Questions & Answers – Taking Classes

This week I received an email about tools and classes from a beginning metalsmith.  She is looking for tools and mentioned a class she took at a private studio.

As much as I like tools, my best advice for beginners..don’t buy any until you’ve taken a class or two.    I spent way, way too much money on cheap, unnecessary tools when I started metalwork.

Classes – I live in Southern California and there are dozens of places to take metalwork classes.  Private studios, classes in stores, community colleges, universities, classes through guilds or clubs.   I have taken classes from all of the above – again occasionally spending way too much (seeing a pattern here…).

Community Colleges: I can only speak about California – but I assume all states have a community college system.  Look to these educational resources first, community colleges usually have a good to very good equipped studio.  The cost is usually very reasonable – here in So. Cal community college classes are $20 per unit, most classes are 3 units – pretty cheap for a semester long jewelry class.  Granted there is probably a materials or studio fee, parking fees & maybe an enrollment fee – you may end up paying $100 a semester, still a bargain for an instructor & studio.    The local University may have a jewelry program within the art department, probably a great class but you may have to apply to the school and enroll in the program – may not  be feasible for many people.

Private studios; the advantage to going to a private studio is less people to compete for the instructors attention.  I’ve found that most private studios are limited in space and 4 – 6 students are the norm.  The downside – the private studios/semi private instruction tends to be more expensive than a community college.

Classes in stores…I know for many people this is their only choice.  I find these classes way too expensive, you usually have to take all your own tools and occasionally it ends up as a guided shopping trip through the store.  Learn all that you can, but skip the store shopping.

Clubs and Guilds. I love this education option for metalworkers with some experience or a class or two taken.  Clubs and Guilds generally don’t have ongoing classes, rather they host workshops using guest teachers.  In southern California the local guild is the Metals Arts Society of Southern California (MASSC), it’s fantastic.   These non-profit groups are great way to network with like minded people and often have members who offer to mentor beginners.     Lapidary clubs are another place to look for jewelry classes (and tools!), usually these community based clubs have low cost membership fees, small classes and small class fees.  Most likely you will need to bring jewelry making tools to these classes.

Jewelry Schools – I can only daydream of going to a school specifically for jewelry.  Two I can think of here in California, The Gemological Institute of America (GIA) and the Revere Academy in San Francisco.  I’m sure there are others in the state and many around the country, you’ll find ads for jewelry schools in magazines like Art Jewelry, Ornament, Jewelry Artist, (maybe) Metalsmith.

As much as I like my home studio, I love taking classes – not only do you learn a new skill or brush up an old skill, but you get to talk to people who enjoy making and talking about jewelry.  The commoradie in a jewelry class or studio is quite wonderful – I highly recommend it.

~ by khmetalwork on August 26, 2010.