By Kathryn Keil, Content Editor, Facet Jewelry

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A great night of jewelry in the desert

Meet six master jewelry makers and create talismans: embed energies and objects into your jewelry

Heading to the Gem Shows in Tucson early next year? If so, I hope you can come and join me for a fantastic opportunity to meet six great jewelry makers, share some snacks, do some shopping, but most importantly, make some stunning jewelry!

Intrigued yet? Here's the details. Taking place on Sunday night, February 4, at the Casino del Sol in Tucson, Arizona, The MASTERS TALISMAN PROJECT is fantastic introduction to the latest techniques in metal clay, chain mail, resin, mixed media and metalworking.

Casino del Sol is the this year's new home THREE GEM SHOWS: the Tucson Bead & Design Show, Colors of the Stone, and To Bead True Blue. These are your favorite shows anyway, so come and spend your Sunday evening making new friends and creating great jewelry.

For a low fee, you'll be able to select three different mediums taught by three multimedia jewelry experts, and walk away with a stunning necklace that shows off your three finished projects. There are six projects to choose from, so trust me, no matter what type of jewelry you usually create, you'll have a tough time choosing!

You will create a necklace that tells your own personal story. But you could also use these special tokens as pendants, keychains, or even mismatched earrings! Embrace the energy, explore your own creativity, and relax in small groups to ensure personal attention from these master instructors.

The 2017 Master Talisman Project event

DOESN'T THIS LOOK LIKE FUN?

So, how does this happen? First thing you need to do it visit the Master Talisman Project webpage and select the three projects that speak to you. Register online for the three sessions and arrive at Casino del Sol in Tucson on Monday evening. Arrive at 6:30pm to snack and mingle, and be ready to settle in by 6:45 for hands-on jewelry making.

You'll have 40 minutes with each instructor. As you finish one project, you'll move to the next work station (with breaks for more snacks, of course!). There will be a delightful host there (ME!!) to help you find your way and to admire your work as you create.

We'll finish up by 9:45 or so, unless of course we want to move to the lounge and continue getting to know each other!

Below you'll find a peek at the projects that you'll be making, and the six different jewelry makers there to take you on your talisman journey.

If you're coming to Tucson for the Gem Shows, be sure to make a point to swing by Casino del Sol on Monday. Spend your day shopping three great bead and gem shows, and after that long day of shopping for pretty bits, come sit down and join us!

oh, DID I MENTION THERE WILL BE GOODY BAGS?? AND SNACKS?

CHECK OUT THE PROJECTS AND REGISTER TODAY!

CARRIE STORY

METAL CLAY

Be the first to get your hands on this great new product and explore the world of clays with Carrie Story. Ranger Industries brings us Quick Cure Clay, a new versatile fast working clay to create all your custom designs.

Carrie will show you how to work with this great new clay and discuss some of it’s many uses.

Students will make the center component by working with Quick Cure Clay and a pre-made metal clay component. After completion of the center component, you will patina each piece with Vintaj patinas and assemble the talisman.

Kit includes Quick Cure Clay by Ranger Industries, a selection of pre-made metal clay components and pre-made Quick Cure Clay components, wire and use of Vintaj patinas. No experience required, and all tools will be supplied.

Throughout her career, Carrie Story has proven herself as an expert designer, an accomplished jewelry maker and an enthusiastic instructor.

Carrie founded Clay Revolution in 2014 as a means to bring metal clay to the masses by making it easy and affordable. Carrie currently serves as a Contributing Artist for Metal Clay Today and has been galleried in Metal Clay Artist Magazine. Carrie’s work is shown and sold in galleries throughout the east coast. She is a Certified Prometheus and PMC Instructor and teaches throughout the United States.

Learn more about her here!

KATE RICHBOURG

SOLDERING AND STONE SETTING TECHNIQUES

Students learn basic metalsmithing techniques when fabricating this talisman. Start with a basic copper shape and embellish with stamped designs. Students will use paste solder to solder a coin, brass accent and bezel cup to the copper disc and then set a stone in the cup.

No experience is necessary. This project is perfect for the beginner who wants to learn the basics of soldering with a butane micro torch.

Kit includes all materials and instructor provides all torches and tools for use in class.

Enroll here!

Teaching and designing jewelry since 1992, Kate teaches at national shows, bead societies and bead shops and is published in a variety of jewelry magazines. She's the author of the popular blog “We Can Make That at Home”. You can also find her teaching classes and creating at her studio in South San Francisco, CA.

She has appeared on several episodes of the DIY, HGTV and PBS network shows “DIY Jewelry”, “Craft Lab” and “Beads, Baubles and Jewels.” She also broadcasts regularly from her studio on her Periscope channel. Kate is also the author of two bestselling books Simple Soldering: A Beginner’s Guide to Jewelry Making and Metalsmithing Made Easy.

Visit Kate's website!

EVA SHERMAN

COLD CONNECTING MIXED METALS

In this class, students will cold connect pre-fabricated textured metal components to create a lovely dimensional charm. Join us and get hammered! All levels are welcome, and no experience is required.

Kit contains: (1) 1″ x 1.75” brass sheet, (1) .75” x 1.5” copper sheet, (1) .5” x 1.25” textured pewter sheet, (4) 1/2″ copper rivets, (1) brass tube rivet, (1) faceted stone, (4) jump rings, (1) headpin, and (1) dangle bead.

Enroll here!

Eva Sherman began beading as a way to spend time with her daughters but soon became hopelessly addicted. In 2005, she traded in her architectural career for the opportunity to spend all her time among beads, and opened Grand River Bead Studio in Cleveland, Ohio. She has discovered an affinity for working with wire and metals, and prefers to design in an organic and unstructured style.

Eva has authored two books on jewelry design, Organic Wire & Metal Jewelry and Cool Copper Cuffs, both from Kalmbach Publishing.

Read her blog to learn more!

MEREDITH ARNOLD

DICHROIC TALISMAN

Create your own special dichroic Talisman charms or beads: playing with textures and dichroic effects along with other surface techniques to make 2-3 charms to add to your Talisman treasure is a blast. Everyone can create this “faux dichro” for glass-like jewelry without any of the weight – no previous experience required!

Meredith will supply all of the tools to use for working with this special, lightweight clay. The approach is simple, the possibilities endless and the results are quick and you won’t be able to tell the difference from glass dichroic work.

Instruction will cover tricks and tips, wire work for embellishing beads, and more. The class includes clay, surface embellishment options, a work surface, wire, handout and the use of a variety of texture sheets, shape cutters and tools.

Enroll here!

Known as a Comedian Artist, Meredith brings a depth of knowledge and humor to her classes to create a unique and fun learning experience for her students all over the world.

Her television and video work includes multiple segments on "Beads, Baubles and Jewels" for PBS, local college cable channels, Craftcast.com and online for craftsy.com, among others.

As the Director of ArtWorks in Edmonds, Washington, she has the privilege of working with artists at every level: mentoring, exhibition, developing programs, and as a resource for business practices to help further their careers.

Learn so much more about Meredith on her website!

MARILYN GARDINER

DICHROIC CHAIN MAIL: SOUTHWEST TALISMAN

Chainmail is an alternate way to play with metal and wire. For me, the beauty and value of chainmail is the ability to make components or chains that combine with other kinds of handmade jewelry components. You can combine chainmail with lampwork, metal clay, metalwork, beadweaving, polymer clay, bead stringing, and more.

You can start (or continue) your journey here with jump rings. I will have pliers for you to use as you build this Talisman. We’ll talk about different chainmail weaves, and the tools, sources, and resources for working with chainmail.

The kit for this Southwest themed Talisman includes our saw-cut and polished jumprings (copper and jeweler’s bronze), feather charms, a wire-wrapped turquoise bead, and complete instructions for making the Talisman. No experience required.

Enroll here!

A retired teacher, with a love of math and a graphic design background thrown in for good measure, Marilyn Gardiner is intrigued by the patterns and geometric shapes in nature and in man-made products such as textiles, art glass and architecture.

She founded Marilyn Gardiner Jewellery Design and sells her chain mail kits both online and at bead shows across Canada and in the U.S.

In 2007 Marilyn was selected as the “Artist in Residence: Beadwork” at the Joseph Schneider Haus in Kitchener, ON and in 2011 she was invited to include pieces in an international beadwork exhibit at the JOGS Gem and Jewelry Show. Her first chain mail book, Modern Chain Mail Jewelry, was published by Kalmbach Publishing in 2015, and a second one is in process, due for publication in 2018.

Marilyn is a founder of the Grand River Bead Society based in Guelph, ON.

Visit her website here!

SUSAN LENART KASMER

RESIN PAPER TALISMAN

In this project, you will learn how to personalize transparent resin paper by applying your own words, prayers, images, and text. These will be torn up and stacked into a bezel to create a beautiful prayer box with your own character.

You will hand-hammer bronze wire to create a lengthy charm with movement and swing, and attach a personalized resin paper to finish the component. Your finished charm will be powerful, elegant and beautiful.

Kit includes: small square bezel, resin paper, bronze 16 gauge wire, use of expendables such as Ice resin, oil pastels—plus access to scissors, anvil, hammer, and e6000.

Enroll here!

Susan’s work has included the building of talismans, prayer boxes, amulets and magic for the fashion, museum, gallery and commercial world for over 20 years.

Susan’s work has been in numerous traveling exhibits including the Smithsonian Museum and the Art Institute of New York. Her book, Resin Alchemy, includes a pioneering ten-year body of work combining metal and ICE Resin®, a jeweler’s grade resin that she developed and brought to market and is now creative director of Ice resin. She has also written Making Connections: A Handbook of Cold Joins for Jewelers.

Learn more at susanlenartkasmer.com

A great night of jewelry in the desert

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