Category: Education

2025 Studio Days Scheduled

I set up Open Studio days for visitors to tour my jewelry studio and watch me work.

Spiral Hoop Earrings
I made 11 pairs of fine silver spiral hoop earrings this past week.

I was on the road for much of 2023 and 2024, but I’m back now and hard at work in my studio, creating inventory to send out to the shops that sell my work and to bring to the shows I sell at in person. I’ve already listed some classes for specific projects, but I’ve also decided to open my shop for guests who just want to see how I make some of my jewelry or join me to make something of their own.

If you’re interested in learning more about how I make my jewelry, check the calendar for one of my Open Studio dates. Find one that works for you and contact me to make an appointment for a studio tour. (I cannot allow walk-ins; my studio is at my home and if I’m not expecting someone to join me, I might not be available. My calendar is subject to last-minute changes.)

Segmented Circle Pendant
I’ll be making various riffs on my segmented circle pendant design over the next few weeks.

If you’d like to learn jewelry making with me, I recommend that you browse through my online shop and find a jewelry item that you’d like to make. Then get in touch, and let me know what you’re interested in. I can give you an estimate of the time and materials cost and we can set up an appointment for a class, possibly on one of the upcoming Open Studio dates.

Keep in mind that if you’re already a jewelry maker and just need access to a shop with specialized tools you don’t have, my Open Studio time is when you can use my tools and equipment for an hourly fee. Contact me to learn more.

Euro Tool Flex Shaft
No jewelry studio is complete without a flex shaft. This Euro Tool 1/4 hp flex shaft retails for $119.95; I sell it for $90. (Pick up only; I cannot ship large tools.)

An Open Studio date is also a good time to purchase jewelry making supplies or tools that you can’t find elsewhere in our area. I work with real sterling and fine silver, as well as quality copper and gemstone cabochons — none of which is available locally. Contact me if you need to buy something for your jewelry making needs. Remember, I’m now a Euro Tools dealer and can get just about any of their products for you at a discount.

As always, if you have any questions, contact me. As my contact page explains, my phone does not ring for unknown callers, so me sure to leave a message if you call. Text is the best way to reach me; I respond quickest to text messages.

I’ve scheduled Open Studio days through March so far and will be adding more dates as the year progresses.

New Class: Silversmithing 101

A two-day class that teaches silversmithing techniques in a professional jewelry studio.

I’m really pleased to announce a new class I’m offering at my Malaga studio that covers many of the silversmithing skills I use to make my jewelry. Open to just two students at a time, I’ll be offering it several times over the summer of 2025. You can check availability and sign up in my online shop. So far, I’m offering it in May, but if my calendar clears up a little, I may offer it in April first.

Here’s a full description:

Silversmithing 101

This two-day class covers all of the basic silversmithing skills you need to make custom jewelry from copper, silver, or gold. I’ll start by telling you what you need to know to work with metal, and then go right into exercises that teach and build skills. By the end of class, you should have a few handmade jewelry items to show off to friends and family members and enough know-how to make more on your own.

Over the course of two days, students will learn:

  • Cutting techniques with shears, wire cutters, and jeweler’s saw
  • Filing and sanding to smooth edges
  • Annealing metal to soften it
  • Texturing with texture hammers and rolling mill texture plates
  • Stamping with metal stamps
  • Shaping metal using mandrels and dapping blocks
  • Riveting and soldering to join metal pieces
  • Creating bezel settings for cabochons
  • Making findings such as jump rings, ear wires, and head pins
  • Polishing and applying patinas

Students will have access to the following tools:

  • Bench pin, bench block, pliers and other hand tools, mandrels
  • Hand shears, sheet metal shear, wire cutters, jeweler’s saws
  • Files, sandpaper and sanding sticks
  • Flex shaft with numerous tools for sanding and polishing
  • Rolling mill with texture plates
  • Stamps and hammers
  • Complete soldering station including torches, blocks, annealing pan, quenching bowl, and pickle pot
  • Tumblers with related supplies and equipment
  • Grinder with polishing wheels
  • And more!

Students can complete a number of jewelry making projects or create something on their own. Sample projects include:

  • Textured earrings
  • Stamped bracelet
  • Stack rings
  • Bezel-set pendant

Details

Class fee: $320 per person

Includes: Two days of hands-on training in my jewelry studio, copper sheet metal and wire for practice and finished pieces, incidental supplies and materials, use of tools and equipment. Bottled water, pop, and a light lunch (sandwiches and salad) will be provided at break time. (There is no place to get lunch nearby, but you are welcome to bring your own.) Sterling silver and cabochons to set into a pendant or ring are available at an additional cost.

Class timing: Saturday and Sunday, 9 AM to 5 PM with 1 hour for lunch and two shorter breaks in the morning and afternoon.

Maximum Class Size: 2 people

Minimum age: 16 and older; attendees under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Cancellation Policy: Once booked, you may cancel the class up to 7 days before the class start date. There is a $10 cancellation fee to cover the cost of refunding your payment; my credit card processor, Square, will not refund the credit card fees I pay. I cannot refund class fees if you cancel within 7 days of the class start date, so if you need to back out last minute, I highly recommend that you find someone to take your place. If I have to cancel the class for any reason, the full amount of your class fees will be refunded.

February Jewelry Making Classes Scheduled

New classes in February at my Malaga, WA jewelry studio.

Now that I’m mostly done traveling and I’m spending a lot more time in my jewelry studio, I’ve decided to open up the studio for small groups of up to 4 students to teach various jewelry making projects. Each two-hour class will either complete one specific project, such as a copper cuff bracelet or sterling silver earrings, or teach general silversmithing skills. Most classes are suitable for ages 15 and older. Everything will be provided, including materials, use of tools, and a suitable workspace.

Split Bar Dangle with Bead
These are the Split bar dangle earrings I can teach you to make in class.

So far, I have five classes scheduled for February 2024:

Saturday, February 8, 2025:
12 pm to 2 pm – Patterned copper cuff bracelets
2 pm to 4 pm – Air chased copper cuff bracelets

Sunday, February 9, 2025:
12 pm to 2 pm – Spiral hoop earrings
2 pm to 4 pm – Split bar dangle earrings

Saturday, February 22, 2025:
12 pm to 2 pm – Findings: Jump rings, head pins, and ear wires

To learn more about each class and reserve your spot, visit the Classes page in my online shop.

And keep in mind that all of these items are also available to buy — made by me! — in my online shop.

November & December 2024 Jewelry Making Classes

Four classes at Gallery One in Ellensburg will help you make holiday gifts recipients will treasure.

I’ll be teaching four jewelry making classes at Gallery One in Ellensburg in November and December 2024. Here’s a quick summary of what’s coming up. If you’re interested in any of these classes, sign up now.

Split Bar Silver Dangle Earrings

Split Bar Dangle Earrings
An incredibly popular earring style at art shows, I have a large selection of beads and stamps so you can personalize your pair.

Wenatchee based artist, Maria Langer, introduces you to her most popular earring style! In this class you’ll learn everything from making jump rings, punching holes and stamping patterns, to assembly. No experience required.

Skills you’ll learn:
– Measuring and cutting silver strip and wire
– Filing silver strip to round and smooth corners
– Stamping designs onto silver strip
– Punching holes into silver strip
– Creating jump rings (instructor demo) and using pre-made jump rings
– Connecting earring pieces
– Attaching beads to earring pieces
– Making ball-end head pins (demo) and using headpins to make ear wires
– Connecting earrings to handmade or pre-made ear wires

$53/person. Offered November 16, 2024.

Beaded Chain Bracelet

Beaded Chain Bracelet
You can make a beaded chain bracelet like this with your choice of at least a dozen different beads. (There is an additional $10 charge payable in class for turquoise beads.)

Join Wenatchee based artist, Maria Langer in making beaded chain bracelets. These virtually unbreakable bracelets don’t use open jump rings to connect links. Instead, they use a double loop wrap technique that ensures all links are connected permanently to each other and a lobster clasp. These can be made in silver or copper. A wide range of gemstone beads will be available to choose from. No experience necessary.

Skills you’ll learn:
– Measuring and cutting silver or copper wire
– Creating beaded bracelet links with the double loop wrap technique
– Connecting each link you make to the one before it as you make it
– Connecting a manufactured lobster clasp

$53/person. Offered November 16, 2024.

Spiral Hoop Earrings

Spiral Hoop Earrings
This is the first style of earrings I ever made. It looks great in silver or copper.

Handmade jewelry makes a great gift and these spiral formed, texture-hammered silver or copper wire hoops are sure to be a hit! In this class, Wenatchee based artist, Maria Langer will teach you shaping, hammering, making ear wires and assembly. No experience required.

Skills you’ll learn:
– Measuring and cutting silver or copper wire
– Filing silver to smooth ends
– Shaping wire into a spiral shape with two loops using mandrels and tools
– Hammering a texture onto the shaped wires
– Securing the hoop shape with another wire
– Making ball-end head pins (demo) and using headpins to make ear wires
– Connecting earrings to handmade or pre-made ear wires

$53/person. Offered December 14, 2024.

Wire Framed Pendant

Wire Framed Pendant
What better way to show off the beauty of a cabochon than to frame it in shiny silver or copper wire? I’ll have many stones on hand to choose from.

Are you looking for a challenge? This workshop takes wire wrapping to a new level, framing a gemstone cabochon in sterling silver or copper wire as wearable art. Wenatchee based artist, Maria Langer, will guide you in designing and building the frame, bail, and flourishes for your chosen cabachon. No experience necessary.

Skills you’ll learn:
– Developing a strategy for securing the stone
– Measuring and cutting silver or copper wire
– Joining wires to make the stone frame
– Setting the stone
– Securing the stone in place
– Creating the bail
– Creatively securing the wire ends.

$63/person. Offered December 14, 2024.

More Info

Ages 16 and up are welcome. Please register at least 72 hours in advance. Classes may be canceled if enrollment minimums are not met. Cost is per student.

Gallery One is located in downtown Ellensburg, in the middle of the state of Washington, just off I-90.

408 North Pearl Street
Ellensburg WA 98926
509-925-2670

April Shop Days Scheduled

I’ll be around for about two weeks in April and will be available for one-on-one classes in my jewelry shop.

Split Bar Dangle with Bead
Sterling Silver Split Bar Dangle earrings with malachite bead.

Some folks might know that I’ve been on the road for much of 2024, but I’m returning home and to my jewelry shop in mid April for about two weeks. Although I’ll be busy building inventory to send out to the shops that sell my work when I can’t do shows, I will have time to do hands-on, project based training for one or two people at a time most days I’m back.

My classes are held in my Malaga, WA studio, which is fully equipped to make all the jewelry I sell in person, in shops, and online. You can see a studio tour video on YouTube. Depending on your existing skill levels, I can teach you how to make just about any of the jewelry I make. I charge by the hour in 1/4 hour increments with a 2-hour minimum. This includes instruction and use of all tools needed for the project. Materials fees, which vary based on the project, also apply. Right now, I’m set up to teach a maximum of 2 people at a time.

If you’d like to explore silversmithing or other jewelry making with me, I recommend that you browse through my online shop and find a jewelry item that you’d like to make. Then get in touch, and let me know what you’re interested in. I can give you an estimate of the time and materials cost and we can set up an appointment for a class.

Jewelry Making Classes on June 17, 2023

Two new classes teach aspiring silversmiths how to make two different jewelry items: earrings and cuff bracelets.

I’ve opened my Malaga WA jewelry studio to classes and hope to conduct two on most weekends throughout the summer. Classes include materials and use of tools, as well as instruction for groups of up to four people. Students leave with the skills they need to make jewelry items on their own, as well as jewelry they made in class.

Here’s what’s coming up next weekend:


Spiral Hoop Earrings

Learn basic silversmithing techniques by making a pair of spiral hoop earrings in sterling silver or copper. We’ll work with three different gauges of jewelry wire and a wide range of tools to cut, shape, and texture a pair of earrings and ear wires. Students will leave with new jewelry making skills and their own pair of handmade earrings. Click here to sign up.


Air-chased Copper Cuff Bracelets

Learn basic silversmithing techniques by making a copper cuff bracelet using air-chasing techniques. We’ll start with a regular copper pipe, anneal it, and use ball peen hammers on bench blocks to introduce ridges and valleys. More annealing before fine-tuning the texture and then filing rough edges and shaping to a cuff. Final steps include polishing or applying a patina. Students will leave with new jewelry making skills and their own copper cuff bracelet. Click here to sign up.

May 2022 Classes at Gallery One

Two classes to make jewelry shown here!

Gallery One has scheduled me to teach two jewelry making classes at their Ellensburg, WA gallery classroom:

Spiral Hoop Earrings


Spiral hoop earrings in silver with accent bead.

Learn how to make the very first earring design I began making way back in 2018! Your choice of copper or silver, with or without accent bead. These are one of my best selling earring designs, so I’ll be making more inventory while I teach you how! Materials fee includes the wire in your choice of copper or silver, a choice of beads, and use of tools; you could bring your own bead 6mm or smaller to use in the piece. Learn more about the class here.

Don’t feel like making them? You can buy them online here.

Wire Wrap Stone Pendant


Copper framed pendant.

Learn how to make the wire framed cabochon pendants I launch my jewelry business with and still make today. We’ll be using various types of copper wire to make a custom frame for a teardrop-shaped cabochon and then secure the stone inside it. There’s no drilled holes and no glue. Materials fee includes the wire, your choice of cabochon, and a leather necklace so you can wear your pendant out the door, as well as use of all needed tools. Additional materials kits will be available. Learn more about the class here.

Don’t feel like making your own? Here’s what’s available online now in copper or silver.