Whether you are new to soldering or just looking to increase your skills, this class is for you. Lesley will guide you through the theory and practice of butane and acetylene torch soldering. Students will get valuable hands on experience in class and leave with the knowledge and confidence to solder at home.

Get ready for the 2nd annual Rio In Motion, a week of exciting classes, tours and demos at Rio Grande. Last year, Rio Grande launched its own educational event right here at our Albuquerque, New Mexico headquarters. Dozens of jewelers stopped on their way to the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show to experience Rio Grande firsthand. They attended one and two day classes on a range of jewelry making techniques, toured our 180,000 square foot facility and played around with the newest cutting edge tools and equipment. Expect more great teachers from the top of the jewelry industry. Student favorites such as Bill Fretz, Kate Wolf and G. Phil Poirier are back to teach popular classes on metal forming, wax carving, hydraulic press tooling and much more. We have added Lauren Tobey, Charles Lewton Brain and Joshua St. John will offer a wider range of classes to choose from. Explore the incredible possibilities of CAD design or learn all about fold forming from a man who pioneered this exciting style of metal forming. We will again have the latest equipment to get your hands dirty with, and you can see firsthand the scope of our solar powered manufacturing facility, responsible for crafting the thousands of American made findings in our catalogs and on our website. After your time in Albuquerque, head down to Tucson to enjoy the show before going home to put your new knowledge to work.

Metalsmith Andy Cooperman lives in Seattle where he builds jewelry and small objects. His work has been featured in various publications and is held in private and public collections including the Victoria and Albert Museum, Central College in Pella Iowa and the Tacoma Art Museum. Andy teaches and lectures nationally and taught in the metals program at the University of Washington 2006 through 2008 His work has been shown most recently in Esoterica: Through the Looking Glass, a solo exhibition at The National Ornamental Metals Museum in Memphis and in the group exhibitionRadical Alchemy In the Courthouse Galleries in Portsmouth Virginia. andycooperman.com

Participants will become familiar with the uses for the hydraulic press. Applications such as embossing, creating hollow forms, using dies, and the various tools available on the market will be discussed. After looking at various samples we will prepare, anneal and roller print a copper sheet to form an anticlastic formed bracelet. After forming , we will hammer and refine the form to fit on a wooden stake. We will discuss hand hammering vs. using the press to achieve our desired results. After demonstrating use of the press, we will discuss psi, and achieving consistent results. We will use two different types of bracelet dies in this workshop. Students will also explore various materials for roller printing for line and texture. Etching will be explained and discussed as another option for texturing. Students will work on their bracelets and will use the time to cut, texture and begin forming work. Options for decoration and further additions such as riveted sections, bezels and soldered layers will be discussed and demonstrated. Our second style of bracelet, a domed cuff, will be formed with a different die. This bracelet requires soldering and we will review the steps necessary and options to finish the form. Students will be able to finish several bracelets over the weekend. On Day 2 we will work on both types of bracelets. The second type takes more time, and students can pair up to work together on their bracelets. We will discuss ways to finish the bracelet including soldering wire trim, oxidizing, etc. We will end the workshop admiring each others bracelets and exploring additional ways to use the press with additional manufactured and handmade dies.

Flex Shaft Boot Camp with Mary Kernahan. Whether you have a nice new flex shaft that you dont quite know what to do with, or are still considering purchasing one, this is the class you have been waiting for. Learn how to utilize this multifunctional tool to save yourself time and generally make life easier in your studio. Students who have their own flex shaft and hanger may wish to bring them along.

Learn the popular metal technique of fold forming as you create a beautifully textured and patinated valentine heart. The heart can be used as a pendant, key ring tag or object of art.

Granulation is a decorative metalsmithing process of applying tiny beads, or granules, in decorative patterns on the surface of metal using eutectic bonding. Students will leave class with multiple finished projects of their own design. Beginning & advanced students are welcome.

Metalsmith Andy Cooperman will be the Eric Yake Kenagy lecturer for 2011-12. His presentation will be in the Administration Building, room 28, at 4:00 on Sunday, the 12th of February, 2012. There will be a reception following in the Hershberger Gallery. The Gallery will have a concurrent exhibit of his work between Jan 29 and Feb 19. Metalsmith Andy Cooperman lives in Seattle where he builds jewelry and small objects. His work has been featured in various publications and is held in private and public collections including the Victoria and Albert Museum, Central College in Pella Iowa and the Tacoma Art Museum. Andy teaches and lectures nationally and taught in the metals program at the University of Washington 2006 through 2008. His work has been shown most recently in Esoterica: Through the Looking Glass, a solo exhibition at The National Ornamental Metals Museum in Memphis and in the group exhibition Radical Alchemy In the Courthouse Galleries in Portsmouth Virginia. andycooperman.com

A variant of the Byzantine weave, the Gridbox pattern is one of the most adaptable to multiple jewelry pieces, including earrngs & pendants, pljus it has tremendous potential for combination with othefr techniques. Join Mary & learn the secrets of its construction.

Whether you are new to soldering or just looking to increase your skills, this class is for you. Lesley will guide you through the theory & practice of butane & acetylene torch soldering. Students will get valuable hands on experience in class & leave with the knowledge & confidence to solder at home. This class fills quickly, so sign up early!

Come experience the new non-chemical method to etch a variety of designs into your pieces.

Introduce yourself to acid etching in this exciting class. Students will learn how to use a variety of resists including PNP blue, which allows you to transfer any black white image toyhour metal for etching. Basic forming & finishing techniques will also be covered, & students will come away with a beautiful one of a kind piece of jewelry.

This 2 day workshop will introduce you to the Lost Wax method, casting with centrifugal force. Each student will create a piece and cast in Sterling Silver.

Details will be made available soon.

Join jewelry experts and professionals from around the globe to discuss the latest trends, methods and technologies in jewelry manufacturing. Jewelry manufacturing encompasses both art and science there is room here for the creative and the disciplined. Seeing the results achieved by bringing these two worlds together is exactly what the Symposium is about.Join us at the 2012 Santa Fe Symposium to discover powerful ideas you can use to meet the challenges that face your jewelry business. Global economic pressure. Uncertain metal markets. Brand new technologies. These and other factors make up the fabric of your day to day business life. Rising to the challenges specific to your business and building its strength and profitability depend on utilizing vital knowledge and innovation.

SNAGs 41st annual conference will be held Wednesday, May 23 through Saturday, May 26 in Phoenix, AZ. Hosted by the Arizona Designer Craftsman and cochaired by Becky McDonah, Tedd McDonah, and Lynette Andreasen, this exciting program of 11 speakers, 1 panel, 8 exhibitions, and special events on the theme of The Heat is On, awaits you in this metropolitan city surrounded by nature, art, and the beautiful Sonoran Desert.

Design and execute a ring and pendant in silver and copper. This unique class combines the theory and process of design with the direct application in metal. Each morning begins with design; exploring and creating models in foil and paper. Each afternoon is about execution using the techniques of chasing, forging and cold assembly. Turn on your creativity and make models as guideposts during your design development. Then let your hammer loose, creating the forged and chased elements; a sleek hand wrought shank supporting a chased and dapped copper centerpiece. The two components are joined by mechanical means no soldering as you complete your own original jewelry designs.

This intensive two day workshop emphasizes a minimalist approach to design and function for the studio artisan. We will explore innovative solutions to capturing and setting gemstones in the creation of hand made studio jewelry. The trio of concept, construction, and capture leads our approach as we make simple and effective models that open the door to limitless design resources. Working with basic hand tools; hammer, saw, file, pliers, mandrels and forming blocks, learn to transform sheet and wire into creative settings by direct manipulation. Using traditional fabrication techniques; forging, forming, sawing, piercing, dapping and doming, projects are accomplished by cold construction and mechanical connections, all without soldering. rnSetting projects include a tension capture cabochon pendant, and two approaches to pierced and lifted prongs settings. Setting instruction includes use of burnisher, pusher, saw, file, chasing hammer and setting punches