Just out of curiosity - where is considered the cream of the crop when it comes to places to study jewelry and silversmithing in England - from a design and making point?
Thank you :)
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Just out of curiosity - where is considered the cream of the crop when it comes to places to study jewelry and silversmithing in England - from a design and making point?
Thank you :)
They're all over the country and it depends where your area of interest lies
(and for my next trick I'll tell you how long my piece of string is :-D)
Ni
Hello Again!
I just ment in general - jewelry more than silversmithing, but preferably both. With a wide range of areas of study, and great teachers who you can really respect and learn from.
Are the best in London? Birmingham? (one of those I presume?) - or somewhere completely different.
Its the same in the US - but there are certain schools that stand above the rest.
I've popped a link to a thread which has a few listed.
Then there are quite a few talented individuals who teach within their field.
e.g. lampworking courses.
I've done courses up and down the country (depending on what i wanted to learn)
Sorry none in Birmingham though :(
Someone from "up North" will probably be up in the morning (it's nearly midnight here) and they'll give you some more suggestions.
Nic xx
There's also a link about the pro's and cons of experience versus qualifications....
http://www.cooksongold.com/forum/jew...fications.html
Quite a few people choose to go down the short, intense course, rather than a longer degree/qualification course, but its all down to personal choice in the end.
Let us know how you get on and what you decide.
Oh and :welcome: to the forum from me.
xx
Hey Ladies :)
Its not really somthing I am looking to do, I was just curious.
I spent three months at Jewelry Schools : New Approach School for Jewelers in Virginia Beach - which is supposed to be better than most universities there for teaching setting and fabrication etc as well as thinking about processes - but its not directed at using your imagination and being creative, nor does it teach any specific fancy techniques, like mokume, or granulation, or enamelling.
I was told by the guy who employed me (currently on a break) that he has never employedanyoneafter a university course and didn't beleive in jewelry schools as he had to retrain everyone anyway - Welcome to Leon Megé The Art of Platinum™
So just curious really and wanted some feedback.
Ok here's my contraversial tuppence worth.
When I was at art college doing a two year full time jewellery design BTEC, the two places everyone was desperate to get into for their degree was Sir John Cass Department of Art, Media and Design or Central St Martins College of Art, both in London. I chose to get a job as a goldsmith, as after A levels and then the BTEC I was nearly 21 and didn't want to spend another 3 years in education so I've got both qualification and experience.
The trouble with some short term courses I've looked into since is that they ignore what I think is a major part of jewellery making - design. This was a major part of my BTEC. A lot of people now (not everyone in case people start jumping on my back) seem to do a couple of "silversmithing" courses and then start teaching. After I left the industry I took a short course just to have workshop access - I couldn't believe how little the "tutor" knew :(|. There's far too many people on Etsy, Folksy etc making nearly identical jewellery as all they do is look at other peoples jewellery for "inspiration" because they don't know how find inspiration elsewhere. Another PMC leaf pendant with a lampwork bead hanging off it? Yawn.
It's not just a simple matter of a qualification versus experience. A degree course will give you experience by exposing you to far more techniques and different materials in fully equiped workshops for 3 years full time so you can try everything and see what you like working with. It won't give you experience as a jobbing goldsmith but if only matters if you want to be a jobbing goldsmith.
You'll also be in exhibitions and make contacts - if high end jewellery designing is what you want to do then this is where you'll get doors opening more so than a craft fair stall in your local town.
Here's an example: look up Peter Page's gold and diamond face mask on the Central St Martins website (won't let me post the link until I've got 5 posts). May not be everyone's cup of tea but it was worn by Bianca Jagger at an Ossie Clark show and has been bought by the V&A for permanent display.
Thats me done. And why I don't post coz I'm sure some people will take take offence. Hey ho.
no offence taken at all, Forget-me-Not (;)) that's a valid and interesting viewpoint. Debate is valuable, don't you think?
No offence taken from me (cept I quite like the leaf and bead pendants :D)
If I won the lottery which would give me enough cash to take a break from my short course,
build up the business, learn as I go along route....I'd consider re-taking a degree in jewellery
(my current joint honours is in English Lit & Theology, very useful for jewellery lol)
I'd agree there are a lot of breaks / networking opportunities available for graduates too.
Though my 21 year old self would probably not have been equipped to take advantage of them ;)
Nic x
No offence taken from me either. A very interesting point you've made there Forget me not. So please keep on posting...
I'm not offended either - although I do find myself looking at jewellery more from the point of 'how did they do that' than actually wanting to wear it!
I did a short silversmithing course years ago with the local adult education centre and a wonderfully stocked local workshop - that's what got me my Cookies account!
The course did not cover design at all - in fact we were supposed to turn up knowing what we wanted to make and that was the "beginners" course - and that confused me rather as I had no idea what I wanted to make.
My designs are probably based on things I see - but I'm gradually learning to find inspiration is the items in my hands or around me - but maybe a course on design would be useful for me sometime. Or maybe not :)
Nope a very interesting response and no offence taken at all.
On the other side though there are the complaints that universities don't teach enough quality jewelry making skills and do focus mainly on design with little effort in getting students to really consider the execution and finish etc. How many people can leave a university course and do great quality goldsmithing and setting work?
So - that Is why I am looking for the place that has it all :) not that I will be going there any time soon.
It's a trend not solely limited to jewellery... In, for example, the bushcraft world, there are a lot of "schools" have been set up by people who have done 1 or 2 short courses then decided they're going to teach. It doesn't seem a wise move to me - I tend to feel that a teacher needs both wide knowledge of the subject matter and experience.Quote:
Originally Posted by Myosotis
As for the mask - this one? Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design - Central Saint Martins Snapshot blog – Mask made by CSM’s Peter Page acquired for V&A’s permanent collection
WOW that is truly amazing !!!
It's a bit frustrating for me tbh - I'm trying to get back into it but I didn't realise how its exploded in the last few years especially with PMC (I've got a unused solidified block of vintage c1996 mitsubishi PMC kicking around somewhere!) There seems to be so many hobbyists out there barely charging enough to cover their costs (but having a great time doing it coz they've just "discovered" making jewellery and it's like, sooo addictive #-oso) its hard to make a living at it because the "lower" end market is very crowded, yet if you want to go "higher" end most exhibitions and things like "Dazzle" mostly only want graduates because it seems more elite.
I'm still pondering over designs at the moment - most people are generally conservative but want to feel they've got something unique so I've got to get the balance between USP and (that ugly word) commercial.
I am so sick of looking at courses taught by someone who has only been making jewelry a year and probably knows a hell of a lot less than I do.
You see I wasn't that impressed by the mask from a fabrication stand point. Different design for sure and eyecatching - but it didn't look like the work of a master jeweler.
It must be super-frustrating for anyone looking to take a PMC course - there are so many "instructors" in that right now. What is that all about? is it something set up by the manufactures of PMC?
As for the mask - this one? Mask made by CSM’s Peter Page acquired for V&A’s permanent collection
(First attempt at quoting!)
that's the fella! See, it's not something I would wear (maybe more Lady Gaga's style) but if you can come up with concepts like that then you can find ways to adapt the idea for something more wearable ie a choker or neckpiece.
Lucy I agree about the lack of "practical" skills from a degree. As an example when I did my 2 year course you were told "mix your borax with slightly fairy liquidy water, paint it on with your brush, pick up your pallion (can never spell that!) with tweezers etc etc. At the goldsmiths we just used an unfolded paperclip as a pick and easyflo solder - so much quicker. There's a lot of things that won't get taught on either long degree type courses or short courses. You won't get taught how many sizes you can stretch a ring before you have to put a piece in, or how to replace a claw on a ring, or how to solder a break in a hollow rope chain (oh god flashbacks to that smell!)
Unfortunately I don't think the kind of course that combines both design and practical workshop skills exists - they seem to be mutually exclusive!
It's something to bear in mind when designing and making something - how strong is the design, ie will it stand up to day to day wear and tear, and if it breaks will it be repairable.
Oops just noticed the time better do some work
I agree about the fabrication - I could probably make something like it myself but the point was more about not what you know but who you know - it was designed for an Ossie Clark show, worn by Bianca Jagger and is now in the V&A museum (not sure but maybe equivalent to your Metropolitan museum?) permanently. That the sort of environment you'd be exposed to at those unis that I in my little shed workshop doesn't have :'(Quote:
Originally Posted by Lucy
Anyway shouldn't you be in bed? Isn't it silly o clock in NY at the moment:)
he he! at the moment I am in sheffield - so I'm wide awake now.
Thats half the thing that interests me in doing a long course like that, being with like-minded people for such a long period of time can only help the learning process. Sometimes you do get stuck when your all alone at home in your studio with only your own mistakes to learn from.
and you don't have as many toys as you need :(
Need or want?
Myosotis- Yes jewellery has got busy in the last few years but one of the wonderful things about making handmade jewellery is that Art is as individual as the Artisans that create it. I often buy jewellery from other Artisans (after all I appreciate the work that's gone into it). I also take on board some of their marketing ideas (like the cute little tags from Moo Cards that one of them was using).
The more jewellery makers there are out there, the better, because it helps promote and grow the entire field. Working on the "Philosophy of Abundance" means I don't have competitors, just colleagues. :) If people are making their own jewellery then they're not buying "High Street" (which is great for all of us). The more unique pieces the buying public see the more they will want something unique for themselves.
Lucy, there are a lot of PMC courses out there, some good, some not.
Thankfully both main manufacturers do official accreditation programmes which at least guarantee the people can make to a certain standard (though passing on those skills is something else entirely). Personally I'm a big advocate of silver clay as it's an easy intro to working with metal & leads people learning more skills to add to their range and repertoire. e.g. I started in 1995 with metal clay, and have since learnt soldering,basic casting, glass work, enamelling and a whole host of other skills.
I understand what you're saying about "new" tutors but although a year isn't a massively long time, it can be an eternity if someone has specialised and has regular bench hours (think what an apprentice stone setter might learn during a year of solid bench work).
Sometimes if the tutor has learnt extra skills recently then they will often explain things in great detail and not miss any of the little steps out (while sometimes experienced tutors can forget there's a class of beginners in front of them lol).
When I'm considering a course I generally find that looking at a tutors work and contacting them direct to find their "teaching style" really helps (as does recommendation).
Having said all that the one thing I love about new courses is you can see if you like a new technique before you buy all the new toys (oops tools)
for it.
Nic xx
half and half. Bought a rolling mill on Ebay from a "fraternal" seller (won't name names) wish I'd looked into it closer but assumed it would be like the ones I used to use. There was a reason it was cheaper than Cookson's ones. Nothing wrong with it per se, just no gearing and you have to spend three days taking it apart to change rollers. Should have waited and gone for a Durston. Fool and his (or her) money and all that. Looking for a polishing motor, there's one I've seen with two speeds - normal for metal and slower for polishing plastic which would be useful. Can't get on with a Dremel after using a polishing motor and pendant drill - which is another thing still to get. Pendant drill most versatile bit of kit I ever used. Wish list is a plating machine. Argh!!! Money money money.
Still at lease I've got most of the non plug items ie hammers, pliers, mandrels, doming block, swage block, drawplates etc and a ton of silver
mmm tools *drools*
Nic its just when I see "certified pmc instructor" - what does that mean? it all seems a bit of a marketing ploy to me by the pmc makers? I agree that its great for getting people interested in metalsmithing in the first place though. I came from the other direction - beadwork :)
Lucy - I'm a tool addict too (love your workshop pics)
If they're level 2 certified it means they've gone through some pretty intensive training and had to be at a reasonable level to make the pieces.
(the pieces you have to make to get the certification cover a variety of techniques to a high level).
Aside from that a senior instructor would've had to invest about £1000 of course payments to cover the 3 & 4 day courses of level 1&2 respectively.
Really though it still comes down to looking at their work and talking to them to see how much they make from the stuff.
I tried beading but never enjoyed it very much, so until PMC came along I'd been making stuff in polymer clay ;)
Nic xx
Ahh! so I guess the glass also comes from the love of polymer clay!
Yep I'm a colour & texture girl ;)
Yep! I hope to make one of my next classes enameling - need a bit of color!
So - any suggestions on which uni's are considered to be the best of the best in the UK for jeweler and silversmithing?
Just opinions is all I'm after :)
I don't have any experience of any of the courses, but if I were to be able to go, I'd want to go to the Birmingham Jewellery School or Central St Martins.
Birmingham School of Jewellery for me right opposite cookies :)
Birmingham do some great short courses and also West Dean for those who aren't able to do a full time course.
Can I stick my tuppence in on this one please?!
I did a short evening course in jewellery and enamelling back in the late 90's which totally gave me the bug. After that I got a job in a high street jewellers to get my retail qualifications but soon became bored with high street jewellery (no prizes for guessing why!)
After bumbling along for a couple of years I decided to do a foundation course in art as I had dropped the subject at school and never picked up a pencil since. From there I did my degree at Loughborough having seriously considered Buckinghamshire Chilterns and Sheffield Hallam. These were the only three I felt gave equal time to design and manufacture as two seperate subjects. I did look at London and Birmingham but felt that with my limited design skills I needed a push in both directions and I can honestly say I made the best choice for me. We were encouraged from the start to design anything we wanted and then if need be, create the technique to make it, and I loved this way of working.
I think I would put Central Saint Martins, Birmingham School of Jewellery, Loughborough, Buckinghamshire Chilterns and Shaffield Hallam as my top 5 Unis for Jewellery in this country but thats just MHO!!!
I went to Buckinghamshire Chilterns and they did focus a lot on the design aspect. All the more wearable pieces I made had a more flamboyant counter-part, that was drawn out of the design process - the manufacture of it was a learning exercise, to enable me to discover how I could adapt it to make the piece more (I hate the word) "commercial" than catwalk. There was a lot that I didn't cover, stone setting and repair type work, but it did enable me to try many things, casting, raising, forging on a larger scale then apply them to smaller scale work. It did open doors too - I had work exhibited in galleries in London, Brighton, Leeds, and I had other galleries asking if they could exhibit my work (what I would give for that now!!) I was also approached by a major high street jewellery retailer and offered a design job based on my degree show work. So I feel it was worth doing - I just wish I had persued it a bit more, but then **** happened in life and it all went a bit belly up lol
Hi, this is a real bone of contention for me too. I did a Three Dimensional Design Degree way back in 1996 & graduated in 1999 with a 2:2 Hons. I did apply to The Jewellery School @ Birmingham before hand & got an interview but never got accepted. Now I am desparately trying to get in to workshop environment, (paid preferably) just to get back into the swing of making jewellery. I just want some good solid leads, if any one knows anything or anyone would you please pm me.
I, like some of the previous thread contributers, started with a local community evening class, back in the early 1990's.
Also, this is completely off topic I know but which of these two magazines is more specifically targeted to a jobbing jeweller/trainee goldsmith positions, the Goldsmith or Jeweller Focus? Both of these I have had a brief look at each website, but I would prefer a readers opinion. They were suggested to me by a member of the Institue of Professional Goldsmiths, a very nice man called Mike Shore.
I used to read both those magazines back when I worked in retail jewellery a few years ago and both used to have sections about vacancies within the trade. Focus was much more trade oriented where as Goldsmiths tried to be more trend based- but this was a couple of years ago so I dont know if they are still the same now.
The Benchpeg website and E-newsletter has the best 'situations vacant' I know of but is mainly London based although it does try to cover the whole country.
I know the Jewellery Quarter has its own magazine- I think its the Hockley Flyer (someone correct me if Im wrong!) so that might have vacancies in it too. Maybe worth a try? :snow:
Thanks Hannah, I already subscribe to Retail Jeweller, which I know is more shop based. I also follow and am subscibed to Bench Peg and have Jackson Maine details , plus The Jewellery Stylist site as a favourite.
I 'll try the Hockley Flyer again. I want to to know about both mags as I am going to ask my eldest brother to gift it me as birthday subscription, therefore I just wanted to check which one was the better of the two.
Please could any other current subscibers of these mags let me know a bit more information - specifically with regard to workshop vacancies.
New Designers, at the Isligton business centre London, is one of the highlights of my year. There is usually a huge jewellery section, in a kind of annexe upstairs, which allows you to see what some of our universities produce, with prestigious prizes. It happens in the first two weeks of July, but there is not much information on the site yet. If it is possible for you, check it out. Central Saint Martins, London, also has a graduate show, which is very design orientated. It's a shame to do very bread and butter stuff for the High Street. If necessary that can come later. Dennis.