Wednesday, April 11, 2007

2007 HOME STUDIO CLASSES (Updated)

Home Studio Classes
Bethel, Vermont

Schedule (descriptions below):

August 31- Polymer Bracelets with PMC Adornments (4 days: Friday-Monday)
September 3 [[2 Spots remain]]

September
7-9 PMC Locket with Polymer Inlay (3 days: Friday-Sunday) [[1 Spot remains]]

14-16 Hollow Forms and Keum-Boo (3 days: Friday-Sunday) [[FULL]]

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Descriptions:

Polymer Bracelets with PMC Adornments:
Nowhere else in polymer clay work can you see the range of this versatile medium as clearly as in bracelet construction. The brand of clay, the proportion of different brands if you mix clays, the thickness and the firing duration are all factors that relate to strength, durability, rigidity and flexibility; all issues routinely negotiated in the design of a polymer clay bracelet.
In this class you’ll make mokume gane bracelets, and carved polymer bracelets, adorned with PMC rings and dangles, both 2 dimensional and hollow-formed.

About the techniques covered in the class: The polymer portion of the class will cover Mokume gane: You’ll use the tools and techniques Celie has developed to produce the vivid, resonant colors and porcelain-like finish characteristic of this polymer version of mokume gane, an ancient Asian metalworking technique. This advanced design process, adapted for polymer clay, produces exotic, calligraphic patterns revealed through layers of metal leaf and delicately tinted translucent clay. Tools and techniques for carving polymer will also be covered.

PMC Techniques: You’ll use hollow form construction techniques combined with principles of ring making (for sizing) to make bracelet adornments such as tube beads, cones, and other cylindrical forms. You’ll explore variations on the lentil (inside out, pierced, etc.) and other leather hard constructions. Several approaches to making unique nametags, basic riveting and using the new sterling alloy, Argentium silver will be demonstrated and discussed.

Go to the Home Classes Section for more general information about home classes.
E-mail Celie at celie@celiefago.com for more information or to hold a spot.



PMC Locket and Polymer Inlay:

First create your own, unique textures for metal clay from black and white images. Then, using these textures, construct a beautiful PMC locket with a swing hinge. After firing and finishing, you’ll explore 6 related polymer clay techniques for your locket’s interior: tear away, coloring with paint or pastel, liquid polymer, translucent polymer, and image transfers with gold leaf. You’ll also learn about rivets and other cold connections, as well as some torch basics.

Go to the Home Classes Section for more general information about home classes.
E-mail Celie at celie@celiefago.com for more information or to hold a spot.



PMC Hollow Forms and Keum-Boo:

Start by etching on polymer (Tear Away Technique) to make your own unique texturing tools for PMC. Then, using construction techniques developed by Celie, make large, lightweight hollow forms (lentils, cube, and drum beads and more) without the use of clumsy firing armatures and cores. You'll also learn Keum-Boo, an ancient Asian metalworking technique for adding 24K gold to silver. You’ll learn to cut the gold foil with scissors, a craft knife, or paper punches, and how to burnish it on to the heated PMC. Learn about sources for the gold, different thicknesses of foil, using and maintaining tools, and many other tips for mastering this ancient art.

Go to the Home Classes Section of Celie's website for more general information about home classes.
E-mail Celie at celie@celiefago.com for more information or to hold a spot.

Tuesday, January 02, 2007

Celie will be teaching a 3 day workshop and 3 (1 day) classes at the Bead and Button Show in June. You can click on these photos to view them larger. For more information go to http://www.beadandbuttonshow.com/beadandbuttonshow/search.asp?mode=search&ins

Registration begins on January 16 at noon (CST). Classes fill very fast so remember that date!