Jewellery workshop

 On Sunday Barry held a jewellery-making workshop using recycled silver-plated metal.

We once again got to spend time in our great Village Hall and had a lot of fun with 9 keen participants. I was his able assistant!

It was a nice day weather-wise and this is the view out one of the windows, down to Armadale Bay.

Barry had prepared loads of metal pieces for folk and they had a range of ideas to work with. Everybody started by making a long rectangular pendant; and a large domed circular pendant. Even with the exact same pieces to work with, so many different ideas emerged.

These are Barry's sample pieces.

After lunch folk could go back and forth and collect more pieces to make their own designs or preferred styles with, and everybody got great results. A sample of the day's work is below.

Here, the filigree patterns from the original silver plated placemat shine.

Here on the other hand, the reverse side was use and buffed, to allow some of the brass to show through the silver plate.

The movement and swing in these pieces was fabulous.

These two small pendants were perfect for a fine silver chain.

Perfectly polished and shiny small domes.

A daisy with nail polish applied like enamel or lacquer to make for rich deep colours.

Some of the 'leaf' forms got re-interpreted into fish!

One of the large circular pendants got hammer mark texture on it.

A golden dome and a special stamped piece for memories.

There is always something magical in the making process - watching folk follow instructions and do what they are told, and then gradually they start to think they'd like to try this or that, take a chance, see what that might do and ask themselves the what-if? question and creativity just flows. Such a pure delight to see creativity waken and flourish.

With thanks to everybody who joined us, for working so hard and making so many beautiful pieces.