Winter / Spring Workshop Schedule

Happy New Year!!!

What better way to start 2015 than with expanding your creativity and skill set?  Now that the holidays are over and winter is upon us, think about getting out and taking some classes!  Over the next few months, I'll be teaching several workshops and classes at Sawtooth School for Visual Art.  Take a look at the classes I have coming up below, and follow the class title link to sign up today!  I hope to see some new as well as famliar faces soon!

Beginning Metals/Jewelry
Learn the basics of creating jewelry from copper, brass and silver sheet and wire. You'll learn soldering, sawing, forging, polishing and many more techniques to create beautiful, wearable jewelry. Learn while creating earrings, rings, and more. You'll be amazed how simple sheet metal and wire are transformed into something beautiful. Metal is available for purchase during class. Tools are provided. Perfect for beginning students. This class may be repeated to gain proficiency in skills.

Winter Session
Section A
8 Mondays
January 12- March 9 (skip Jan 19)
6:30-9:00pm

Winter Session
Section B
8 Tuesdays
January 13 - March 3
9:30-12:00 noon

Spring Session
Section A
8 Mondays
March 30 - May 18
6:30-9:00pm

Spring Session
Section B
8 Tuesdays
March 31 - May 19
9:30-12:00 noon

Metals/Jewelry : Enameling
Enameling is an ancient process where glass is fused to metal through heat. Students will experiment with enameling on copper and are encouraged to explore the possibilities that this process allows. Annie will introduce a variety of enameling techniques such as sifting, stenciling, sgraffito, and basse taille. Students may apply these techniques to everything from pendants and earrings to decorative home items. No experience necessary. Most materials included in the fee.

6 Tuesdays
January 13 - February 17
6:30-9:00pm

Etched Copper Cuff - One Day Workshop
Etching is a fabulous way to add design and texture to your metalwork! Learn about different types of resist methods to be used in the etching process, including paint pen, stamping, and heat-applied print resists. Etch a copper blank and form the etched piece into a wearable copper cuff bracelet. Both traditional acid etching as well as electro-etching processes will be discussed. No experience necessary.

Saturday, March 21
9:30am - 4:30pm

Metals/Jewelry : Forming
This class is designed for students who want to bring dimension to their metal work. Learn how to bring volume to pieces by shell forming with hammers and stakes, or by using the hydraulic press. There will be demonstrations and plenty of time to develop your skills. Good for beginners and beyond. Materials available for purchase in class.

Enameling Weekend Workshop
Enameling is an ancient process where glass is fused to metal through heat. Experiment with enameling on copper and explore the possibilities that this process allows. Annie will introduce a variety of enameling techniques such as sifting, stenciling, sgraffito, and basse taille. Make samples of these techniques and use them to create a beautiful bracelet by the end of the workshop. Beginners expected, repeat students welcome!

Taste of Art : Sgraffito Enameled Pendant

Friday, January 30
6:00-8:00pm

Taste of Art : Copper Bangle

Friday, April 24
6:00-8:00pm

Debut: The Microcosm Collection

It's been a busy season, and it's not over yet!  Just wanted to add some images of new work that debuted at the Piedmont Craftsmen's Fair a couple of weekends ago.

These pieces feature a new technique I learned in Ken Bova's Torch-Fired Liquid Enamel workshop at Sawtooth School for Visual Art in September.  Other than a few pieces that have a little sifted enamel, the majority of these pieces feature ONLY white liquid enamel.  The color comes from the oxides in the copper being drawn up through the enamel when they are torch fired.  I LOVE this technique and plan to include it in more work soon!

I'm calling this the Microcosm Collection because of the nature of the torch-fired enamel technique, being somewhat controllable unpredictibility - each piece looks like its own little world.  I hope to have them up on my website and etsy shop very soon.  Enjoy!

Spring / Summer 2014 Workshop Schedule

Time to get your smithing on this summer!  Check out descriptions and schedules below for your chances to join me for some fun in the metals studio!

New this year: I have been invited to participate as an instuctor in Sawtooth School for Visual Art's Summer Art Immersion Program for gifted and talented high school students who are passionate about visual art or are interested in pursuing a career in art.  I'll be teaching a two week session focusing on metal forming and enameling!  Rising 9th-12th graders must be recommended by their art teachers, and apply here!

Summer Art Immersion
Make Your Metal POP! 
Explore the world of metalsmithing. Form metal into shapes using hammers and stakes. Learn about using 
vitreous enamels and kiln firing to create bright and beautiful enamel surface treatments on formed pieces 
that will really make your metal pop.
The application deadline is June 6^th. Scholarship Application deadline is May 23^rd.

Sawtooth School for Visual Art : Winston-Salem, NC
Session I - 2 weeks
June 23 - July 3
10:15am-12:15pm

Adult Classes

Champleve Enameling Workshop
Champlevé is an enameling technique in which troughs or cells are etched into the surface of the metal and filled with vitreous enamel. The piece is then fired until the enamel fuses, creating a unique look of a smooth surface of metal lines and enamel spaces. Learn the process of creating beautiful enameled pieces to use as jewelry. You’ll get hands-on practice and learn the process from beginning to end. Materials included.

Sawtooth School for Visual Art : Winston-Salem, NC
2 day Workshop (Sat-Sun)
May 17-18 
10:00am-4:00pm

Taste of Art : Copper Earrings

Taste of Art is a wonderful new program at Sawtooth School for Visual Art.  Spend a fun evening learning something new, socializing with friends and create a lovely piece of jewelry to take home.  Perfect for beginners and anyone who just wants to spend a fun Friday evening out being creative with friends!  Students are always welcome to bring beverages and snacks, but all supplies and tools will be provided. In this class we'll be making copper earrings!

Sawtooth School for Visual Art : Winston-Salem, NC
Friday, June 27
6:00-8:00pm

Taste of Art : Enameled Pendant

Taste of Art is a wonderful new program at Sawtooth School for Visual Art.  Spend a fun evening learning something new, socializing with friends and create a lovely piece of jewelry to take home.  Perfect for beginners and anyone who just wants to spend a fun Friday evening out being creative with friends!  Students are always welcome to bring beverages and snacks, but all supplies and tools will be provided. In this class we'll be making an enameled copper pendant!

Sawtooth School for Visual Art : Winston-Salem, NC
Friday, July 18
6:00-8:00pm

Metals/Jewelry : Forming
This class is designed for students who want to bring dimension to their metal work. Learn how to bring volume to pieces by shell forming with hammers and stakes, or by using the hydraulic press. There will be demonstrations and plenty of time to develop your skills. Good for beginners and beyond. Materials available for purchase in class.


Sawtooth School for Visual Art : Winston-Salem, NC
Six Tuesdays
July 22 - Sept 2  (Skip August 5)
6:30-9:00pm

Adult Art Camp : Enameling
Enameling is an ancient process where powdered glass is fused to metal's surface through heat (a torch or kiln). This fun art camp is for beginners and will emphasize experimentation and will introduce techniques like sifting, stenciling, and sgraffito using enamels on copper. Basic materials included.

Sawtooth School for Visual Art : Winston-Salem, NC
5 days (Mon-Fri)
July 28 - August 1
10:00am-1:00pm

Etching Workshop
Etching is a fabulous way to add design and texture to your metalwork! Learn different types of resist methods to be used in the etching process, including paint pen, stamping, and heat-applied print resists. We will make samples in copper and explore both traditional acid etching as well as electro-etching processes.

Sawtooth School for Visual Art : Winston-Salem, NC
2 days (Sat-Sun)
August 30-31
10:00am-4:00pm

Summer Craft Show Schedule

Hi all!  I've been working diligently on some revisions of an older line of enamel disc jewelry, so once again I've forgotten to post in a while.  I actually started off the craft show season this past weekend at The Handmade Market in Raleigh, NC.  They put on a very nice event - I also did their holiday show in November of last year, and will probably do that one again this year, so stay tuned.  My sister, Cat Kostka, came along this time as my lovely assistant - thanks, Cat! We had a great time and got to debut what I'm now calling the "Polka Collection."

Fun and bright and perfect for spring and summer!

If you would like to visit some craft shows this season and see these lovelies in person - so that you can try them all on and decide which ones should be yours - check out where we'll be in the coming months, and plan to come out and see us!

May 3 - The Handmade Market - Cobblestone Hall, Raleigh, NC

June 7 - Ocrafolk Festival - Ocracoke Island, NC

July 4-5 - Festival for the Eno - Durham City Park, Durham, NC

August 24 - Big Love Fest - Pack Square Park, Asheville, NC  

Still working on the Fall schedule, but I will definitely be at the Piedmont Craftsmen Fair, November 21-23 in Winston-Salem, NC.  More to come!

If you gotta have 'em now - these guys are so brand spankin' new, they're not even on my website or my etsy page yet - shoot me a message at coppertide@gmail.com or through my facebook page!  

The new necklaces are reversible! Whaaaaaat?!?!  I know.  Plus I have different options for matching earrings. There are several fun color combos that are ready to ship or I can take custom orders for your favorite colors!

New Members' Show

Hiya friends!  To anyone who is in or around the Winston-Salem area in the next month, I have some brand new pieces in the New Members' Show at the Piedmont Craftsmen Gallery in Winston's Downtown Arts District, right now through March 28!  We have quite a lovely arts district, worth checking out for the variety of galleries and shops as well as neat restaurants and bars if you happen to find yourself coming this way!

Unfortunately, due to an ice storm, our opening scheduled for this past Friday at the First Friday Gallery Hop was canceled... however, I will be doing a demo and artist talk for "How2Night," one of PCI's programs for educating the public about all that goes into making fine craft.  That takes place this Thursday, March 13, 6-7pm at Piedmont Craftsmen.  Open and free to the public, and a great chance to see the New Members' Show, which features the work of the 19 newest craftsmen accepted into the guild.

I'll be demonstrating how I form my "SeaPods" pieces from flat copper sheet into pod form with hammers and stakes and then how I apply the enamel to the interior of each piece.  Should be a fun time!

Winter / Spring 2014 Workshop Schedule

Well, another busy season has come and gone, and it's time to start off 2014 with some metalsmithing fun!  Below are your chances to get in on a class or workshop with me this Winter and Spring.  When possible I've linked directly to the sign-up for each workshop, but keep checking back because we're firming up more classes in the late Spring!

Metals/Jewelry : Enameling 
Enameling is an ancient process where glass is fused to metal through heat. Students will experiment with enameling on copper and are encouraged to explore the possibilities that this process allows. Annie will introduce a variety of enameling techniques such as sifting, stenciling, sgraffito, and basse taille. Students may apply these techniques to everything from pendants and earrings to decorative home items. No experience necessary. Most materials included in the fee.

Sawtooth School for Visual Art : Winston-Salem, NC
Section A (Winter)
Five Tuesdays
January 14 - February 11
6:30 - 9:00pm

Section B (Winter)
Five Tuesdays
February 18 - March 18
6:30 - 9:00pm

Section A (Spring)
Five Tuesdays
April 8 - May 6
9:30am - 12:00pm

Section B (Winter)
Five Tuesdays
April 8 - May 6
6:30 - 9:00pm

Etching Workshop
Etching is a fabulous way to add design and texture to your metalwork! Learn different types of resist methods to be used in the etching process, including paint pen, stamping, and heat-applied print resists. We will make samples in copper and explore both traditional acid etching as well as electro-etching processes. This is a great pre-cursor to the Champleve enameling (etching recesses filled with enamel) Workshop to be offered in the Spring!

Sawtooth School for Visual Art : Winston-Salem, NC
Saturday, February 1
10:00am - 4:00pm

Taste of Art : Enameled Pendant
Taste of Art is a wonderful new program at Sawtooth School for Visual Art.  Spend a fun evening learning something new, socializing with friends and create a lovely piece of jewelry to take home.  Perfect for beginners and anyone who just wants to spend a fun Friday evening out being creative with friends!  Students are always welcome to bring beverages and snacks, but all supplies and tools will be provided. In this class we'll be making an enameled copper pendant!

Sawtooth School For Visual Art : Winston-Salem, NC
Friday, February 28
6:00-8:00pm

Exploring Enamels Weekend Workshop
Enameling is the process of fusing powdered glass to metal. Focus on basic techniques such as sifting and kiln firing, and learn additional techniques such as Sgraffito (scratching through enamel) and Basse Taille (using transparent enamels over textured metal).  Beginner - Intermediate.

Visual Arts Center of Richmond - Richmond, VA
March 14-15
Saturday 10:00-4:00, Sunday 1:00-4:00

Taste of Art : Copper Earrings
Taste of Art is a wonderful new program at Sawtooth School for Visual Art.  Spend a fun evening learning something new, socializing with friends and create a lovely piece of jewelry to take home.  Perfect for beginners and anyone who just wants to spend a fun Friday evening out being creative with friends!  Students are always welcome to bring beverages and snacks, but all supplies and tools will be provided. In this class we'll be making an enameled copper pendant!

Sawtooth School For Visual Art : Winston-Salem, NC
Thursday, April 3
6:00-8:00pm

Metal Forming for the Jewelry Artist

Students will learn to use thinner gauge materials to create voluminous and structurally sound metal forms.  Techniques covered include synclastic and anticlastic forming as well as shell forming – all on a  miniature scale. We will create small, delicate forms that can be used in jewelry and a variety of other  applications. All tools are provided. 

Visual Arts Center of Richmond : Richmond, VA

2 Day Workshop
Saturday, April 5  - 10:00 - 5:00
Sunday, April 6 - 1:00 - 4:00

Metals/Jewelry : Forming

This class is designed for students who want to bring dimension to their metal work. Learn how to bring volume to pieces by shell forming with hammers and stakes, or by using the hydraulic press. There will be demonstrations and plenty of time to develop your skills. Good for beginners and beyond. Materials available for purchase in class.

Sawtooth School for Visual Art

Six Wednesdays
April 9 - May 14
6:30 - 9:00pm

Taste of Art : Enameled Pendant
Taste of Art is a wonderful new program at Sawtooth School for Visual Art.  Spend a fun evening learning something new, socializing with friends and create a lovely piece of jewelry to take home.  Perfect for beginners and anyone who just wants to spend a fun Friday evening out being creative with friends!  Students are always welcome to bring beverages and snacks, but all supplies and tools will be provided. In this class we'll be making an enameled copper pendant!

Sawtooth School For Visual Art : Winston-Salem, NC
Friday, February 28
6:00-8:00pm

Champleve Enameling Weekend Workshop
Champlevé is an enameling technique in which troughs or cells are etched into the surface of the metal and filled with vitreous enamel. The piece is then fired until the enamel fuses, and when cooled the surface of the object is polished. Learn the process of creating beautiful enameled pieces to use as jewelry. You’ll get hands-on practice and learn the process from beginning to end. Materials included.

Sawtooth School for Visual Art
Saturday & Sunday, May 17-18
10:00am - 4:00pm

Finally! A Post About My Show at Quirk!

I promised pics from my show at Quirk Gallery in April, so here goes.  I know, it's 2 months later.  Explanation: the day I was installing my show at Quirk, Mark and I were on the phone back and forth with our real esate agent bidding on a house!  We ended up with the winning bid, and closed on our beautiful old house - a Craftsman Bungalow built in 1918! - a month later.  Since then it's been balls-to-the-wall with packing, moving, unpacking, renovations, etc.  I got my new studio up and running just in time to make a few extra last minute pieces for the Ocrafolk Festival on Ocracoke Island the first weekend of June.  Sadly, that trip got canceled due to a tropical strorm, but still took up a good deal of time.  Nothing like everything happening at once!

So anyway, here are some photos of new work as well as show installation!

 

Quirk Gallery, Richmond, VA

 

 

 

A peek through the door at installation.

 SeaPod Wall Installation going up!

 

 

 

View from the front of the gallery.

 

Left Wall : Neckpieces

 

Right Wall : SeaPod Wall Installation Piece, Reef Jewelry, Seapod Rings

 

Center Table : Neckpieces, SeaPod Jewelry

 

 

 

Me with my work!

 

 

 

SeaPod Rings

 

 

 

Cone Cluster Neckpiece

 

 

 

Collected SeaPods Neckpiece

 

 

 

Pod Cluster Neckpiece

 

 

 

 

Pod Scarf Neckpiece

 

 

 

 

Chain of Pods Neckpiece

 

 

 

I had a great time with this show.  It was a ton of hard work and long nights leading up to the show, but totally worth it to see eveything all up and together!  I'm working on setting up other venues, but I would love some suggestions of places to show, and I would love to hear your feedback on my newest work!  Thanks for taking the time to stop by and check everything out!  More to come soon, I hope!