2023 Metals & Jewelry Workshops
Workshops are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Many fill quickly and have wait lists months in advance – don’t wait to register! Registrations for onsite workshops should be made no later than 15 days ahead of the workshop start date so that we can count you when making workshop determinations, ordering materials, etc. Touchstone’s onsite workshop determinations are made 14 days in advance of their scheduled start dates, primarily based on the number of participants registered at that time.
A processing fee of $25 will be added to 1-5 day onsite workshops. All workshop participants must be 18 years or older except where indicated.
To view a full listing of the Terms and Conditions as part of your enrollment, download the 2023 Participant Guide. Please review our updated Health & Safety Guidelines* and Cancellation Policy* prior to registering for any workshop.
*Subject to change, check back for up-to-date information. Registered participants will be notified of any changes.
5 DAY WORKSHOPS: JUN 12-16 THROUGH AUG 14-18
JUN 19-23 | 5-DAY (MON-FRI)
Mokume Gane: Wood Grain in Metal
Instructor: Eric Burris
All Levels
$665 Member | $695 Non-Member
$210-$260 Materials and Studio Fees
Call 724-329-1370 to Register
Mokume Gane, or wood grain metal, is a traditional Japanese technique in which two or more different metals are meticulously cleaned, alternately stacked, compressed and heated to a high temperature. The result is the fusing of all layers into a solid block or billet. The billet can be made into sheet metal with a variety of patterns by repeatedly carving through layers and reducing the thickness. Ring stock can be made by twisting a thick piece to rearrange the layers and removing material to reveal a hidden pattern.
Participants will learn a Western-influenced method to make Mokume Gane by using a digitally controlled electric kiln to fire a copper and silver billet. Participants will start by making their own billet, pattern it into sheet metal, and fabricate a seamless Mokume Gane ring. There are several technical demonstrations, so beginning metals & jewelry skills are needed to be successful in this workshop.
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JUN 26-30 | 5-DAY (MON-FRI) | EDUCATORS' RETREAT
Steel Jewelry
Instructor: Maia Leppo
No Experience/Beginner Level
$665 Member | $695 Non-Member
$70-$120 Materials and Studio Fees
Explore the use of steel as an affordable, lightweight alternative material for a variety of jewelry. Learn, experiment with, and apply different soldering, micro-welding and riveting methods with 20g-10g steel wires. Personalize your jewelry with handy, non-toxic finishing techniques and added accents of your choice. The course will also cover riveting and soldering with other metals (silver, brass, copper, tin) as well as basic hydraulic press use. Simple mechanisms for pin backs, clasps, and earring wires will be covered to help make your piece complete.
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JUL 10-14 | 5-DAY (MON-FRI)
Small Metal Sculpture
Instructor: Charity Hall
All Levels
$665 Member | $695 Non-Member
$80-$130 Materials and Studio Fees
Think, design, build. In this fabrication-intensive workshop, we will create small kinetic sculptures. Start by fabricating a kinetic sample to understand mechanisms, movement, and design considerations. Then, design and build your own small desktop or wall-mounted sculpture. Learn from examples and demonstrations and incorporate alternative materials, such as wood, stone, and paper into your work. Basic sawing and silver soldering experience will be helpful.
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JUL 16-21 | 6-DAY (SUN-FRI) | TEEN WEEK
Jewelry & Mini Sculptures
Instructor: Erika Broas
All Levels (Ages 14-17)
$710 Tuition
$100 Materials and Studio Fees
Deadline for submitting Teen Week applications for 2023 is May 1st. Applications for 2024 will be available beginning January 1, 2024.
Make your own jewelry and mini sculptures! In this workshop, we will focus on building strong foundations in jewelry and metalsmithing techniques, whilst taking lots of inspiration from the incredible land around Touchstone. We will learn skills such as sawing, piercing, chain making, soldering, texturing metal, stone setting, and incorporating alternative materials from our natural surroundings like wood, seeds, stones and flowers. Participants are encouraged to lean into their own personal style and voice, creating unique wearable pieces and sculptures that couldn’t be made by anyone else! Participants are encouraged to bring their own foraged finds from home if they please, otherwise we will be collecting trinkets from the campus grounds and from provided materials.
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JUL 24-28 | 5-DAY (MON-FRI)
Cloisonné Enameling & Haiku
Instructor: Harlan Butt
All Levels
$665 Member | $695 Non-Member
$65 Materials and Studio Fees
Learn the secrets of cloisonné enameling – a technique of drawing with wires and filling in around them with glass. You will learn how to use Harlan's special jig for forming repetitive shapes in cloisonné. Basic metalsmithing/jewelry skills and some enameling experience would be helpful, but beginners are welcome. The class will also be composing haiku poems as a means to focus, relax and foster a sense of community.
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JUL 31-AUG 4 | 5-DAY (MON-FRI) | NATURE WEEK
Hinges and Joints: Standard, Invisible, & Universal
Instructor: Tom Muir
Intermediate Level
$665 Member | $695 Non-Member
$125 Materials and Studio Fees
This hands-on workshop will focus on three types of hinges: an integral hinge (aka invisible or hidden hinge), a standard three- to five-knuckle hinge, and a universal joint hinge. Through technical demonstrations, discussions, and an examination of various samples, we will place special emphasis and creative solutions for a variety of design problems. Engineering principles of hinges will be discussed, along with useful soldering and fabrication strategies which can be applied to numerous procedures for any jeweler or metalsmith. Basic sawing, filing and soldering skills are necessary for this workshop.
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AUG 7-11 | 5-DAY (MON-FRI)
Creative Casting
Instructor: Jason Stein
All Levels
$665 Member | $695 Non-Member
$170-$220 Materials and Studio Fees
This workshop will be an introduction to the methods and techniques of small-scale casting for jewelry and metalsmithing applications. Initial techniques covered will include pouring ingots, water casting, direct casting with consumables such as straw and rice, cuttlebone casting, and improvised molds. We will then explore the lost-wax casting process, with a focus on wax-work, modification and improvisation of wax tools, sprueing and investing, burn-out, pouring of molds, and clean-up of the castings. Special topics covered will include organic materials and plastic/found object use for model-making and special considerations for burn-out cycles, as well as general problem-solving within the casting process.
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AUG 14-18 | 5-DAY (MON-FRI)
Hollow Fabrication Intensive
Instructor: Funlola Coker
All Levels
$665 Member | $695 Non-Member
$115-$165 Materials and Studio Fees
This workship will cover hollow fabrication using sheet metal. Participants have the option to make jewelry or objects to build and hone their fabrication skills. We will cover basics such as sawing, piercing, scoring and bending, soldering, and simple metal forming techniques.
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2-3 DAY WEEKEND WORKSHOPS: AUG 26-28 THROUGH SEP 30-OCT 1
AUG 26-28 | 3-DAY (SAT-MON)
Ring a Day
Instructor: Stacy Rodgers
No Experience/Beginner Level
$470 Member | $500 Non-Member
$105-155 Materials and Studio Fees
A ring can hold within its form a plethora of emotions and ideas. Love, protection, loss, happiness, hope, obsession and anger; this simple form can convey complex messages to the world while adorning our hands. Learn how to saw, file, solder, form and texture all while exploring how to design and conceptualize emotions and ideas through the ring form. Each day we will create a new ring by exploring new techniques and design elements to express feelings and ideas that are meaningful to the student.
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SEP 2-3 | 2-DAY (SAT-SUN)
Experimental Enameling on Steel
Instructor: Sharon Massey
No Experience/Beginner Level
$360 Member | $390 Non-Member
$125-$175 Materials and Studio Fees
In this workshop, we will explore various approaches to enameling on mild steel. Steel is strong, lightweight and relatively inexpensive, and can be used for jewelry or other objects. After a brief introduction to working with steel sheet, participants will learn how to prepare the steel for enamel, several methods of enamel application, and finishing techniques.
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SEP 9-11 | 3-DAY (SAT-MON)
Bezels Big and Small
Instructor: Molly Shulman
No Experience/Beginner Level
$470 Member | $500 Non-Member
$65-$115 Materials and Studio Fees
In this workshop, we will take a look at the fabrication and use of two types of bezels. We will use standard thin strips of bezel wire to make a pair of earrings and heavier stock to make a heavy wall bezel ring. These techniques require a new focus on accuracy and control as well as patience. By the end of the three day workshop, you should be able to tackle bezel based projects with more confidence and ease.
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SEP 16-17 | 2-DAY (SAT-SUN) | AGES 14 AND UP
Jewelry for Everyone
Instructor: Jim Bové
During this exciting weekend of workshops, all classes will be open to ages 14 and up! Workshop tuition includes lunch, both Saturday and Sunday. NO LODGING is available on campus for this session.
No Experience/Beginner Level – Ages 14 and Up
$396 Member | $426 Non-Member
$60-$110 Materials and Studio Fees
In this workshop, participants will be introduced to the foundational techniques of jewelry making. We will learn how to saw, solder, bend, form, texture, and finish metal to create works of art. Working in copper and brass, participants will create bracelets, rings, chains, and earrings, as well as learn how to add color to metal through enameling and patinas. This course is open to all levels but geared towards those with no previous jewelry experience.
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SEP 23-25 | 3-DAY (SAT-MON)
Asymmetrical Raising: Thinking Outside the Circle
Instructor: Logan Woodle
All Levels
$470 Member | $500 Non-Member
$60-$110 Materials and Studio Fees
Angle raising allows makers to transform flat sheet metal into dynamic three-dimensional forms. In this workshop, participants will learn the fundamentals of angle raising and how they can be applied to asymmetrical forms. Along with a vessel form, attendees can expect to leave the course with an understanding of pattern development, tool modification, and hammer forming processes. A component of this workshop will focus on modifying a raising hammer to fit each participant’s needs.
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SEP 30-OCT 1 | 2-DAY (SAT-SUN)
Flex Shaft Lapidary: Altering Stones & Creating Bezel Settings
Instructor: Erika Broas
Beginner/Intermediate Levels
$360 Member | $390 Non-Member
$95-$145 Materials and Studio Fees
Discover all of the ins and outs for making a perfect bezel setting every time. Learn to alter the shape and profile of your cabochons or found stones, to create smooth transitions on lower-quality cabs, and unique shapes out of semi-precious stones. You will learn simple lapidary techniques adapted to the flex shaft, using diamond-coated burs, sandpaper, and polishing compound to elevate your designs. We will then create settings for our stones out of sterling silver, learning tricks to shape our bezels to perfectly match the contour of the stone. We will be making pendants, basic jewelry fabrication skills such a sawing, soldering, and polishing will be covered in this workshop, this class is suitable for beginner and intermediate students.
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Touchstone Center for Crafts prohibits discrimination in employment, educational programs, and activities on the basis of race, national origin, color, creed, religion, sex, age, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or association preference. Touchstone Center for Crafts also affirms its commitment to providing equal opportunities and equal access to its facilities and programming.