Silversmithing, What do you do?

People always ask me, how did you get started?  That is a good question.  I started a long time ago with an interest in jewelry, all beading and loved it.  I had friends who liked my pieces and because it was a hobby I liked doing craft shows and selling my pieces. 

After beading for a while, I was interested in doing more and so I found a local bead shop where I learned some more difficult ways to bead and then also started taking courses in several different mediums, including learning how to create pendants out of dominos.  Not everything was for me, but everything definitely taught me a new perspective, and added to my tool box of things that could be  done.

Then I decided to take a metalsmith course at a local school (I was lucky there was one).  I found them through our Learning Exchange in Sacramento, and paid $150 for a full day of learning about silversmithing.  That price is almost unheard of now, but back then it was expensive, especially for a hobby.

I then met someone who had some experience, and she helped me tremendously, answering my questions and showing me a variety of techniques and the "right" way to do things. 

I then found Iris Sandkuhler, who happened to live about 2 hours from me, but offered courses online, http://www.sandkuhler.com/ but instead of taking a class online I went to her studio and spent a wonderful day with her.  She opened my eyes up to the primary medium I use now, fine silver, but she showed me riveting, and some other techniques, that aren't difficult, but that I didn't feel comfortable taking on.

And last, while I was pregnant, knowing it would be a long time before I got to take another course, I went to the Alan Revere Academy in San Francisco and took Metalsmithing. 

I am happy to say that now there are some good places online that you can learn the simple techniques for cheap:  www.jewelrylessons.com, www.beaducation.com are two good ones that I am familiar with.  Not to mention you can watch www.youtube.com and see just about anything on designing/creating jewelry. 

But there is nothing like being in the studio with someone getting that direct attention.  Check out your local shops, schools, programs and see what you find.  Just google it!

#jewelry #irissandkuhler #beaducation #jewelrylessons #alanrevereacademy #metalsmithing