Cufflinks for Father's Day 2018

The New Ashgate Gallery is having a special cufflinks mini exhibit for Father's Day this June. I'm sending these four pairs:

Jewellery weekend classes in Great Missenden,Buckinghamshire

Jewellery Weekend courses at Missenden Abbey in Great Missenden, Buckinghamshire

To book, please click here for the Missenden School of Creative Arts website.

9 and 10 June 2018 (non-residential £197, residential £286)

This course aim to cover the basic techniques of jewellery making while adding a level of complexity by introducing stone setting. We will make a ring and discuss ways to size rings and design options. This will include sawing, shaping, filing, hammering, soldering, cleaning and finishing the piece of jewellery before setting the stone. We will also learn what to do for stones that aren’t totally flat on the bottom. We will then progress to making a pendant, learning how to saw and file shapes out of sheet, how to choose appropriate textures and how to design and make a bail for your pendant. The pendant will also have a bezel set stone, so you can practise your new skill. You can also make a second ring instead of a pendant if you wish. Time permitting, we will discuss embellishment options. If you have your own cabochon stone that you would like to set, please email the tutor to determine ahead of time if the stone is suitable: machidewaard@gmail.com. If you would like to progress in jewellery making, the tutor can advise of suitable classes.

9 and 10 August 2018

This course aims to teach students the basic principles of jewellery making and bezel setting a cabochon stone. You will start by learning how to use the basic tools required to make jewellery, such as the piercing saw, benchpeg, pliers, hammers, mandrels and torch. The first project will guide you through the fundamental techniques of jewellery making, such as piercing, shaping, filing, sanding, hammering, soldering and finishing. We will also make a bezel setting for a cabochon stone and solder it on to your piece of jewellery. We will then learn how to set the stone in the bezel setting. We will practise texturing techniques using hammers and the rolling mill. We will discuss how to design and plan your second project and depending on what you make, we will cover other techniques of jewellery making. You will leave with at least two finished pieces of jewellery in either copper or silver. The tutor can advise you on further courses to take if you would like to continue making jewellery. If you have questions before the class starts, please email the tutor at machidewaard@gmail.com

Jewellery related trips on holiday in Death Valley

I just went on a trip to Death Valley in California and it turned out to be surprisingly jewellery-related. Death Valley attracted its fair share of miners during the late 19th century gold rush, but interestingly there were hardly any profitable mines in the area. One mine which was profitable was the borax mine! I may have been one of the most interested parties walking around the borax museum!! The museum was an outdoor selection of equipment used to mine and transport the borax mostly from the 1880s.

After the museum, I went to see the old borax mine. It's quite amazing to think of the miners slogging away in the desolate surroundings, especially as the average temperature during the summer months is 47C. If you click on this photo, you can read a bit about "white gold"! And you can see a photo of the iconic mule trains that were used to transport the borax. The mule trains became a symbol of the miners working in the Death Valley area, despite the fact they were only used for about 6 or 8 years total!

This is the view away from the borax mine down to the car park. It's amazing how much space there is and the sweeping, impressive views.

Here you can see part of a remaining mule train car - although the mules have been replaced by an engine. Imagine the same wagons with 15-20 mules in front - it would have been an impressive sight.

Some of the miners lived very close to the mine. It's hard to imagine the conditions, with the heat and desolation and very limited water sources. I believe they ate mostly tinned food, and certainly the Chinese workers recruited from San Francisco didn't really get a good deal!!! (Click to read more details)

Besides all the borax, a group of clearly very intrepid entrepreneurs decided to start a charcoal making operation way, way, way up in the mountains. You have to go pretty high to get to anywhere with some trees. These picturesque and impressive kilns were lined up in what really felt like the middle of nowhere. The charcoal was made by burning wood for days and then cooling it for days. The charcoal was sold to a "nearby" (NOT very near!!!) mine for silver smelting. (That's according to the sign I forgot to take a photo of!) The charcoal operation didn't run for very long - I think it was either 3 or 5 years. Stunning location, but so very isolated it's hard to imagine how the people there got enough food and water.

To top off all this jewellery-related excitement, in the nearby Owens Valley we passed a plant processing sodium bisulfate! That's safety pickle to jewellers!

We also went to the ruins of what was a profitable gold mine...about which more later when I get the photos downloaded. 

Setting for small stones in my jewellery classes in Great Missenden

As part of exploring basket (or prong, or claw) setting, I showed one of my jewellery classes how to make this small basket setting, which is well suited to small stone around the 3-6mm range. You can find a full tutorial on this blog, which explains it very well: http://fluxplay.blogspot.co.uk/2010/07/make-your-own-claw-setting.html 
I made two samples - a 4mm cz with the basket made from 0.5mm wire and a 6mm rose quartz with the basket made from 0.8mm wire. The one my student made was 5mm with 0.8mm wire - and it looks great! It's the one with the bail, my two samples are either side of it in the two lower photos.

(Please ignore the terrible state of my fingernails, that's a result of filing and sanding all the time!)

Jewellery classes in Berkshire and Buckinghamshire

I have been busy teaching and making new jewellery! The new jewellery hasn't been photographed yet, so that will be coming up. In the meantime, a bit about the teaching.

I'm still teaching in Buckinghamshire - at Great Missenden. There are termly classes and Saturday classes for Bucks Adult Learning. There are also weekend courses and a summer 2 day course for the Missenden School of Creative Arts. For both, you can see details on my website: www.machidewaard.co.uk/classes

In November, I taught a private lesson in my studio in Reading: Introduction to Silver Jewellery Making. The results were three rings - a wide one with leaf texture, a twisted wire one and a wave ring.

Also in November, I taught another introductory course in Chesham where the students made a textured wide ring and a wave ring:

Two of those students came for a private lesson in January, and we made jewellery with bezel set cabochon stones:

In the termly classes (now at Great Missenden), we continue making interesting jewellery and working on things like Keum Boo technique (gold foil fusing) and stone setting (such as basket setting). This student made a silver saftey pin:

And here are some examples of student work on basket setting for cabocons and also earrings made with copper and silver:

Jewellery classes in Chesham: basket setting

I've been busy with teaching jewellery making at Chesham. This term we're tackling basket setting. Or prong setting, depending on what you want to call it. I aimed to make this setting accessible for all levels, although I did recommend that people do a bezel setting before starting on basket setting. My idea was to build up accuracy slowly over several projects. I wanted to instill confidence and make the projects achievable. Each element of these projects (size of wire, size of stone, type of stone, type of bail, finish of prongs etc) has been chosen for achievability. The day class is much longer, so the evening classes are necessarily working slower because they are 2 hours long (day class is 5.5 hours). I thought carefully about the building up of these lessons, so that nobody got too frustrated. So far, allowing for predictable mishaps when attempting these new techniques, my students are doing phenomenally well!
So, this is what we're working on:

1. one tier basket setting for round cabochon stone (hard, preferably CZ) with jump ring bail: 

 

2. two tier basket setting for round cabochon stone with tapered bail on prong

3. one tier oval basket setting for oval cabochon stone with jump ring bail to be combined with triangle bail or second jump ring

 4. two tier oval basket setting for oval cabochon stone

 5. After half term, we head into faceted round stones, so we start with this 12mm round cz:

All of the above are my samples, here are some photos of student work thus far:

New jewellery at New Ashgate Gallery

These two new pendants went to the New Ashgate Gallery last week, along with matching earrings and a pair of matching mini earrings (10mm wide). All sterling silver, some oxidised and some with gold plating.

Jewellery making taster course in Chesham and finished commission

Finished commission for modern square ring in 18ct white gold with 6 diamonds:

Classes in Chesham begin again in September. If you'd like to try the class before you enrol for a full term, you can take the taster session on 14 September! Please click on the poster below for a closer view and full details.

Jewellery making classes in Chesham and Summer School in Great Missenden

Well, this is the nicest and certainly warmest summer I've experienced in the UK. It's lovely and also not so lovely. The negative only because it gets rather too hot to solder. Anyway, the flowers look great and it really feels like summer! So, here's an update on jewellery classes that I'll be teaching.

If you would like to try jewellery making but don't want to dive in to a termly class just yet, Summer School at Great Missenden Abbey would be perfect for you:

Summer School at Missenden Abbey

To book, please click here for the Missenden School of Creative Arts website.

10th to 11th August 2017

£205 (non residential), £292 (residential)

Thursday to Friday

9:30 – 5:00pm on both days

This course aims to teach students the basic principles of jewellery making. You will start by learning how to use the basic tools required to make jewellery, such as the piercing saw, benchpeg, pliers, hammers, mandrels and torch. The first project, a ring, will guide you through the fundamental techniques of jewellery making, such as piercing, shaping, filing, sanding, hammering, soldering and finishing. Once your first project is completed, we will expand into texturing techniques using hammers and the rolling mill. We will discuss how to design and plan your second project and depending on what you make, we will cover other techniques of jewellery making. You will leave with at least two finished pieces of jewellery in either copper or silver. The tutor can advise you on further courses to take if you would like to continue making jewellery. If you have questions before the class starts, please email the tutor at machidewaard@gmail.com

If you would like to try the Chesham termly class but aren't quite sure, there's a taster session so you can see the room and get a flavour of the classes there: 

Classes in Chesham Adult Learning Centre
I teach day and evening classes in Chesham Adult Learning Centre, Chiltern Hills Academy, Chesham, HP5 2RG

Be guided through a series of projects progressing to designing and making your own individual jewellery. No experience or artistic skills are necessary. Classes are for both beginners and those with experience. The course provides a range of hand tools and access to equipment. You will be introduced to the tools and given full instruction in the use of tools & equipment as the course progresses. Students can choose to work either in silver or they can work in copper or brass. Silver and other metals are not included in the cost. You will be given instruction in how to purchase your own materials.

TASTER SESSION: If you just want to try one session before you book, you can come from 12:00-3:00pm Thursday 14 September for £31. Please call 01296 382403 to book.

Tuesday 9:30am-3:00pm (next 11 week session starts 19 September) £300
Tuesday 7:30pm-9:30pm (next 11 week session starts 19 September) £134
*NEW CLASS* Thursday 12:00pm-3:00pm (next 11 week session starts 21 September) £202
Thursday 7:30pm-9:30pm (next 11 week session starts 21 September) £134

To book, please click on this link to Buckinghamshire Adult Learning.
******Please note the Buckinghamshire website is having technical issues, so it’s better to phone to book: 01296 382403********

Information about classes is kept updated on my website: www.machidewaard.co.uk/classes

Tiny Gallery in Henley

A selection of my jewellery is now available at the brand new Tiny Gallery in Henley-on-Thames. Located in the heart of Henley, this (indeed tiny) gallery is packed with fantastic local art. The gallery looks fantastic and is light and airy - quite a feat for such a small space! Well worth a visit! Or, if you're nowhere near Henley, the website is now up and running: tinygallery.co.uk

The Gallery's address is:
19a Hart Street
Henley-on-Thames
Oxon RG9 2AR

Here are some of my items available at the gallery: (or follow this link for a full listing on the gallery's website: https://tinygallery.co.uk/collections/machi-de-waard)

Norden Farm in Maidenhead

I have a selection of jewellery exhibited at Norden Farm in Maidenhead until the middle of July. Included in the selection are these new stud earrings, which are 18mm wide. They are from left to right: oxidised silver, gold plated silver and plain silver. I also made a mini version of the gold plated one which is 10mm wide, but that pair was brand new and I didn't have time to take a photo! But you can see them at Norden Farm :-)

Oxfordshire Artweeks with JASSO 6-13 May