Free JewelryTalk: the Healthy and Green Studio
Saturday, January 20, 2024; 12:00PM - 1:30PM PT (Pacific Time)
Join me, Joe Silvera, for an enlightening discussion about how to make a healthy and environmentally friendly jewelry studio.
When I studied jewelry in university and as an apprentice, back in the 80s and 90s, there was some information about toxicity and health hazards, but almost nothing about how making jewelry can create toxins in your studio, managing those materials, etc. And so much of that information was sparse and looking back on it now - wrong! My teachers were told it was okay to wash your hands with acetone! I had sculpture teachers who couldn't be in the studio with us because they're lungs were poisoned with silica and stone dust. They didn't know better, and many of them suffered health problems from that bad information. Some couldn't even work in art or jewelry anymore because of years of exposure to toxins.
Thankfully now there is way more research, resources and information about how we can protect ourselves, loved ones and the planet . Even if you're not so concerned about the environment, learning about toxins in the studio can help to save your life. I have been teaching about studio safety since I first began to teach in 2002. I wrote about it in my first book, Soldering Made Simple: Easy Techniques for Kitchen Table Jewelers, which highlights safer tools and chemicals for home friendly jewelry studios. And our school coorperates with the city of Berkeley in California to produce and safely handle a minimum of hazardous waste. Our goal here has always been to make and share a green and clean makers space.
Is a home jewelry studio full of hazardous waste? Yes. Even just a small set up can expose you to toxins that over time can cause you harm. We’ll talk about what you have to watch out for and the simple steps you can take to protect yourself.
Topics covered:
Identifying toxins and safety issues in the studio: chemicals, metals, fumes, dust, and gasses
Safer choices - choose healthier materials and techniques
Simple studio modifications to make a safer workplace
Your studio and the environment - how not to poison your world
I hope you will join me for this talk. If you can’t make it in person, you can watch the recording. And share it with your jeweler friends. Let’s make our studios safer together!
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.
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.