The holiday season will be here soon! How many times have we promised ourselves that we’d make thoughtful handmade gifts only to have the time escape us? Well, this class is designed for you! Prepare now by learning to create beautiful, impactful paintings to share with family and friends this year. Their small size is perfect for generating your own custom Christmas cards or for framing to have several meaningful gifts to share.

Class Outline:
Part I | Demonstration
There will be a quick 30-minute demo to cover a variety of techniques to be employed throughout the workshop and to ensure students are familiar with their materials.

Part II | Class Work
Instructor will provide mini-demos for students as you work through progressive steps to produce 2 – 4, 5” x 7“ watercolor paintings. Instructor will assist as needed with any of the steps.

Part III | Q&A
Q&A wrap up with students having received a handout covering supplies and topics discussed in workshop. The techniques learned will allow students to generate more pieces at home with confidence.

INSTRUCTOR PROVIDES THESE SUPPLIES
Watercolors
Mounting boards
Tape
Watercolor paper
Pencils
Reference materials

VRAC PROVIDES THESE SUPPLIES
Palettes
Disposable aprons

STUDENT PROVIDES
#4 Round watercolor brush
#8 Round watercolor brush
#4 Rigger
Container for water (at least 16oz capacity)
Roll of paper towels
Hair dryer

Love silver jewelry? Think you might like to make it? Come to this workshop to be introduced to the professional culinary torch and Argentium silver, a relatively new type of sterling silver used in jewelry making. Each attendee will leave with a beautiful pair of silver earrings, post or hook, or a pendant made by….you! We will fuse decorative silver elements onto a sterling (Argentium) background. Each piece will be one of a kind. No previous experience necessary.

Workshop Outline
Part I Introductions and Design
Participants will be introduced to the tools and materials used to design and fabricate the class project and provided examples to stimulate design ideas. Participants are encouraged to ask questions as they arise. (30 minutes).

Part II Fabrication
Participants will watch the instructor demonstrate the execution of a simple design such as those pictured.

Participants will make the elements they wish to incorporate into their projects.

Participants will fuse the elements, including findings, to their pendant or earring backplates. (approximately 2 hours)

Part III Finishing
The instructor will demonstrate the use of silver black to add a patina to the finished jewelry.

Participants will sand away tool marks and scratches, then add patina if desired, attach findings, and wear. (30 minutes)

INSTRUCTOR PROVIDES THESE SUPPLIES
Silver Kit for each student; tools and materials needed for four fusing stations; finishing materials; list of materials used and sources; display monitor and action camera; instructor set up

Handout for each attendee to be provided by instructor 2 weeks in advance of the workshop.
VRAC PROVIDES THESE SUPPLIES
Five pyrex dishes (5X9); Small box of baking soda; q-tips: 2 rolls of paper towels; Bar Keeper’s Friend; Blue Dawn dishwashing liquid; 12 x 12 ceramic tiles (n=5); tablet of graph paper (at least 24 sheets); disposable apron to protect clothing (Students may bring cloth apron if desired.)

STUDENT PROVIDES
Safety glasses or prescription eye glasses; wear closed toe shoes and long pants (natural fibers); pencil and eraser; Joyce Chen Scissors*; silver chain or leather cord if pendant is the preferred finished object.

Joyce Chen Scissors can be purchased on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/Joyce-Chen-51-0220-Unlimited-Scissor/dp/B0000CFLH7/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_3?keywords=Joyce+Chen+51-0220%2C+Unlimited+Scissor%2C+Red+handle&qid=1556122415&s=gateway&sr=8-3-fkmrnull