JEWELRY FOR THE BEGINNER with Bryan Petersen
Wednesdays
January 28 - March 4
6:30 - 9:30 pm
fee: $172 materials: $38
This
course will meet for six Wednesday sessions, three hours per week.Students will design, form, and fabricate a
belt buckle in nonferrous metal (Copper, Nickel, Nugold, or Brass) with a
bezel-set stone, or found object.This
class will provide you with fundamental jewelry making skills such as sawing,
filing, forming, soldering, stone setting, and finishing. A great class to take as a foundation for other metalsmithing classes and workshops.
Bryan Petersen received his B.A. in Metals at Montana
State University in Bozeman, MT, and an M.F.A. in Metals from East Carolina
University in Greenville, NC.He teaches
workshops entitled SustainableJewelry from Found Objects and Recycled
Materials. He is currently producing a jewelry line from recycled materials
and is an Adjunct Professor of Metalsmithing at Montana State University, in
Bozeman, Montana. His work can be seen in Fabulous
Jewelry From Found Objects,500 Metal
Vessels, and The Art of Collage
Jewelry: Creating Keepsake Memory jewelry.
SETTING FACETED STONES I
with Elichai Fowler
Thursdays
February 5 - March 5
6 pm - 9 pm
fee: $187 materials: $40
In this introduction to setting faceted stones students will learn how to flush set, prong set, bead
set, and bezel set using simple studio tools. We will be setting round
brilliant stones for this class. Class is held for 5 consecutive Thursdays. This a great class to take as a foundation for the upcoming Stone Setting II workshop to be held on March 22nd and 29th, 2009.
Jewelry designer, martial arts enthusiast and family man, Elichai Fowler can be found studying for his gemological exams, at his bench hand engraving or simply riding his bike with his family. Born to John and Nancy Fowler of Billings, MT Elichai was raised non-traditionally. He spent several years on a ranch north of Billings, then when he was nine, he and his family moved to Honduras. He was introduced to metal smithing in Honduras by his father who was always welding things together to help out the village. However it wasn't until 1998 while in Israel that he started to have visions of jewelry and gemstones. He returned to the states and pursued an apprenticeship with Don Baide of the Gem Gallery in Bozeman, MT. While he was there he trained with master jeweler Blaine Lewis, master engraver Sam Alfano and became a certified pearl, diamond, and colored stone grader through the Gemological Institute of America. Among his other passions is a passion for Palladium a precious metal in the family of Platinum mined locally by Stillwater Mining Company. He was introduced to Palladium when he was 11 and filed it away as, “something to learn about someday.” He is on the cutting edge of palladium design and usage. Together he, the Stillwater Mining Company and now the jewelry industry at large are promoting this amazing versatile precious white metal. In 2005 Elichai bade a friendly farewell to his friends at the Gem Gallery and started his own custom design studio Paradise Ring Works. He specializes in custom pieces and loves a technical challenge. His preferred metals are palladium, platinum, high carat yellow and pink gold. He appreciates fine gems and is passionate about the heirloom quality of his work. He has recently launched his first silver designer line.
