Silver Jewelry Bead Making with PMC

Silver Jewelry Bead Making with PMC

Workshop | This program has been canceled

818 Pike Street Lemont Lemont, PA 16851 United States

Art Center

Any

1/22/2022 (one day)

10:00 AM-4:00 PM on Sat

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$120.00

Member Discount Available

$65.00

Beads and bead stringing have always enjoyed popularity in creating pieces for personal adornment.  In this class the student will learn how to make their own one-of-a-kind Fine Silver beads using an amazing material called Precious Metal Clay (PMC).  

PMC is exactly what its name describes - metal, but in the form of clay! The clay body of PMC is made up of microscopic particles of metal, in this case fine silver, held together by an organic binder and water. Like other types of clay, PMC can easily be sculpted, molded and impressed with textures or stamps. The truly unique difference between other clay bodies and PMC is that during firing, PMC’s binders and water burn off allowing the silver particles to fuse into SOLID metal!!

You'll learn 2 methods to create hollow forms or beads: a dry construction technique, as well as forming the PMC around a combustible core that will burn out during the firing process. Due to drying time, pre-made combustible cores will be provided by the instructor.

    • Mature teens (15+) who are comfortable working independently within a group of adults are welcome to register.

    • Firing and polishing of the student’s work is included in the class fee but will not occur during class time due to time constraints. Upon request, antiquing/patina can be added to finished pieces by instructor for $1 per piece.

        • A $65 fee is added to each registration for the PMC Clay.

        • Instructor’s tools, stamps, molds, and textures will be made available for student use during the workshop.

Wendy Schuster is a Precious Metal Clay artist and instructor who has been enthusiastically working with PMC since first hearing about it 20 years ago. She has taught beginning, advanced, and certification classes at a number of schools and businesses over the years, as well as in her home studio. She is a juried artisan at the state and local levels and has over 22 years of design experience in her professional life. turntosilver@gmail.com