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 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.
