What Was Your Most Memorable Course?

[Dennis]

First one of our members and then two more, have come back on a high from their stone setting courses and it shows in their subsequent posts.

Some years ago I was also at the London Metropolitan University for a course called Stamping and Forming, taught by Jean Pièrre; sadly I no longer have his last name. He was an old stile craftsman, totally absorbed by his work and also very eccentric.

At the introduction he made it known that his students usually brought him chocolate, but that he only liked it with over 70% cocoa solids, which we duly noted and bought.

There was a good selection of tools and machinery, notably a very large hearth for forging, several fly presses, a Bonnie Doon, a floor standing lathe, which we used just because it was there, a band saw, some gigantic bench shears and much more.

We spent a week here making dies, pressing out forms and even cutting some blanking tools. Jean
Pièrre brought in samples of his own and also a set of three repoussé hammers, carefully wrapped in a cloth, which he had forged himself, with handles that he had lovingly shaped: they were beautiful.

At the end my feet were way off the ground. It was my most memorable course. How about you? Dennis.

[ps_bond]

I think the 3 (yes, I know - course singular) most memorable ones in a positive sense had to be:
Engraving, taught by Wayne Parrott at West Dean;
Chasing/Repousse taught by Nancy Megan Corwin (also at West Dean)
and, of course, Tom Wellburn's setting course over at Making Space in Havant.

I fancy doing a course this year, but not sure what or who offhand; there are many areas that appeal, possibly the Fine Jewellery Techniques course at Birmingham this Summer; it depends upon finding the time as much as anything.

[ShinyLauren]

The only jewellery course I've ever done (except for my degree course) was one on silver clay! I used the stuff once to make a couple of masters for casting, then put it away and never touched it again, so a bit of a waste.

I'd really like to do courses on engraving and stone setting and there was also one on hinges and catches I think, at Birmingham, which sounds great. Sadly I can't afford to do any of them at the moment though Maybe next year...