One of the big excitements around here is the news that I’ll be teaching again for the Idyllwild Arts Summer Program in 2016.  My workshop title is Metal Clay Intensive: Earrings.  During the course of three days, we’ll explore a variety of wonderful techniques to make fabulous earrings, one of the top sellers for those of you who offer your work for sale.

More about that in a minute.  The big news is that if you enroll and pay for your workshop by April 15 AND if you let the registrar Diane know that you heard this from me, you’ll get a 10% discount off the workshop fee!!!  Score!!!

Dates for my workshop are July 9, 10 and 11, 2016 (Saturday, Sunday and Monday).

We will focus on making dramatic, dimensional earrings in this workshop but the many techniques covered will apply equally to the construction of other types of jewelry and jewelry elements.  We will make conical structures, use cork clay as an armature to make hollow forms, employ frames to create emphasis, and explore layering through rivets and/or appliqué work.  Other techniques will include the keum-boo process to layer 24k gold onto fine silver, pearl and stone setting, soldering ear posts, and making ear wires.

The basic material we’ll use is silver metal clay, a malleable material that works like clay but, after firing in a kiln or with a torch, is composed solely of pure silver.

Participants can expect to make at least 7 pair of earrings.

Idyllwild’s setting in the Strawberry Valley on the western slope of San Jacinto Mountains in southern California is truly breathtaking.  Wild life abounds in the beautiful scenery.

To register for this workshop, call Diane in the Registrar’s Office at 951-468-7265. If you have other questions, feel free to write me at jonnafaulkner@gmail.com.