Jewellery Making: Twisted Wire Workshop

Course Summary

Make a twisted wire bangle and ring from copper and brass with the potential to work with silver wire in this hands on jewellery course. Brass and copper wire is included in course fee.

This course is suitable for both beginners and more experienced students. In this course participants will use round brass and copper wire in various gauges (thicknesses) to make pieces of jewellery. Working with round copper or brass wire to begin with participants will learn the technique of wire twisting. Techniques and processes will be demonstrated then undertaken by students in this hands on course. Once the technique has been mastered students will learn to use a bracelet and ring sizer to determine the size of their final bangles and rings. Working through calculations to ensure the bangle and ring measurements are correct students will then work through the various processes in order to complete a work to wear.  Basic jewellery techniques such as sawing, filing, forming and polishing will be learnt. This class does not cover soldering.

Students will gain an understanding of the workability of copper and brass wire and learn about the various sizes and profiles it is available in. Participants will learn a range of transferable skills useful across other crafting platforms. We will cover how to straighten wire and twist round wire, use jewellery sizers (bangle and ring) make a simple attachment for the bangle, cut metal that has been twisted with a jewellery saw frame and wire cutters, learn to file, sand, form and lastly polish metal using a flexi shaft drill. Fine motor and tool handling skills will be built through working with the correct tools needed to work with various wire profiles. Students will gain the confidence to consider pursuing more complex twisted wire jewellery making techniques and processes enabling them to work on their own designs.

• Students need to meet OH&S requirements which include wearing closed in shoes, having long hair tied back/up and wearing safety glasses provided when undertaking certain process/techniques as directed by the tutor.
• It is recommended minimal jewellery be worn and suitable clothing appropriate for the studio/workshop setting also be worn. If you have an apron or old shirt please bring it to wear to protect clothes.

Vicki Mason has been wearing jewellery since age two and making it since age 6 or 7. Born in New Zealand she completed a Bachelor of Arts in Classical Studies at the University of Otago and a Diploma in Craft Design from Otago Polytechnic School of Art (Jewellery) before working at Fluxus workshop/gallery with renowned Swiss goldsmith Kobi Bosshard and the FLUXUS team. She was awarded a Master of Philosophy degree (Research) in Gold and Silversmithing (ANU) in 2012. She runs production and exhibition practices and teaches. Vicki has been awarded many grants and awards including the prestigious Australia Council for the Arts Barcelona Studio residency in 2014. Her work is held in both public and private collections including the Shanghai Institute of Visual Arts, Shanghai, Powerhouse Museum, Sydney and the Art Gallery of South Australia. She interviews for Art Jewelry Forum, the international online platform for contemporary Jewelry and is on the board of the World Crafts Council – Australia.