Upcoming Classes

Beginning Hand Carving  THIS CLASS IS NOW FULL BUT THERE IS A WAITLIST
Learn conceptual strategies and technical skills for creating small-scale wood carvings with simple hand tools. 
   Monday evenings, April 7 - May 12, 2014, 6pm-10pm (6 sessions)
   Pratt Fine Arts Center, Seattle WA
   details and registration

Small Object Photography for Non-Photographers
Want to take better pictures of jewelry or other small objects without making a big investment?  Learn how a cutting board and a milk carton might be just the ticket.
   Thursday evenings, April 17 and 24, 2014, 6pm-10pm
   Pratt Fine Arts Center, Seattle WA
   details and registration

Jewelry from Found Wood
From twigs to driftwood, knitting needles to honey drippers, this fast-paced class focuses on transforming everyday wooden objects into wearable works of art. 
   Sunday, April 27, 2014, 9:30am-5:30pm
   Pratt Fine Arts Center, Seattle WA
   details and registration

Chainmail Earrings
Choose your own adventure!  Make a pair of  swingy, slinky chainmail earrings in your own way, depending on whether you want a gentle introduction, intermediate wirework practice, or an advanced soldering challenge.
   Thursday evenings, May 8 and 15, 2014, 6pm-10pm
   Pratt Fine Arts Center, Seattle WA
   details and registration

Wood Veneer for Jewelry
Strong, lightweight, durable and beautifully grained, veneer can be cut with scissors, taped, glued and even bent. Explore how these properties translate into fantastic veneer jewelry!
   Saturday and Sunday, May 17 - 18, 2014, 10am-4pm
   92nd St Y, New York NY
   details and registration

Stir it Up:  Carving Spoons by Hand
Thanks to its convex and concave curves, a spoon is both a useful utensil and a great way for students of all levels to practice the ins and outs of woodcarving.  
   Saturday and Sunday, June 7 - 8, 2014, 9:30am-4pm
   Arbutus Folk School, Olympia WA
   details and registration

General Course Information

In addition to my scheduled classes, I am available for private and small group instruction.
Examples include:
    -quick and fun earring or pendant parties for showers, workplace team-building, or family get-togethers
    -one-time or ongoing coaching on topics such as carving, jewelry design, or choosing and maintaining tools
    -short intensive workshops based on the "signature" themes below, or tailored to your goals

Please contact me for a detailed proposal based on your needs and interests.

Signature Workshops

Jewelry That Grows on Trees

Beautiful, versatile, and widely available, wood is an ideal alternative material for jewelry.  Learn to make the most of wood's palate of colors and textures using tools and techniques appropriate for use in a home studio.  Topics include basic shaping and finishing, surface embellishment such as resin inlay, pique, and stone-setting, and creating more complex dimensional form such as rings and cuffs. 

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Kitchen Table Jewelry

Want to make jewelry without investing in an expensive setup? Learn how simple tools and safe materials can turn your desk or table into a productive jewelry studio. We’ll cover sawing, texturing, drilling, polishing, clasp fabrication, chain making - and more! Create professional - looking pieces to wear or give. Perfect for both novice jewelers and those wanting to reinvigorate lapsed skills. 

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Student Experience

I'm thrilled when students whip up something great in class, but my real goal is to set them up to succeed outside of class.  Whatever the subject or duration of the workshop, I want students to leave with solid skills, in-depth knowledge, and confidence in their own abilities and creative vision. 

You can see work made by previous workshop participants on my blog, and here are some comments from class evaluations:

"My experience was inspiring, motivating, and challenging--which is what I wanted--learned skills I will carry over and continue, lifelong lessons."

"[Julia] was extremely knowledgeable and experienced and very capable of communicating instruction, questions--very pleasant and enjoyable."

"Excellent class!  I loved the content, and Julia was great about explaining things in simple terms."

"Julia was extremely prepared with wealth of information and tips and tricks.  Lots of work time!  Worth the 12 hour + drive."

"Wonderful teaching style--perfect balance of demos & work time.  Really fun and much more depth to the work than I had imagined."

"Julia is an engaging instructor, clearly knows her medium, very generous."

"I really enjoyed this class...I'm excited to be about to do these things at home in my ill-equipped studio.  Very inspiring."