• Jewelry Fabrication I
• Jewelry Fabrication II
• Stone Setting
• Forging
• Jewelry Design
• Chain Making
• Finishing
• Intro to Cloisonné Enameling
• Directed Individual Study
• Lampwork



• Teaching Experience

Workshops by James Carter

All classes are taught at our new studio in Pensacola. Each student will have a hands-on learning experience seated at a custom made studio work bench. Enrollment is limited to eight students. Deposits for 1/3 of class fees hold a place in the class & are due by the registration deadline with the balance due at the beginning of the class. Tool kits are available for additional charges, however you may bring your own tools. Please come by the Studio or call us at to discuss the classes below.

We recommend that out-of-town students use the time after class to experience the amazing white sand beaches and emerald water of our area. Attractions in the area

Jewelry Fabrication I

There are several skills that must be mastered as a jewelry maker or metalsmith before the creative process can take place. Becoming proficient in these skills is essential in the creation of well made jewelry. There are five essential skills. These are soldering, piercing (jeweler's saw), fabrication, filing, and finishing. Although these techniques are basic, each allows for a multitude of individual directions. Emphasis will be on mastering the primary functions through the proper use of metalsmithing and jewelry tools. In Fabrication I, students will learn and practice these techniques in the first day and a half. After exhibiting a basic knowledge and skill level, students will spend the rest of the workshop honing their new found skills on a piece of jewelry such as a ring or pendant.

Jewelry Fabrication II

Fab II will expand on Fab I and also incorporate several new techniques such as stone setting, rolling mill printing, surface embellishment and forging. Expectations for this class are higher than Fab I, with a further emphasis on proper craftsmanship. As in all classes, demonstrations will be given by the instructor to familiarize the student with the proper techniques involved in developing each of these skills. In this class, the student will build a piece of jewelry of his/her design and execute some or all of these skills in the completion of their work. The goal is for a student to finish a piece of jewelry since use of time and creative shortcuts will be stressed. Prerequisite: Jewelry Fabrication I or previous coursework/experience.

Stone Setting

This class emphasizes the two primary settings used in jewelry, bezel and tube. Because a gemstone is the first thing that the eye sees when looking at a piece of jewelry, proper craftsmanship is essential. Demos will be given in the making of tubing for tube set diamonds and the making of different thicknesses of bezel wire to accommodate various stones of different sizes and shapes. Prerequisite: Jewelry Fabrication I or previous coursework/experience.

Forging

A favorite among blacksmiths for centuries, forging was their primary way of shaping metals into all sorts of exciting designs. Jewelry makers and metalsmiths use the same skills, only with a smaller focus. The essential tool is the hammer. The excitement is watching your piece of metal transform into an object of art and/or piece of jewelry. By incorporating forging into your vocabulary of skills, you will learn to use this technique as a way to enhance your work. Forging can be used for making several different components in jewelry: catches, rivets, cold connections and work hardening findings. Prerequisite: Jewelry Fabrication I or previous coursework/experience.

Jewelry Design

This class is for beginning to advanced jewelers. if you are going to make jewelry, one has to learn how to design it. By taking this 6 hour class, you will gain the confidence needed to design your work. Utilizing tools such a pencil, scissors, paper, cardboard and wire, you will learn design basics such as line, mass and volume. Also, you will take into account ratio, balance, scale, wearability and color theory.

Chain Making

Everybody loves a well made chain. This class teaches two basic techniques: cold connection loop-inloop and Etruscan chain, either square or round. Students will also receive a demo on fabrication of caps for finished chain. Prerequisite: Jewelry Fabrication I or previous coursework/experience.

Finishing

Critical in the creation of jewelry is the final stage, finishing. This class will emphasize correct finishing procedures for different styles of jewelry. We will cover the proper sequences of polishing, hand finishing and James Carter's person favorite, creative camouflaging. Prerequisite: Jewelry Fabrication I or previous coursework/experience.

Introduction to Cloisonné Enameling

Enameling is fired glass on metal. Cloisonné enameling is a technique which uses gold wire enclosures or "cloisonns" which are filled with multiple layers of colored powdered glass. it is then fired and polished to create the finished product. Introduction to Cloisonné Enameling is a hands-on class which teaches the techniques of wire design, foiling, color blending, firing and polishing. Color theory will also be taught.

Directed Individual Study

Students can work on their own jewelry projects under the direction of the instructor. Prerequisite: Jewelry Fabrication I or previous coursework/experience.

Lampwork

Private Class - learn to make glass beads using a torch and various tools. Each lesson is $25/hour.