Description
Whether you love an organic, rustic look; a refined, elegant look; or somewhere in between, a stone can be the perfect inspiration for your work. Learn or refresh your sawing and soldering skills while exploring ways to create prong settings for stone slices and cabochons. We will investigate using different prong styles that each give their own look to your settings. This set of skills can open up your design options and take your creations to the next level. The class is open to all levels, but it will be helpful to be comfortable working with a jeweler’s saw and butane torch.
About the Instructor
Jewelry design has always been a part of Dona’s life, beginning in childhood when she would spend hours rearranging her mother’s jewelry into new designs. She started working with beads and basic metalworking in high school and continued exploring various artistic mediums throughout her career in high tech, taking classes in art, photography, and interior design. After leaving the tech world, Dona returned to her passion for jewelry design and now sells her work through galleries, shows, and online.
Dona teaches traditional metal smithing, jewelry techniques, and metal clay classes. She values an open teaching environment where all questions are welcome, fostering discussions that enhance both knowledge and creativity. Dona finds inspiration in her students, appreciating the unique perspectives they bring to their work.
An award-winning artist, Dona’s work is featured in the 4 Ravens Gallery, Grizzly Claw Gallery, Element, and the Artistic Souls Gallery (online). She has exhibited at gallery and fine art shows across California, Oregon, Idaho, Washington, and Montana.
Learn More
donamiller.com
Materials List
You will need to bring:
Magnifiers (if needed)
Personal tools optional as it is often better to learn with your own tools – jewelers saw, hammers, pliers, files, dremel/flex shaft, butane torch etc.
Provided by instructors:
Sterling sheet and wire for projects
Stones – slices and cabochons
Copper sheet for learning techniques
Silver solder (easy and medium)
Specialized bits for customizing prongs
All tools needed for creating projects including: jeweler’s saw and blades, hammers, files, pliers, soldering supplies, flex shaft.