April showers bring May flowers– and the annual Metalwerx Open House Day of Demonstrations and artisan jewelry sale! Enjoy refreshments and snacks while touring our classrooms and studio, and see metalsmithing in action.
This year, Metalwerx instructors and studiomates will demonstrate a variety of techniques including mokume gane, casting, wire weaving, forging bangles, and precious metal clay. Representatives for the Prospect Hill Forge will also be on hand to show basic blacksmithing methods, outdoors in the lovely Metalwerx garden (weather permitting).
The fun-filled day begins at 10 a.m. and lasts until 3 p.m. The hour-long demonstrations begin at 10:30 with Munya Upin, wire weaving, followed by forging silver bangles with Leslie Hartwell (11:30), precious metal clay (PMC) with Michela Verani (12:30 p.m.), mokume gane with Len Smith (1:30), and casting with Ian Henderson (2:30).
Michela Verani, the newest addition to our faculty, will be on hand to discuss how she makes her signature dragonfly wings out of Precious Metal Clay (PMC). Verani is currently teaching a six-week course on intermediate metal clay techniques and will be doing a one-day workshop this summer on creating metal clay charms.
Verani is a certified Art Clay Senior Instructor and one of the first in the world to receive credentialing via the Metal Clay Masters Registry. Her work frequently appears in magazines, books, and other publications, and she has won numerous awards, most recently the 2009 Carpe Beadum Contest 2nd Prize in Metal Clay Today magazine.
Verani’s lacy dragonfly wings are a product of metal clay syringe work. Because the entire process takes several hours, she will have pieces in various stages of completion in addition to showing how she starts the project with a lump of metal clay. “I chose to show how to make this piece because everybody loves it,” she said. “The comments I get on this are amazing.”
Metalwerx’ resident jewelers will have a sampling of their work on display and for sale. (Don’t forget Mother’s Day on May 9!) Studiomates participating the show include Ellen Carno, Laura Chalifoux, Mary Healy, Ian Henderson, Yleana Martinez, Wendy Jo New, Elizabeth Podobinski, Len Smith, Sylvia Stephen, and Marsha White. Some of their work is pictured below.
For additional information, or to learn more about the Metalwerx schedule of classes and workshops, visit our website at http://www.metalwerx.com or call 781-891-3854. Metalwerx is located in downtown Waltham, Mass., at 50 Guinan St. (By Yleana Martinez)
Pictured below: Necklace, Wendy Jo New; Rings, Ian Henderson; earrings, Ylena Martinez; Studiomate Sale display, Sylvia Stephen.
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I can’t wait for this great event – I bet it will be the best one yet!! What a great lineup of demos!