Register Now for January Classes at MAC

Happy Holidays, everyone! During this busy time, it can be easy to forget that January is right around the corner, bringing with it lots of great classes and workshops to choose from in the MAC Metals Studio! Don't miss your spot in your first choice of our great selection of offerings that start in January. Check them out on pages 22-24 of our winter catalog, downloadable here. Happy Holidays, and see you in the studio!

1-Day Flex Shaft & Earring Workshops!

Hey Folks - There's still room in our two final one-day workshops in the MAC Metals Studio!

First, on December 1st, don't miss out on your chance to learn all the ins and outs of using and maintaining your flexible shaft machine with Kristin Shiga (and get a take-home goodie bag stuffed with bits and accessories).

Flex Shaft Tips & Tricks Run into a road block in your pursuit of the perfect finish on your metal pieces? Confused by the dizzying array of rotary burs, tips and bits on the market? This information-packed workshop is for you! Through a series of demos, learn flexible shaft machine basics, from choosing the right model and how to maintain it to choosing the right bit for the job at hand. Burs, sanding discs, rubberized abrasives and polishing products will all be covered. Come prepared to take lots of notes, and bring problem pieces for individual consultation. Bring your own flex shaft if you have questions about use or repair. Price includes a $30 take-home bit and mandrel starter kit, which is nonrefundable after class begins.

383761 Sat. 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Dec. 1 $77 [1 class] Kristin Shiga

And on December 8th, make one-of-a-kind earrings for the lucky jewelry-lover on your holiday list (or to keep for yourself) with Allie Bentley.

Earrings-in-a-Day! Perfect for last-minute holiday gifts! This workshop covers a wide variety of techniques in just one day, allowing you to go home feeling like an accomplished metalsmith. Learn the basics of sawing, drilling, making your own ear wires (using a jig and free-form), dapping/doming, planishing and adding a patina to your metal. We’ll also cover techniques like lamination of thin gauge metals to create lightweight jewelry with big visual impact. No prerequisite. Price includes a $40 studio and materials which is non-refundable after class begins.

383762 Sat. 10:00 am - 5:00 pm Dec. 8 $95 [1 class] Allie Bentley

Sign up now at MAC, online by clicking here, or by calling 503-823-ARTS.

Juia Harrison Visits!

This weekend we were fortunate to have Julia Harrison visit us from Seattle again to teach her Jewelry That Grows On Trees workshop in the MAC Metals Studio. The whole class had a great time experimenting with various woods - saying, shaping, painting, drilling, burning and more! We'll be posting some photos of student work here soon, but in the meantime, here is a quick shot of our students hard at work (play?!) making wood jewelry. See more on our Facebook page.

Julie experiments with a decorative tip on a wood-burning tool.

Metals Showcase

Check out the wall display in the Multnomah Arts Center's lobby - it's a special feature highlighting metalsmithing and the MAC metals program! There is still some room in some of our classes, so reserve your spot today. See you in the studio!

Registration for fall classes and workshops at MAC is now open! Check out our metals offerings on pages 28-30 of the fall schedule, downloadable by clicking here. Hope to see you in the studio!

Summer Open Studio!

Open Studio hours for summer have been posted. If you are enrolled in a class that meets for 6 or more sessions, you are eligible to attend as many of these open studio hours as you like. See you in the studio! Fridays: 9am – 12pm 7/6, 8/3, 8/10, 8/17 Rebecca Melton Thursdays: 6:30pm – 9:30pm 7/12, 7/19, 7/26 Kristin Shiga Saturdays: 1:30pm – 4:30pm 7/21, 8/25 Iishah Hyatt

Your Input Needed for Fall!

Hello, MAC Metals Community! We are currently putting together our schedule for fall term (October-December 2012). What would you like to see offered in the MAC metals studio this fall?

MAC Youth Metals at Gathering of the Guilds

This weekend, our very own Youth Metals Instructor Dixie Pannu introduced more than 100 kids (and their parents!) to the metal arts at the Gathering of the Guilds show at the Oregon Convention Center. I hope to have some photos of the kids' work to share soon. Until then, many thanks to Dixie for her dedication to sharing her love of metalsmithing with the next generation!

Rings!!

As winter term at MAC comes to an end and spring is about to begin, let's look back on some of the beautiful work we created in the MAC Metals studio.

One of the projects most students complete in their first metalsmithing class at MAC is the sweat-soldered band ring. The reason we choose this project is that it combines so many skills - sawing, filing, soldering, sanding, buffing, forming, sizing, patinating and of course design - into one fun package. Here are some of the finished rings we made in the evening class this winter. To see more pics, visit us Facebook.

Student Showcase - Work from Jewelry That Grows on Trees Workshop

Check out the work our creative (and industrious!) students made in just two days during the Jewelry That Grows on Trees workshop with Julia Harrison. Were you one of the students in the workshop? Please share your experience in the comments to this post.

Jewelry That Grows on Trees Workshop Recap

This weekend, we welcomed visiting Seattle artist Julia Harrison for a change of pace in the metals studio. In her workshop, "Jewelry That Grows On Trees," students were introduced to a wide variety of techniques for identifying, cutting, shaping, coloring, finishing and embellishing wood. Much experimentation followed the in-depth demos, and students walked away with a variety of earrings, pendants, belt-buckles-in-the-making and sample pieces for future reference. We all had a great time and look forward to having Julia back in the fall!



We'll post sample student work here soon. For more workshop photos, visit us on Facebook.

Sign up now for Spring!

The spring term is just a couple of weeks away. Now is the time to register for your next metals/jewelry class. Proceed to the next level of Jewelry/Metalsmithing sequential classes or take a workshop to keep your skills fresh and your inspiration flowing. Here's what's available in spring:

CLASSES:
Metalsmithing I—Introduction to Fabrication
Mon. 12:30 - 3:30 pm with Rebecca Melton
Mon. 6:30 - 9:30 pm with Kristin Shiga

Metalsmithing II—Surface Treatment/Hollow Forms
Tu. 12:30 - 3:30 pm with Rebecca Melton
Tu. 6:30 - 9:30 pm with Laurie Hall

Metalsmithing III—Findings & Mechanisms
Wed. 9:30 am - 12:30 pm with Rebecca Melton
Wed. 6:30 - 9:30 pm with Julie Marino

Chasing and Repoussé
Fri. 9:00 am – 12:30 pm with Rebecca Melton

Metal Clay Trends & Techniques
Tu. 9:00 am - 12:00 pm with Debra Carus

NEW! Statement Jewelry
Thur. 9:30 am - 12:30 pm with Rebecca Melton

Advanced Stonesetting I
Thur. 6:30 - 9:30 pm with Bruce McKay

WORKSHOPS:
Text in Jewelry
Sat 10:00 am - 1:00 pm April 7 – 28 [4 sessions] with Laurie Hall

Casting—Make Your Own Rings
Sat 10:00 am - 1:00 pm May 5 – 26 [4 sessions] with Julie Marino

Flex Shaft Tips & Tricks
Sat. 10:00 - 4:00 pm June 2 [1 session] with Kristin Shiga

Color on Metal Clay— Enamels, Resins & More
Sa.-Su. 10:00 am - 5:00 pm June 9 - 10 [2 sessions] with Debra Carus


To learn more or to register, visit MAC's web site.

See you in the studio!

Wednesday Night Casting - some photos

I thought I'd post a few photos of the Wednesday night casting class so you can get a preview. Remember I'll be teaching a ring workshop in the spring - Four Saturday mornings, May 5-26th!

Spring Registration Opens Tomorrow!

Despite our dreary weather of late, spring has sprung at MAC! The spring schedule is available now at the MAC website, and paper catalogs should be on the way to you soon. You can peruse the metals offerings on pages 28 & 29 of the catalog.

Don't wait to register for your favorite class - spots can fill up fast. You can register starting on Monday, February 13 online or by calling MAC at 503.823.ARTS.

See you in the studio!

Welcome to Iishah Hyatt!

A new instructor has joined our ranks in the metals program at MAC. Iishah Hyatt is a graduate of Oregon College of Art and Craft and comes to us with a deep interest in figurative sculpture on a very small scale. Check out her website to see the marvels she casts using the lost wax process!

Julie Marino's Introduction to Casting class got to witness Iishah's techniques first hand as she subbed for Julie this Wednesday. Hopefully you'll get a chance to learn from her soon, as well! Look for workshops from Iishah in future catalogs.