your hand, anything larger and we might need longer than our workshop accommodates. Of course if you want suggestions with more guidance to test the techniques given I have plenty to choose from that already have walk-throughs to guide us as we go.
This course is short and comprehensive, ran at very accommodating speed by experienced hosts. Join us for some creativity and laughs, brighten your world with your own good works.
All tooling provided.
All materials provided.
You can bring your own ear protection to make yourself more comfortable but we’ll have some spares.
Wear clothing you are able to work in.
August 25-27
October 28-30
Vessels $525 3 days
8:30am-5:30pm
Vessels are a universally human need, the diversity of construction and use of vessels are almost limitless. A particular professional interest of mine has always been vessels and how they were made. Particularly vessels made from a single piece of material, and that is what we are tackling in this class.
How to raise a vessel from a single piece of metal using traditional hammering techniques.We will cover vessel design, purpose, and decoration. However the focus of the course is specifically the efficient hammering technique and understanding the game of leverage needed to raise a vessel over shaping stakes. This is not sinking or dishing but true exploration of vessel construction over raising stakes.
May 26-28