I am interested in your opinion on what the best
jewelry/goldsmithing school is here in the southeast USA. I wish
to send an employee to a school to learn goldsmithing and have
heard several rumors as to which is the best. The name that
keeps coming up the most is the Trenton School in Tennessee.
What school will give the best experience for the time involved?
Lets say in a one week course…I look forward to getting your
recommendations.
hi bill warren what does it matter where the school is ? air fairs
are so cheap today you can go any where, so go to the best the
Revere Academy in San Francisco and GIA in Carlsbad are tops ones
time is the most valuable commodity of all don’t waste it on
second best etienne perret
Etienne–GIA in Carlsbad? As in Carlsbad New Mexico??? If so,
will you please, please send me infor on that one? Carlsbad NM
is only a 3 hour drive from my home–would be most interested in
any classes that close to me! Thanks a bunch, Sharon Holt aka @bootsie
There is a very good school in Richmond, VA called the Jewelry
Design Institute run by Allison Young, who has about 25 years
experience.
JDI
Colony Plaza
13354 Midlothian Turnpike Suite 202
PO Box 475
Midlothian, VA 232113
(804) 794-9312
(800) 756-1227.
I took a class there and it was really good – she’s a great
teacher and you do lots of hands on lab work and learn a lot.
They offer one week classes in: Jewerly Design, J Repair, Stone
Setting, Wax Modeling and Casting.
They’ll give you help with finding a hotel and have a shuttle
service (or, at least, they did when I was there) and will pick
you up from the train station/airport and from your hotel each
day for class.
JDI runs ads in Lap Journal and such, so if my info. is out of
date, you can find it there.
I highly recommend the Jewelry Design Institute. Someone else
posted why not go to California, and I agree that would be
great, but not always possible.
hi Sharon, sorry I will be doing the presentation at GIA in San
Diego this June, I will also be doing a trunk show at the
Collector in Carlsbad California right near the GIA campus. If
you ever have the chance to go to southern California, the new
GIA it is a must see Sharon , what kind of work do you do? Where
can we see it?
ALL, I took a class from Blaine Lewis.His school is in Virginia
beach.I have been in the jewelry buisness over 25 years.I have
taken many classes and his method of teaching is the best I have
yet to experiance bar none!He uses state of the art video
cameras to bring the student down to just about the microscopic
level.You can actually see the graver carving minute curls of
metal from the piece on a video screen.He describes what he is
about to do with drawings and detailed explanations and then you
go to his bench and watch a master at his craft and you are’nt
huddled around his bench.You can see everything on the Video
screen while he is doing it.It’s amazing!.Then you go to a bench
and try it yourself and he patiently goes to each student and
guides you through the steps if need be.He offers you his bench
tips that he has honed and refined over the years.He knows and
shows you how to use your tools correctly and he shows you how
to maintain your tools.He supplies you with everything you need
for the class!Not only is he the best teacher I have run across
he offers a guarantee that you will be satisfied.If universities
would give you that.They would probably be out of buisness.The
price of the class is what blew me away.I got more bang for my
buck than any previous class I had taken anywhere.If your
already a Jeweler like Iam and you want to upgrade your
skills( and in this art that is a neccesity) or if your a
serious student.You have got to check Blaines school out.He is
also an Orchidian.His site is blewis@newapproachschool.com
Regards
J Morley
Coyote Ridge Studio
J Morley Goldsmiths
Bill i have been making jewelry for 25 yrs. had a trade shop
for 15 have taken classes from one end of the country to the
other the big names to the no names. if you are serious i would
highly recommend Blain Lewis at New Approach in VA.the number of
stones you will set,the range of styles, the techniques you will
use both new and old is as stimulating as the discussion on not
only what but why we do what we do. themost copprehensive
setting class i have taken.
kevin wood JA certified Master Bench Jeweler.