The past few years I’ve been creating my own jewelry, by first
teaching myself wire wrapping and then apprenticing with someone in
metalsmithing and have been working at a jewelry store where I help
with custom design, minor repair and stone cutting. I have also been
taking GIA courses online for my AJP certificate.
I’m ready to ready to take this to another level and want to go to a
goldsmithing school within the next year or two.
I really liked New Approach School School for Jewelers In Tennessee
the next best was GIA’s Graduate Bench Jeweler program in Carlsbad,
CA.
What suggestions or recommendations do you have? I love so much what
I do and I want to learn from the best and want to get the most out
of my experience. I want to be the best jeweler I can be, who should
I learn from nexte
You said that you’re ready to take it to the next level, but you
didn’t say what that level is. Are you considering metalsmithing for
a living or do you want to expand your skills just because you love
it? I ask because the answer is different depending on your
objective.
If you want to pursue a career and you have the time and resources,
I would recommend a full-time school such as the Texas Institute of
Jewelry Technology in Paris, Texas (far northeast corner, near
Arkansas). You will graduate with all of the basic skills needed to
find a full time gig at the bench, and they have an informal
placement service to help you find that special job. If you graduate
at the top of the class, people will be fighting over you. The New
Approach School or the Revere Academy would be my second
recommendation, the first if you can’t spend a year or two at
college.
If you are looking to expand your skills because you’re having fun,
I would recommend going to small, private seminars and clinics based
on the individual skill you seek. Kate Wolf up in downeast Portland,
Maine is who you want to spend some time with if wax carving is next
up. There are several different Orchid contributors that would be
perfect as your professor if the rolling mill and associated
metalsmithing techniques is where you want to go next. GRS has
courses ranging from a couple of days to a week or more if engraving
and the associated arts hold a fascination for you. And of course you
already know about the GIA and their range of topics.
I went to New Approach in Tennessee and it was the absolute best
decision for me! I went in with virtually no experience and came out
with my own company doing custom jewelry design for the most
wonderful clients I could ever hope for. In the last year and a half
(the amount of time I have been in business) I have been fortunate
enough to work with clients from Dallas to England, essentially all
by word of mouth. I credit Blaine’s exceptional teaching,
encouragement, and mentorship for much of my success. I know plenty
of other students who could testify to the same.
There are some really great schools and teachers out there. Some
really bad ones too.
I recommend the School of Hard Knocks myself.
Get a job as a lowly floor sweeping ring polishing grunt. Your life
will suck for the first year, but you will learn so much more in a
trade shop than you could in a school. You’ll get paid to learn
rather than paying a small fortune for a piece of paper.
After graduation you will still have to get out there and get job in
the trade to learn all that there is to this biz.
Why start out in debt?
Have fun and make lots of jewelry.
That is the way I started and Mr Gutterman was always on my case
about cleaning and then at the bench. Now there are good schools and
wonderful people that make it easier and you can become part of a
group of wonderful people and an excellent trade.
New Approach
Paris Jr College
Stewarts Int School
Miami School…
