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Attend a scheduled event in person or online

Scheduled Metal Clay Workshops

I love teaching! I teach live, interactive online Metal Clay classes as well as onsite Precious Metal Clay classes at Holly Gage Studio in Lancaster, PA.  My presentations are accompanied by a fully illustrated handout with sessions that emphasize developing the creativity of the artist within. Original and innovative jewelry technique and design based lessons are presented in a relaxed, fun atmosphere to inspire, strengthen technique, and design skills to elevate the student's abilities to the next level.

Online classes are always near you, and now they are recorded so you won't miss a thing. If you don't see the jewelry class you want on the schedule, check out my Live, Interactive One-to-One Online Classes or Contact me at 717-445-5755 or by e-mail me at hgage1@ptd.net. I'm also available as a visiting instructor to teach classes at your guild, group, or art center — have carpet will travel.

Full

Live, Interactive Online Workshop

Designing with Intention
Monday, January 9 - March 20th, 2023 (skip Jan. 23
1:00 - 2:30 pm
Convert to the time in your area: https://dateful.com/time-zone-converter
10-week group sessions • 90 min.
Live & Interactive on Go to Meeting
All levels of ability
$450 (Full)

 

Have Questions?  How do Online Classes Work?  Offering this Class at Another Time?

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It is frustrating when your mind's eye sees it one way and your jewelry execution falls short. I am offering this course for those who have no design background and want to be able to answer for themselves why a piece of jewelry isn't working, looks off balance, or doesn't have the tone or feel you intended.

The course combines learning the concepts, seeing and identifying them, and then trying them out with hands-on experiences.

Our discussions include:

• Principles of design including:
  The use of line, movement, form, function, color,  
  balance, focus, pattern & more in creating gorgeous jewelry

• Methods for fully developing your jewelry design ideas.

• Informative handouts on each topic.

• Assigned Creative Development homework for interpreting these concepts in your own
jewelry designs.

Live, Interactive Online Workshop
Radiant Opal Pendant
Tuesday, January 10 - February 28 (skip Jan. 17 & Feb. 14)
6:00 PM to 7:00 PM, Eastern
Convert to the time in your area: https://dateful.com/time-zone-converter
6-week group sessions • 60 min.
Live & Interactive on Go to Meeting
All levels of ability
$295 (Full)



`Have Questions?  How do Online Classes Work?  Offering this Class at Another Time?
 

Bold design and delicate textures surround beautiful Fire in Place Cultured Opals with a combination of surprising techniques. You'll create intricate open spaces and surface textures with your rotary tool and a variety of diamond burs in the greenware stage of your Silver Metal Clay. Yeah, your rotary tool! And it's easy on your hands!

Then you'll capture the allure of  Heat-Resistant Cultured Opals having all the radiance and iridescence you love in a good quality Opal, but unlike Nature Opals, these can be fired at 1650º F or 900º C without burning up from the extreme heat needed to sinter the Metal Clay. After being told a long firing isn't probably, I went on a quest to figure out how to fire them in place in Metal Clay. After many tests and lots of trial and error, I figured out the secret of firing long and hot for strength without cracking the stones, discoloration, or hazing. I’m really excited about the possibilities, but more than that I can't wait to teach you.
 

Materials Needed
30g Fine Silver Metal Clay,  Fire in Place Opal Round Gems of your choice Gem Burr to match,
Other shaped gems need a matching template 2 – 3 mm bigger than the stone, Super Sculpey Original® or Premo® Polymer Clay, Foam Shaper/Healing Tool, Rotary Tool, Diamond Burr Set, Carbon Paper, Ball Point Pen, 3M Polishing Paper Set, Tissue Blade, Small Pottery Loop Tool, Polishing Pads, 3M Polishing Points - 3mm, Eve® Bristle Brushes, Eve® Rubber Wheels, and Knife, Edge sets, Fused Silica Bead Firing Dish or Fiber bowl, Vermiculite, Grafix® Incredible White Mask, Liquid Frisket, Basic Tool Kit, Kiln or torch.

How to Inlay Opal Shards is a "bonus" section to be discussed only.
Materials Needed: Art Resin® Epoxy Resin, Opal Shards or Crushed Opal, Toothpick, 3 Small Cups for mixing resin
 

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Opals and Opal Shards available at http://www.HealingPhoenixLapidary.com

Full

Live, Interactive Online Workshop

Jorvik Viking Purse
Wednesday, January 11 - March 1, 2023 (skip Jan. 18 & Feb 8)
6:00 PM to 7:00 PM, Eastern
Convert to the time in your area: https://dateful.com/time-zone-converter
6-week group sessions • 60 min.
Live & Interactive on Go to Meeting
All levels of ability
$295 (Full)

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Have Questions?  How do Online Classes Work?  Offering this Class at Another Time?

This chain draw-string purse was inspired by the Viking history of York, England. It’s a twist on leather pouches carried during the Viking era. Our warrior conquest will start with learning to make your own patterns and designs for embellishing the front and back panels of your Silver Metal Clay using photopolymer plates. Then you will learn to make all-in-one “castle” knuckles and rivet a pin to secure it. Next, you will cut and punch soft supple sheepskin leather and attach it to form the clever purse bag. In the final step, a chain is threaded through the leather to make a functional Silver purse.
 

 Materials Needed:
960 Sterling (25 g Art Clay or PMC3 and 25 g PMC Sterling 925), 2mm small link chain - should be flexible, smooth, rounded links, used for the draw string so as not to abuse the leather, another matching chain for the necklace -- size optional, 2 head pins, 2 small gems or pearls, 4 - 5 mm,  14 ga straight junk wire, 16 ga sterling, 20 ga sterling, 6” square thin sheep skin leather,  2 - 3 mm leather punch, Striking hammer, Bench block or hard surface, Tracing paper, UV light, Set of pliers, round nose, chain link or flat nose, wire cutters, 3M polishing papers, Metal back polymer plate, Overhead projector sheets, Clear report cover, Scotch guard for swede, Clear tape, Masking tape, Deodorant contain with a nice long curve, Sharpie® Black Pen, A compass (optional), Basic tool kit, Eve® Rubber polishing wheels and knife edge for Silver, blue (medium), pink (fine) for rotary tool, 3M Radial Bristle Brushes 400 grit to fine, Kiln.

Full

Live, Interactive Online Workshop

Carving and Sculpting in Metal Clay
Thursday, January 12 - March 2, 2023 (skip Jan. 19 & Feb 9)
1:00 PM to 2:00 PM, Eastern
Convert to the time in your area: https://dateful.com/time-zone-converter
6-week group sessions • 60 min.
Live & Interactive on Go to Meeting
All levels of ability
$295 (Full)

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Have Questions?  How do Online Classes Work?  Offering this Class at Another Time? Taking it to the next Dimension by learning how to create 2 and 3-dimensional jewelry pieces. We will explore two different, but similar ways of sculpting. You have a choice of working directly with Metal Clay or with Polymer Clay. The Polymer Clay option gives you endless working time. You would then mold it and fill it with Metal Clay. Finally, you will carve and detail the dried Metal Clay. We will cover how to convert your ideas, into a dimensional form; use the additive and deductive process for creating depth; learn various carving, refining and detailing methods; and the best tools and methods for each process.
 

Materials Needed: 25 - 50g 960 (this will be our own hand mix of  Art Clay Fine Silver and PMC 925 Sterling - great carving ability and for designs with thin appendages needing strength) Ball stylus, #0 Conical rubber shaper, Dental tools/carving tools, Diamond drill bit assortment, Needle files, 1/8” foam paper or applicator for smoothing, Super Sculpey® Original Polymer Clay, Toaster oven, Drawing, photograph to scale, 2-part molding compound — MYOM® molding silicone plastique compound, great for detail. www.makeyourownmolds.com/, Wood or cork clay, 3M polishing papers, Eve® Rubber polishing wheels and knife edge for Silver, blue (medium), pink (fine) for rotary tool, 3M Radial Bristle Brushes 400 grit to fine, Props for dimensional forms, Basic Tool Kit, Kiln.

Full

Live, Interactive Online Workshop
Bezel Setting Like A Pro
Wednesday, February 15 - March 8, 2023
1:00 PM to 2:00 PM, Eastern
Convert to the time in your area: https://dateful.com/time-zone-converter
4-week group sessions • 60 min.
Live & Interactive on Go to Meeting
All levels of ability
$195 (Full)


 

Have Questions?  How do Online Classes Work?  Offering this Class at Another Time?

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A fantastic stone needs a fantastic setting and in this workshop, that’s exactly what you’ll learn to make. The key to a professionally set stone is good craftsmanship and a clean, and well-finished bezel. This 2-part firing method of working with bezel setting and Metal Clay is clean and forgiving, so no soldering, no investment placeholder, no pull away from embedding the wire, no distortion, and the stone fits every time! During the class, you will learn design concepts surrounding the creation of a bezel for a stone of your choice using fine silver bezel wire. The bezel will be attached to a piece that has been designed and fired first. Afterward, you will attach the bezel to the rest of your piece and prepare for a second firing. Finally, the stone will be set and ready for the final touch. The result will have people wondering, “How did you do that?” So come and join me, and you too will be setting stones like a pro.

To prepare ahead for class, bring a stone or glass cab (approximately 15 mm – 30 mm). Faceted stones, cabs, or glass cabs are welcome – please stay away from irregularly shaped stones until you gain confidence and experience with this technique.


"Evolved Design Exploration" will also be covered. It's a guided method of finding your motivation and pushing yourself to new levels of awareness and evolving your design to the next creative level. Your perceptions are sharpened and your imagination can develop beyond what was previously available by going deeper within.

Materials List:
Cabochon, 15 mm and up, PMC 3 or  Art Clay Fine Silver, Art Clay Paste® type  — brand specific, must be this brand), Glycerin, Fine Silver Bezel Wire —must go just above the curve of the stone or just above the height of a flat stone. Too high is better than too low. 26 – 30 gauge. (Up to a 15 mm stone, use a thinner gauge wire such as a 30 gauge. Larger stones use a thicker gauge wire such as 26 - 28. All, however, will work), 1/8 thick foam paper sponge applicator,
Black Sharpie® Fine Point Marker, 400 grit sandpaper, 3 M polishing Papers®, Polishing cloth,
Bench Block, Nylon, Plastic or Rawhide Mallet, Rotary tool Eve® Rubber Polishing Wheels and Knife-edge for Silver, Black (coarse), Blue (medium), Pink (fine) with mandrel for rotary tool
Barrel-shaped Diamond Bur, 3M Radial Bristle Brushes 400 grit to fine, Tweezers (Cross-lock Optional), Flat, round, and chain nose pliers, Flush cutters, Basic Metal Clay Tools, and Textures, Burnisher or bezel rocker, Torch or Kiln. (25 g size restriction with torch use)​

Looking for a stone for your project? Check out my husband, Christopher Gage's 10 at 10 am on Friday Auctions.

Full

Questions?
Please Fill out the form below and hit the send button. In the Message area please include your:

  • Name

  • Class

  • Question/Comment

For both Live and Online classes you will receive confirmation, details about the class, materials needed, and cancellation policy. 
 

For Online Classes Only:

  1. Prior to class, I will send you a PDF file of the lesson.

  2. Students should arrive to Go to Meeting 5 mins. prior to the first class.

  3. Go to Meeting has a built in clock and it will keep track of time for us. 

  4. If you miss a class, don't worry, I now offer recordings of our sessions.

  5. Bring any creative development homework to the next session.

  6. Although we are all in the jewelry field with several questions, staying focused on the topic of the evening is suggested.

  7. Holly Gage cannot be held responsible for technical difficulties arising from Go to Meeting. Checked your equipment PRIOR to the start of our sessions together. Other people on your personal network may also impede the session, so it is recommended that only one person in your household should use the network at a time.

  8. Please turn off cell phones and other distractions during class. I set of headphones may be helpful.

  9. If technical difficulties prevent an individual from communicating during the group session or impede an entire session, I will communicate with that person after the session to rectify the problem. If technical difficulties disrupt the session, make-up time shall be added to the end of the session.

  10. Note: Please be considerate, your enrollment affects the run of the class, so cancellations less than 3 weeks will be non-refundable. In addition, once materials or the lesson has been given to you the class fee is non-refundable. Please be on time for class, and test your equipment prior to class as this affects all participants involved. I am happy to run a test with you
    if need be.

questions and online details

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