I am a beginner at metalsmithing (having taken one class with Noel,
who is on this listserv and is a TERRIFIC teacher) and will be in San
Francisco June 20-Aug20. I’d like to take a class while I’m there,
either in basic metalsmithing skills (I love to solder) and/or in
intermediate wire jewelry skills. Can anyone recommend such a class?
Thanks in advance for your help,
Stephanie
Hi Stephanie,
I can recommend two places. One is Revere Academy,
http://www.revereacademy.com, and the other is in Oakland. It’s
called The Crucible, http://www.thecrucible.org
Karen Christians
M E T A L W E R X
50 Guinan St.
Waltham, MA 02451
Ph. 781/891-3854 Fax 3857
http://www.metalwerx.com/
Jewelry/Metalarts School & Cooperative Studio
Stephanie, there are a lot of places that offer metalsmithing
classes in SF. The Revere Academy is in San Francisco, and I think
they have a class schedule online. The Crucible in Oakland has
jewelry classes, and also has an online class schedule. (don’t know
the URLs, but you could google them) For wirework, there are a couple
of really good bead stores in the bay area that offer a variety of
wirework classes. The Bead Shop in Palo Alto and Baubles and Beads
in Berkeley are two that I know of. The only place I’ve taken a class
so far is the Crucible - very affordable, and I had a good teacher.
The class I took was an intro to jewelry metals class, but they have
a lot of others that sound really interesting if you already have
some metalsmithing skills. I’d love to take classes at the Revere
Academy, since I’ve heard wonderful things about it, but that hasn’t
happened yet. I’m mainly self-taught at wirework so I can’t say if
the wire classes at the local bead stores are good, but they
advertise a lot of beautiful projects for all levels of wire workers
and the classes fill up quickly, so I assume they are good. Some
pretty well-known teachers come through, so if there was a specific
wire person you wanted to learn from, there is a decent chance they
might be in the SF area while you are here.
– Leah
www.michondesign.com
@Leah2
Stephanie, if you are going to be in San Francisco and are interested
in a jewelry class, check into the Revere Academy and see what they
have scheduled during your visit. http://www.revereacademy.com or
415-391-4179.
Michael David Sturlin
http://www.michaeldavidsturlin.com
I can also recommend an instructor in Oakland who will work with you
one-on-one to teach you what you want to learn by helping you design
and fabricate what you want to make. He has about 30 years
experience and has yet to be stumped by anything I want to create or
any problem we encounter along the way. Contact me offlist if you
are interested.
Hi, Stephanie! Check the Revere Academy: http://www.revereacademy.com/
If they have something during that period, you can’t go wrong. While
you’re there, try to go to Velvet Da Vinci Gallery.
–Noel
If you can try to take the wax carving class with Hratch Nargizian
(and this is through Revere). He used to do alot of carving for me
and an associate while I lived out there. And if you get to Marin
try to get to Susan Cummings Gallery. Many good things have come
throught there. Frei Borel is also in the same building and could be
useful for materials in a pinch and I forgot the name of it but there
is another supplier iver the bridge in Sausalito that is great for
raw materials like wire and sheet. Giid Luck-Tiffany
Stephanie,
The Revere Academy and the Crucible are great places to study, check
them out to be sure. They are located right in the Bay Area and
could be very convenient for you. If you want to add a little bit of
an adventure on your trip though consider the Mendocino Art Center,
located in the coastal town of Mendocino, CA. Its a few hours north
of San Francisco and is quite dreamy. Its right on the ocean,
located on small peninsula so it feels like being on an island. It is
sort of like Penland or Haystack only on the west coast. They have
many two and five day classes in all medias, with a great jewelry
program. This summer has a lot of really good classes taught by some
of the best folks in the business, many of which a beginner like
yourself could fit into. I’ve taught there a lot and have taken
classes there a lot. Its a great place.
Here’s the website address: http://www.mendocinoartcenter.org
Jeff Georgantes
Well- I was just brought up to date and i guess Susan Cummings is
no longer, and Hratch no longer teaches at Recere and Frei/Borel is
now Otto Frei. But i think makens is still alive and well in
Sausalito. Sorry for the misinfo, it has been a couple of years.
Good luck.-Tiffany
Stephanie,
If you’re actually staying in San Francisco, one of the best-known
wirework teachers, Kate Ferrant-Richbourg, now has a store there,
called Beadissimo, where she teaches classes. You can Google it for a
class schedule.
I have studied with two great teachers, near but not in San
Francisco: Lisa Claxton, who teaches at Baubles and Beads in Berkeley
and whose classes fill up very quickly (but, if you get on the wait
list, and stay flexible, you can often get in at the last minute);
and Eve Navarro, formerly of Baubles and Beads, who now teaches out
of her home in Novato, which is in north Marin County. Eve also does
private lessons. If you want to get in touch with her, email me off
list. And, if you’d like to have coffee some time this summer, email
me anyway–if I can’t make it to SF, it will give you an excuse to
take the wonderful ferry ride to Vallejo.
Have fun!
Lisa Orlando
Aphrodite's Ornaments
Benicia, CA
PS: to Tiffany, I am sorry to say that the Susan Cummins Gallery
closed–a truly heartbreaking event. And the supplier in Sausalito is
called Makens, but they’re very tiny–I like going there, but some
people might feel claustrophobic in their 2 x 4 “waiting room.” Also,
compared to Otto Frei, they’re pretty limited as to tools, etc.
Another great place to take metalsmithing classes is at Scintillant
Studio in San Francisco. I took a number of classes there. It’s a
very laid back environment, but good energy and a lot of individual
attention. I miss it!
scintillantstudio.com
Leslie Nicole
Stephanie,
Check out http://www.sandkuhler.com for workshops around the bay
area and info on private lessons at the studio in Pacifica (on the
coast from SF).
-Iris