I just spent two exhausting but enjoyable days in Tempe, leading workshops for jewelry students at Arizona State University.
Since these were very experienced students with unlimited access to really good facilities (including the best-kept wood studio I've ever seen), I had the luxury of doing things a little differently than usual. Our first day was a fast-forward version of the wood jewelry class that normally takes me 2-4 days to teach; I powered through one demo after another, pausing only for a Chipotle burrito (which somehow tasted even better than they do in Seattle).
On day two we switched our focus to carving basswood spoons. Because they include a variety of forms and surfaces, spoons are a great way to gain experience with carving tools and techniques. By the end of the session everyone had a recognizable spoon to show for their efforts and a new set of skills to apply to more complicated projects.
Thank you to ASU Metals chair, Becky McDonah, grad student extraordinaire Lynette Andreasen, and everyone who attended my workshops or lecture!
