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Thread: Comtemporary Applied Art Degree or Not?

  1. #11
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    Feb 2011
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    Quote Originally Posted by Goldsmith View Post
    There will be many opinions about qualifications on this forum. I think you have answered your own question saying that you want some paper qualifications. One benefit of qualifications and degrees is that you will be accepted into the teaching brigade if you ever wanted to join. I remember in the past being told that I was not able to teach my skills in a college as I didn't have the paperwork required to be a teacher.
    I didn't see any mention on your website of where you have learned your skills so far. I am afraid I have no experience of college or university training as I left school at the age of 15 and started my 6 year apprenticeship. My master was against letting his apprentices attend college so all I learnt was from watching others in the workshops.

    James
    It's mad that with your skills James that you wouldn't be able to teach. I agree with not going to colleges now, I had an interesting conversation with a rep last year who was a bench trained jeweller, about the quality or lack of, work he was seeing when visiting college trained customers and he was complimentary about my old fashioned skills
    I was lucky to have been trained by old school grafting silversmiths and engravers who ran a very strict workshop for an Art College but it's not like that now

  2. #12
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    Jul 2012
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    Not sure if this might be of interest?
    http://www.holtsacademy.com/

  3. #13
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    Feb 2011
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    As I'm nearing the end of my study I have often pondered if I might have been better off doing a jewellery/silversmithing course instead. However the appeal to me is the actual craft of making and having looked at various graduates' work the craft is either missing or done by a third party. I want to create amazing designs AND execute them as well. If I could do it all again, I'd do an apprentiship.

    Having also taught (in my own subject) at degree level I think that teaching is something that needs a particular skill set. Not all skilled practitioners are great teachers but all great teachers are also skilled practitioners if that makes sense. Being a great teacher is not something that can be taught IMO. I know my tutor from when I did my PGCE would disagree, but then they had a vested interest in producing teachers.

  4. #14
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    Mar 2013
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    Belfast, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
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    Yes, I think I have already answered my own question! lol. I have searched high and low for a good jewellery/silversmithing course, and can find nothing except the degree. I am based in Northern Ireland, they used to have a city and guilds jewellery making/silversmithing course here, but seem to have stopped it for some reason. So looks like I will be relying on teaching myself, and one to one training (which is costly at £20 an hour, but worth it). Luckily I have my own make shift studio, and the person training me has suggested an hour training every saturday with him, and then he will give me something to do at home, and meet me the following week to see how I got on etc.....to keep cost down. The Holts academy looks really good, I only wish there was somewhere like that over here!

  5. #15
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    The Netherlands
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    You can also check out the Andrew Berry online tutorials, I think many on here are registered users. It is never as good as seeing it done in person, but may help to supplement the help you have already found. Make sure you give yourself a new project each week taking in a new technique.

    If you want to learn skills this is the best way, the fine art degree will never provide bench skills, but you be able to "discuss" art of all media at length.


    Quote Originally Posted by KarolinaMoon View Post
    Yes, I think I have already answered my own question! lol. I have searched high and low for a good jewellery/silversmithing course, and can find nothing except the degree. I am based in Northern Ireland, they used to have a city and guilds jewellery making/silversmithing course here, but seem to have stopped it for some reason. So looks like I will be relying on teaching myself, and one to one training (which is costly at £20 an hour, but worth it). Luckily I have my own make shift studio, and the person training me has suggested an hour training every saturday with him, and then he will give me something to do at home, and meet me the following week to see how I got on etc.....to keep cost down. The Holts academy looks really good, I only wish there was somewhere like that over here!
    Poor old Les

  6. #16
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    Aug 2009
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    Staffordshire
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    I have found that people generally judge you on what they can see in front of them, some do ask what qualifications I have, (I have a number, but none are concerned with what I do now), I tell people that Im bench trained, having sat next to a Master jeweller for 1-2 days each week for a few years now (before that I did a local college of FE evening class and was self taught). The vital aspect is practice, I can learn / be shown how to solder, file, saw, etc,..but it is only the time that I put in at the bench that has helped to improve my skills.....I have spoken to a number of degree students over the years and most feel able to design, but have little experience of making, especially the bench skills required to work in metals.....

    .....I think you had probably answered your own question already, but thought I'd post anyway

  7. #17
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    Jul 2013
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    Guildford, United Kingdom
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    Are the Andrew Berry tutorials via "At The Bench"? I've been debating on paying for a membership there, sounds like it might be a good idea.

  8. #18
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    Jul 2013
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    Guildford, United Kingdom
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    I just wanted to mention I subscribed to "At the Bench" this week. What I've watched so far has been really helpful, so hopefully I'll start creating some really nice pieces soon!

  9. #19
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    Apr 2014
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    Just found this thread, hadn't seen it before. This is something I think about quite regularly. I am almost totally self taught through online tutorials, books, forums such as this, and a lot of trial and error, but sometimes I feel I lack the design and product development skill that perhaps I would get by doing some kind of art or design degree. I did however have the luck to be doing a day a week with a really talented jeweller for a while (shame it ended, I got pregnant and then never got back to it, and now he has moved...) and he taught me hte basics of stone setting but most of all how to de-construct and construct pieces as a means of breaking down the elements of what you make to simplify and make things seem less scary. He was also a great example of using what you have, expensive tools aren't always the solution to a problem! Wish I had learnt that a lot earlier! And also, not to be precious about things, do things in the easiest and quickest way even if it may not be the way it is "supposed" to be done!

    If I was to start again now I think an apprenticeship would be the way to go, if not full time then part time. I think the idea of getting an assignment each week sounds good, you work on it at home and then discuss and learn from it etc. I am hoping to do some one to one sessions on specific areas in the future, but time and money seems to put a stop to it... oh well!

    Andrew's At The Bench is really good, watch a few movies, then do it yourself, watch again, it is really good, highly recommended.

    Carin
    Carin Lindberg

    Camali Design
    www.camalidesign.com

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