Jewelry Class

Jewelry

Instructor Dolores Lollie Tompkins

Course description:

Jewelry classes are divided into three levels. Creative processes and technical proficiency are regarded as equal parts of the course work. Established as a professional studio experience with access to jewelry making equipment and techniques, this course develops skills that are based on the premise that skill development is founded on previous levels of expertise: Level One skills are the basis for Level Two etc. Students work in metal, plastic, glass, textiles, beads, and found objects.

Scope and Sequence:

Students will design and create jewelry as wearable art. They will complete research on contemporary jewelers and visit area jewelers to review their current works. Specific techniques will be demonstrated throughout the course as designs require. Students will create a series of related works that are based on individual concepts, ideas, and research. 

Students will construct works using traditional processes, casting in silver, enameling, metal fabrication, and slumping glass in addition to using non-traditional processes.

All students will be on individualized lesson plans. Sequence will vary according to the direction and interest of the student designer/jeweler.

Concepts for design development are:

Jewelry as ritual – cultural rituals, rituals of status in a civilization, symbolism and group identification, e. g. England in1800’s Victorian etc. Students will create a series of pieces to fit the era using materials appropriate to the era

Going beyond the body – jewelry that extends beyond the norm of traditional jewelry and joins parts of the design beyond traditional boundaries of the human form

Balance – symmetrical and asymmetrical balance of common and unusual materials that can be joined and worn on the body

Bridges – interpretation of the word as objective or non-objective examples, must be wearable art

Knots and bindings – types of knots researched from sailing and sewing techniques and their translation into metal, plastic, or textiles to create wearable art

Alternative materials – exploration of natural and man-made materials that are joined to create wearable art, e. g. the use of  Arizona Tea cans as the metal for elements in a necklace and the use of plastic toys in combination with casting procedures.

Grading:  Follows the departmental process

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