Fused and Amused
Thursdays, November 3, 2022 - November 17, 2022; 2:00PM - 5:00PM PT (Pacific Time)
Do you love spontaneity and surprises in your jewelry? Then you’ll love fusing!
Join Joe Silvera for an exploration of hot surface textures. We’ll use torches to fuse metal together, mix in gold in different ways, and make our metal surface buckle and wrinkle into amazing textures. This class focuses on metals that are less disposed to fusing together, like sterling and karat gold.
Many metals, including sterling silver, can be fused. As they join, we can encourage textures to form on the surface. Traditional techniques, like reticulation, will demonstrate how to bring fine silver up to the surface, and ways to create a wonderfully wavy topography of texture.
During reticulation we can fuse different pieces of metal together. Or we can skip reticulation, and fuse sheet, wire, filings, granules and more into a quilt work of interesting layers and patterns.
With keum boo, you can fuse gold foil to sterling, adding a layer to your design. Gold contrasts beautifully with sterling, especially when it is darkened with patina. This class will also demonstrate how to fuse karat gold to silver alloys. Adding gold to your sterling is not only a great design feature, but also adds value to your work.
This course is available as a live online class. Please check this page for times and formats available.
Techniques covered:
- Reticulation
- Depletion gilding
- Fusing sterling
- Keum Boo
- Fusing gold to sterling
- Fused filings texture
A kit of materials and stones is included with this class.
A full color handout is included with the class.
Create your own workbook with the beautiful handout for this workshop. Handouts include instructions for techniques and projects, reference charts and lots of information to support your learning.
Tools for Online Students
This is a list of tools online students need to practice the techniques shown in class. (in person students each have tools to use at school)
A list of tools with links to recommended suppliers for the best prices will be sent to you after registration If you have questions about the tool list, please contact us. In addition to these tools, you'll need some of the basic tools from Jewelry 1.
- Burnisher
- Sterling solder: easy, medium and hard
- 1 quart crockpot or pickle pot, for heating the pickle solution
- Copper tongs
- Electric hot plate
- Leather gloves or similar to protect your hands from the heat
- Sharp scissors
- Brass brush
- Scriber
- Toothpicks
- Timer (timer on your smartphone or watch is fine)
Liver of sulphur gel patina, 2 oz - Chain nose pliers
- Patina: Liver of Sulphur is best when using silver and gold alloys together
- Prip’s flux - 4 oz
- Round nose pliers
Check out our free videos on how to set up to solder at home and how to use a home friendly butane torch to solder or fuse.
Prerequisites:
Students need basic jewelry skills, like soldering, sawing, and filing. Successful completion of Jewelry 1 - Basics would satisfy this prerequisite.
Instructor:
If a class is online, or is a combination online and in-person session, all students receive a link to a recording of the class demonstrations. In-person only workshops are not recorded. For staff instructor classes, students have access to the recordings for one year. For guest instructors, access is 30 days.
If a kit is included with the class, online students will have them mailed to them. Kits for in-person students are delivered at the beginning of the first class. More information about the kit is included with the supplies list which is emailed after registration.
International students may be charged an additional amount for shipping, because of the increased cost to ship abroad. Also, shipments to other countries may incur a tariff payable by the student. International students are welcome to contact us re: these costs and options for their materials. Please be sure that the address with your payment is the correct one for shipping.
If this class is offered online, it uses the Zoom app/website. Through Zoom, you’ll be able to see demos and follow instructions, ask questions and interact with your instructor. Zoom is easy to use and free for students to use for class, and works on most devices, like phones (iPhone, Android, etc), tablets (iPads, etc), and computers (Mac or PC).
Your instructor is also available during free Zoom office hours for questions and help.
For classes that include work time, online students work at home or in their studio. All of our recommended tools and the kit materials are chosen to be home studio friendly. Links to preferred vendors are provided in the supplies list sent after registration. Some classes, like our short demo only classes, don't require tools or materials to attend.
We remain committed to keeping everyone as safe as possible while continuing to move forward and adapt to the current circumstances for our in person classes and open studios.
We recommend that in person students be vaccinated, but it's not required.
Face masks are encouraged while at the school, but no longer required. Students must bring a particulate face mask (N95, KN95, KF94 or similar) to protect against dust and particles when needed and required during class work time.
If you have tested positive for COVID, have symptoms that could be COVID, or feel ill, please don't come to class. Contact us for more information.
And now the fine print. Payment in full for class fees is due at the time of registration to reserve your place. We accept Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, and PayPal. Checks and cash are accepted only if you register at school. If you mail a check, your registration is not processed until it clears and the class may fill during the wait.
If the workshop is canceled by our school for any reason, all class fees will be refunded, or you can transfer to another class, or you can keep a credit on account with us for future classes or purchases,
Students can cancel, receive a credit or refund, or transfer to another class up to 21 days before a workshop, whether it is online or in person. No cancellations are accepted after the 21-day deadline, however, we will do what we can to try and sell your place to a qualified student. If we can sell your place, you can receive a refund less a $50 cancellation fee, keep a credit on account with us, or apply your fees towards a transfer to another class.
If you can’t make it to class, you may send a participant who has the necessary prerequisites in your place. Please call or email us immediately with any changes in the student participant information. If a class includes an online section, your class will be recorded and you can watch later to make up a class you miss.
Students must be at least 15 years old to attend a class, and students under 18 must have a legal guardian sign our liability waiver form. We have had younger students attend classes, on a case by case basis. If you’re interested in enrolling your child, please call or email us.
If you sign up for a class and fail to have the required prerequisites as listed in the class description, you are still subject to the 21-day cancellation policy, listed above.
Lodging and meals are not included for in person classes.
If you don't come to class, there are no refunds, credits or transfers.