Wednesday 31 August 2011

It's Official!

Touchmark Studios is now an offical Diploma Support Centre for the Mid Cornwall School of Jewellery Silver Metal Clay Diploma Home Study Programme. To read more about this exciting development click here

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The 8 week traditional jewellery skills programme will be starting from September 10th and follows another successful course with some amazing work being produced from students with absolutely no experience of jewellery making. Please log your interest by emailing and check out some of our students' work by clicking here

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September 3rd and 4th is our 2 day course on Resins with Claire John. This will be a fab weekend where we will be learning how to make our own silicon molds for casting resin and producing amazing bangles click the link for more details and register now before it's too late!  Details are here

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Unfortunately, from September we will be putting our Introduction to Metal Clay course up to £85 (from £80). We have done our best to keep our prices the same but the cost of silver and knock on effect to metal clay prices has now made it unavoidable. The price of this course includes 16gms of PMC3 which currently retails at £45 (July 2011) so it is still excellent value for money.

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As well as every Wednesday, the studio will also be open on a Monday morning for those wishing to come and use the facilities in a supervised environment. So for those of you without a kiln and need a metal clay firing come along for a session. At £10 it is great value for a few hours of peace and quiet and full use of all our tools and equipment. Don't forget for those of you who have attended any of our courses we are always available for technical help and assistance on the links below - or just give us a call we are more than happy to talk to you.

Thursday 25 August 2011

INTENSIVE JEWELLERY SKILLS COURSE

STOP PRESS! ONE PLACE REMAINING ON THE SATURDAY INTENSIVE JEWELLERY COURSE (4 WEEKS) STARTING ON 10TH SEPTEMBER
TWO PLACES AVAILABLE ON THE MONDAY MORNING SESSION - INTENSIVE JEWELLERY COURSE (8 WEEKS) NOW STARTING ON 19TH SEPTEMBER (NEW START DATE)
Email Chris or Telephone to reserve a place
Course Details:
Starting in September, Touchmark Studios will be running the Traditional Jewellery Skills course on Saturdays and Monday mornings. More details of the programme can be found on the website.  Click link to go to the appropriate page
The cost is £200. This cost includes all materials plus a free half day studio session at the end of the course where you can come and use the studio to finish up any projects or start something new.
Examples of work by students who have attended previous courses and are now regularly making, selling and exhibiting jewellery can be seen here
Dates are as follows:-
Commencing - SATURDAY 10TH September, 2011
For those of you who work during the week or have a distance to travel, we appreciate that your Saturdays are precious. So, instead of running our jewellery skills course over 8 half days, we are running it over 4 full days. The content will be exactly the same, so come prepared for a fun filled intensive 4 days which will give you a great set of skills and techniques to start jewellery making! The day will run from 10am to 5pm with an hour’s lunch break. You will need to bring a packed lunch but that’s all because all materials are included in the cost, including silver and a semi precious stone to make a ring.
Week 1 - Saturday 10th September
Week 2 – Saturday 17th September
Week 3 – Saturday 24th September
Week 4 – Saturday 1st October

Commencing – MONDAY MORNINGS 12th September, 2011 - 10am – 1pm
For those who want to take a more leisurely pace, this Jewellery skills course will run as normal, over 8 half days on a Monday morning from 10am to 1pm.
Dates are as follows:
Week 1 - Monday 19th September
Week2 – Monday 26th September
Week3 – Monday 3rd October
Week4 – Monday 10th October
Week5 – Monday 17th October
Monday 24th October - No Class – Half Term
Week6 – Monday 31st October
Week 7 – Monday 7th November
Week 8 – Monday 14th November

If you would like to reserve a place Email Chris or Telephone
A £50 non-refundable deposit will be required to secure your place.

Monday 8 August 2011

STOP PRESS!!!

DUE TO A CANCELLATION WE HAVE 1 SPACE AVAILABLE ON THIS COURSE

if you are interested please contact us 

2 day Resins course - £140 to include all materials - bring packed lunch
Saturday and Sunday 3rd and 4th September 2011 - 10am - 4pm

We are delighted to welcome back to Touchmark Studios, Clare John, an experienced jeweller and tutor in Resins, sometimes known as cold enamels.  Clare teaches at a number of venues around the country, including the prestigious Birmingham School of Jewellery
This is a 2 day workshop which follows on from the workshop Clare gave last year.  It will give jewellery makers the opportunity to use resin in different ways. The two days will focus on making 3D jewellery like large beads and bangles in resin.  You will be shown how to make moulds from silicone and how to cast resin.  The resin comes in a wide range of colours and effects like transparent, sparkle and pearl and metallic effects.  There will also be time to discuss using resin with metal clay and traditional jewellery and we will practise finishing techniques, including how to add jump rings and bails to pendants and how to drill resin.
The resins you will be working with are odour free and therefore much safer to use than traditional resins.  There will be time to discuss using resin with metal clay and traditional jewellery. Finishing techniques and problem solving will also be covered.
If you would like to reserve a place on this course please email Chris Pate

Thursday 4 August 2011

Last studio session of the season

Well there we go... oh sorry Lynn here (should have said that first!)  Yesterday was our last studio session and we are now broken up for the summer hols....I hate them as much now as when my children were small, school was out and they had time to get bored!  Beverley wasn't in as she went off on hols in the afternoon (shame on you Bev but lovely party on Saturday thank you to both you and hubby)  There were only 4 of us,  Chris (of course!) me (of course) Irene and Sylvia and it was a super morning.  Some might say that as I have my own studio it isn't to much of a problem but for me it is.  I shall miss the camaraderie... oh well such is life... I shall await the return in September!  Mind you all are welcome to come 'play' in my studio to so I do hope to see my friends there during the hols... not quite like Chris's but fun all the same! 

We go back to a fantastic 2 day course with Claire John (an expert in Resins) and I am really looking forward to it!  I have already done a one day course with Claire and I can't wait for the next.  This time we will learn to cast with resins..  just check out this blog post from Chris, it says it all.  I am not sure if there are any spare places but if you contact Chris she will be able to advise you.  You can find contact details here.  I know you would find it a great couple of days and can't wait to see you there!!!