Wednesday, January 28, 2015

About This Blog

Updated: 04/08/2017

Hi! I’m Lora Hart.  I’ve been working with metal clay since 2000 and began teaching in Los Angeles in 2003 before moving to Richmond, Virginia in 2012. In all of my years working with new metal clay enthusiasts I’ve developed some valuable techniques that make using this unique material easier, resulting in more successful projects.

There are many different avenues that emerging artists can take to get started with metal clay and so much information shared and taught by different artists, authors, and instructors that basic information can sometimes seem overwhelming - causing a student to forget their foundation skills. I decided to offer this free blog as a way of archiving basic, helpful tips and tricks to the metal clay community at large - one that can always be accessed and used to refresh a users understanding of metal clay and support their working process.

I think of the pages of Metal Clay 101 as a primer. There are a number of other websites on the internet that are more encyclopedic in scope (and are linked on the Resources page), but I hope you are able to use this information as a starting point for your metal clay journey.

If you look at the bar under the banner you’ll see a number of ‘pages’ referencing specific topics.  There you’ll learn a little about metal clay itself, the language used to describe it, the bare bones tools you’ll need to get started, and a few of the most important skills you’ll use in almost every design. Finally I link to a variety of other resources that I think are incredibly useful and informative. This is a simple blog and as such you’ll have to scroll down each page to see all the information, but I hope you find that it’s worth the trouble. In addition, as I always tell my students – Google and YouTube are your best friend.  Just think of a few search terms that best describe your dilemma, or cover whichever technique you want to learn and you’ll probably find a video or written tutorial online.

If you’re a Face Book user, I suggest you join the group Metal Clay Now so you can interact with even more metal clay artists.  And you are welcome to contact me at LoraHartClasses (at) gmail (dot) com if you have a specific question.

Different ‘clay bodies’ (see Helpful Terminology  for an explanation) each have their own unique firing schedules and working methods. While most of the information here relates to silver clay, quite a lot is also transferable to other types of metal clays.


Thanks for visiting the blog. Whether you’re a total novice, have taken a break from metal clay and need a refresher, or are a student at the beginning of your career – I hope you will use the material on the following pages with confidence and creativity to make work you can be proud of.
Lora Hart was the Artistic Advisor and one of 7 Senior Instructors for PMC Connection until the Certification program was retired at the end of 2017. As a designer, educator, and creativity coach, her passion for the art and business of jewelry making has taken her across the United States to help other makers explore their own passions, develop their craft and expand their skill set.

Lora was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, and currently works out of her little studiolo in the historic city of Richmond, Virginia. A metal clay artist inspired by historic imagery, Lora's work has been featured in books, magazines, and calendars and her jewels are sold in galleries and online.

TEACHER'S STATEMENT

Everyone has an artist dwelling within them. Some have already begun to explore their creative vision, some are still waiting to bring it forth. Metal clay is a unique material, a new technology that allows the artist to form jewelry in an organic, tactile way unlike any other tradition they may have previously known. Fire in the form of a torch or kiln transforms this wonderfully malleable "clay" into solid silver, gold, copper or bronze. Polished steel tools are then used to burnish the precious item to a gleaming luster. Imagination completes the process, turning a beautiful object into personal adornment. My goal as a teacher of metal clay, is to pass on tips and techniques that I was lucky enough to have learned from other artists and those I discovered through personal trial and error. If I can help the artist within you to tap into your own creative flow, I will have realized that goal. I hope to facilitate your journey to find your own inspiration, develop your own unique sensibilities and be able to create jewelry you are proud to know is of your own design.