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Thursday, February 16, 2012

Innovating the Chain, Part 1

my work

I begin teaching a chain making class today called "Innovating the Chain" as part of the Pocosin Arts annual Cabin Fever Reliever. There are six classes happening simultaneously including basketry, figurative ceramics, hand-built vessels, encaustic painting, and mixed-media brooches. I arrived here yesterday afternoon and set up my classroom with my assistant, Tara Locklear. We have seven students in the class and all seem rather skilled after my initial email asking about their experience with metalsmithing.

I will begin the class with a short PowerPoint presentation on chains as I always like to start my classes with an illustrated talk about the subject at hand. The pictures I have posted today are all a part of the presentation and among my favorite contemporary chains. After that I will demonstrate how to make jump rings and discuss basic chain design and fabrication. Over the next few days I will also cover wire manipulation, making links out of sheet metal, alternative connections, and scoring and folding. In addition to demonstrations and sample making, I will challenge my students to design and fabricate an unusual chain or "innovative" chain.
 

 


Thanks for reading.

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