New Student Work from Phoenix College

Yeesh, I had no idea it had been this long since I posted! The spring semester at Phoenix College has started, I'm still working full time at the Heard and I just finished teaching a 6 week hammer setting class at the MAC. I'm still teaching enameling at MAC and I'm currently teaching casting at the Phoenix Center while John T. is on sabbatical this semester. Needless, to say, time has been tightly scheduled with practically no free time of late. And, starting in a couple of weeks I'm taking a short course in html5 and css3 at MCC through May! I haven't had a chance to make much of my own art for a while but my students at PC are going gangbusters! I am going to have to ask my MAC enamelists if they'll leave me their stuff to be photographed because they are doing some great work as well, but for now here is some of what my PC students are doing. The Jewelry I students had to make a bracelet with texture and rivets. My Jewelry II students had to make a neckpiece with enamel. My independent study student worked on enamel and colored pencil on metal. I'm very proud of all of them.

Jordan Abernathy- Jewelry I- rivets

Christina Soto- Jewelry I- rivets

Vicki Colter- Jewelry I- rivets

Lisa O'Rourke- Jewelry II- enamel

Margaret Murphy- Jewelry II- enamel detail

Margaret Murphy- Jewelry II- enamel
This was a neat piece. Margaret created a pendant
that one could slide different enamel plates into.

Vicki Gudger- Ind. Study- colored pencil/ enamel

Student Work- Phoenix College Jewelry I & II

I had a great first semester teaching metals at Phoenix College and it was certainly due to a fabulous group of students as well as a great faculty and facilities. This is a fledgling program and although we don't have all the wonderful equipment that MAC has, the program really has potential (we can always get the equipment down the line). Beginning students learned the classics: sawing, piercing, rivets, box ring soldering and casting. Intermediate/ Advanced students worked on forging and fold forming, etching and hinges and a box. I haven't had time to process the final project images but here is just a highlight of some of the work in no particular order:

Lisa O'Rourke- Jewelry I

Lisa O'Rourke- Jewelry I

Liz Christensen- Jewelry I

Liz Christensen- Jewelry I

Malai Suriyasataporn- Independent Study

Malai Suriyasataporn- Independent Study

Malai Suriyasataporn- Independent Study

Malai Suriyasataporn- Independent Study

Malai Suriyasataporn- Independent Study

Margaret Murphy- Jewelry II

Margaret Murphy- Jewelry II

Margaret Murphy- Jewelry II

Vickie Gudger- Independent Study

Vickie Gudger- Independent Study

Vionnie Boykins- Jewelry II

The class meets MW 9-11.45 am. If you are interested you can register through Phoenix College. Jewelry I will always be the same- sawing, filing, textures, riveting, soldering and casting. Jewelry II changes from semester to semester. For Spring I'm planning on teaching chains, marriage of metal and torch fire enameling. Contact me if you have any questions!

Photo Basics for my PE10 Students

As requested, I'm uploading the PP I made on photo basics. Starting with a good photo is the foundation for getting a great photo in Pshop. This slideshow goes over some of the differences between point and shoot and dslr cameras, their pros and cons, and some of the most important features to have control over. Please email me if you have any questions!

Click here to download the Power Point slideshow

Full disclosure: the images used were taken from multiple websites. I can't claim credit for  any of them.

Mesa Arts Center Classes start Monday!

The summer session is here for MAC classes! We have a great lineup, which you can check out at our dedicated site for the jewelry program: www.macjewelryclasses.com or at the official Mesa Arts Center website: www.mesaartscenter.com.
I'll be teaching an 8 week enameling class for beginners and continuing students wishing to work on their own projects with instructor access.

I know you've seen this before but I'll just include it here again
to give you an idea of the range of enamels. From left to right:
raku, cloisonne, painting, sifting/sgraffito/inlay

I'm also offering an 8 week Introduction to Photoshop Elements class, which still needs one more person. It starts Thursday 6.30-9pm and I'll cover camera basics, and how to optimize and funk up your photos using the much more affordable Photoshop Elements although if you have Photoshop, I'll cover that as well. There's still time to register! Contact me at my yahoooooo! address: hjewelclark if you have any questions :-)

Here is an example of the original photo I took of the courtyard fountain
at the Heard Museum on right, and the finished image on left. I know, this
should be reversed. I used Photoshop for this but I could have gotten the same
results in Elements.

Student Work

I have had some wonderful students over the years and I wish I could say I chronicled all their work in my classes but I've only recently (in the last year) started taking photos of what they are/ were working on.  So I'm going to share here (and continue to do so) some of the wonderful work they've created.  I received some photos from the students themselves, which is always a great treat.

Bracelet by Linda Rhealt

Second bracelet by Linda Rhealt

Linda's work area

Enameled "flowers" in the garden by Al Streyfeller
(Those are live ducks, by the way)

More enameled "flowers" in the garden by Al Streyfeller

This was some of the collection Dona Kahler made.
She's an amazing stained glass artist (among many other achievements!)

Judith Lupnacca- wonderful person and open to the many surprises the glass might provide

 Three beautiful pieces and I can't remember whose they are!  Please, let me know!

Diana Pettiti

Another amazing piece from Diana. This was raku'd with white as a base.

More to come!