Another new avenue on my map

 

I've taught my first jewellery workshop.  Phew!  And Yay!  "Pierced and Soldered Ring Bands" was hosted by Peyton Barrett and her family at their studios in Sandy Point.  What a beautiful setup they have there.  Bright and spacious, with different workrooms for different tasks, as well as a little retail shop.  We were made to feel most welcome there, and she cooked for us too!  Divine! 

In terms of the workshop, I do believe it was a successful experience for everyone.  This was my first experience teaching adults, and I found it far less stressful than teaching kids.  I've only done that in a very limited capacity, but remember feeling utterly drained during and afterwards!  Adults are much better at intuitive self-directed learning.  I think I managed to help everyone in some way, even those who were somewhat familiar with the techniques I was showing them.  So that was rewarding.  You can see the fruits of our labours in the photo at the top.  I will make a few adjustments to my lesson plan if I teach it again, but the aspect I was most concerned about: the pacing, was pretty close to accurate for the time we had allotted for the workshop.   I think the time and planning I put into this first lesson plan were well worth it.   

A huge thank-you to my "guinea pig" class, you were most agreeable and hard-working!  And of course to Pete for getting the ball rolling in so many ways.  

Now I must more thoroughly tackle the lesson plan for my next workshop at the Anna Templeton Centre, "Piercing and Riveting"...  

 

Oh, this must be why I did that MUN certificate.

I started taking distance education courses at Memorial University a few years ago, when I was still working full-time as a welder, to earn my Certificate in Post-Secondary Education.  Jewellery was still a part-time activity for me then, and I had a vague idea that I might teach welding one day.  But my passions shifted over the years, and now jewellery is what keeps my creative juices flowing on a daily basis.  I kept plugging away at my certificate, however, since I'm not one to leave loose ends dangling and I completed it last year.  Now, with people asking on occasion if I could please show them how to do this or that jewellery skill, I've decided to put together a couple of lesson plans for beginning techniques in metalworking for jewellers.

At the top of my blog you'll notice I've added a new tab: Workshops.  So far, I've got three coming up for this spring.  The first is in Sandy Point, and will be a great weekend of ring-making, hosted by the effervescent Pete Barrett.  (Oh, you'll die for her "flummies", so delicious!)  She can arrange billeting if you're not sure where to stay in Central.  The second (already sold out!) and third workshops are being hosted by the Anna Templeton Centre in downtown St. John's.  A wonderfully historic building, bound to get your creativity flowing, as we make pierced and riveted pendants, earrings, and keychains (hint hint, now that's something a fellow might like to make isn't it?).  Click on the Workshop tab to get all the registration details for each. 

As an avid workshop junkie myself, I love seeing the varied results when students are provided with the same skills and materials.  We each bring such personal interpretation to our creative practice, and I'm so excited to be able to provide a bit of a basis for those who want to see what jewellery-making has to offer.