Do you sit down to create a piece of jewelry and feel overwhelmed with the possibilities before you?

Do you sift through images of jewelry and seem to like it all?

Do you go to gem shows and feel uncertain what to purchase?

Do you feel your jewelry lacks a cohesive expression of your own aesthetic?

The foundation of well designed jewelry involves a clear understanding of your own style and how to translate this into well designed, well constructed jewelry. The focus of this class is to define your signature style and apply it to your jewelry designs based on tried and true design principles. You have your own design footprint that is unlike any other person. Once you are clear about what it is, your jewelry will reflect a uniqueness that is all yours. The images above represent my own design aesthetic.

Pre-requisites: You need to have skills in making some type of jewelry. It can be other than using wire or sheet metal, but I have expertise in these areas and little in other areas of jewelry making. Regardless of what medium you use in creating jewelry, the class design presentations will be applicable to your work.

This is a two day class. On the first day and a half, through a variety of exercises, discussions, and a slide presentation, you will establish your signature design statement and explore the many jewelry techniques that best suit your style. The second day will be spent designing jewelry on paper that can be made following the class.

Please bring one of your pieces of jewelry that you are proud of ("great design if I do say so myself"). And, bring a piece that is gathering dust because it never came together very well. Come on, I know you all have a few of these tucked away somewhere.

We will cover these topics:

• Keeping a Design Journal
• Defining your style
• Inspiration and thematic development
• Shape and form - dots, circles, curved lines, angle, straight lines
• Texture
• Color
• The five senses
• Emotion
• Positive and negative space
• Repetition
• Movement
• Balance
• Scale and proportion
• Styles: organic, geometric, abstract, classic, ethnic, figurative, narrative, symbolic, and primitive
• Exploration of jewelry techniques
  

What to bring to class:

• #2 pencil
• A piece of finished jewelry you are proud of
• A piece of jewelry you are not wild about
• A journal or notebook (8.5" x 11" that opens flat is ideal)
• Ultra-fine Sharpie
• Small to moderate quantity of materials that you like using in your designs including cabochons, beads, found objects, etc.

You will not need to bring tools to class. I am requesting that you not bring tool cases or large containers with you so the floor space is clear.

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