Description
Instructor: Susan Lenart
Class: Sacred Objects: Totems and Talismans – Creating Personal Sacred Objects
Date of Class: September 11, 2023 – September 15, 2023
Time: 9:00 am until 4:00 pm daily
Level: Advanced Beginner – students should have experience with creating and soldering*** (see note below)
Students will work on symbolism with their own shapes + small hollow forms and attachments .
Susan is bringing in some found objects, like glass and fossils to give out.
Susan will have gems that students can purchase
Class Fee: $1395
Kit Fee: $50
STUDENT SUPPLIES LIST
Please understand that all of your work will not look the same.
I will be showing techniques and this is the minimum listed below to make sure that you have enough material.
If you have extra in your studio then please bring extra.
Please bring a notebook to sketch out ideas and symbolism as I walk you through a brief meditation in the beginning. No need to know how to draw.
BRING YOUR OWN
*METAL (*Susan prefers working with dead soft sterling silver)
and
**GEMSTONES (**Susan will have some gemstones and found objects for sale)
Note: quantities of each will entirely depend on what you plan to create
METAL
SHEET
22-gauge sterling silver sheet metal (3” x 6”) Does not have to be one sheet – we will be using it throughout the retreat.
22-gauge (gauge doesn’t really matter) fine silver sheet 3” x 3″
24-gauge sterling silver sheet metal 3” x 6” – if you have it in your studio inventory – not mandatory
26-gauge sterling silver sheet 3” x 3″
WIRE
STRIP/BEZEL
28-gauge sterling silver strip – 1/8” – 12”
28-gauge sterling silver strip – 3/8″ – 9”
28-gauge fine silver strip – 1/8” – 12” (dead soft) – Rio Grande item #101001
28-gauge fine silver scalloped bezel wire – 3/16” – 12” (dead soft) – Rio Grande item 101005
28-gauge fine silver serrated bezel wire – 1/4” – 12” (dead soft) – Rio Grande item 101002
Sterling silver “inverted heart” gallery wire – 12” (hard) – Rio Grade item 103272
Sterling silver “swag” gallery wire – 12” (hard) – Rio Grande item 103268
Bring any bezel wire you may have in your studio – such as crown, crown filigree, etc. Use what you have!
ROUND WIRE
18-gauge wire -1 ft – if you have it in your studio inventory – not mandatory
20gauge wire -1 ft
22-gauge wire 2 ft
SQUARE WIRE
18-gauge square wire-1 foot- if you have it in your studio inventory – not mandatory
16-gauge – 2 feet
14-gauge – 2 feet
12-gauge 2 feet
SOLDER
Solder – whichever you prefer using – sheet or wire – EZ, medium, hard
GEMSTONES
Stones, gems, cabs, found objects, small personal sacred objects, etc.
Centerpiece stone for rings, pendants or bracelets
4 smaller cabs or rosecut gems for adorning sides of center stones
Crystal point with a cut base (so it sits snug inside the bezel)
OPTIONAL METAL TO BRING WITH YOU
Any scrap silver – BRING A LOT OF YOUR SCRAP METAL – WIRE/SHEET/BEZEL WIRE/GALLERY WIRE – STERLING OR FINE SILVER – COPPER OR JEWELER’S BRONZE IF YOU’D LIKE TO USE IT – – We will create bezels, shot plate adornments, twisted wire, granulation balls out of what you have!
Any scrap fine silver
Fine silver strip 6½” (sheet, scrap)- for making your own granulation
Any little sterling silver small components to solder onto your surface
Indian dies (or any small dies)
Fine silver granulation- Rio Grande – lot 109381
Russian filigree powdered solder
STUDENT TOOLS TO BRING
6” X 6” solderite board
T-pins
Jewelers saw and blades (#2/0, #3/0, #4/0)
Wax/Bur life for saw blades
drill bits – #52 and #60
Bench pin and C-clamp to attach to workspace
Small piece of wood to drill into
Small bench block and something to deaden sound
Files – any variety
sandpaper – a variety of grits
Pliers – flat nose, chain nose, round nose, half-round/flat forming pliers
Rawhide mallet
Chasing hammer
flush cutters
tin snips to cut sheet metal
small ballpeen hammer
Fine-tipped tweezers
Cross-locking tweezers
Bezel setting tools
Sharpies and pencils
Note Pad
OPTIONAL TOOLS AND SUPPLIES TO BRING WITH YOU
Shot plates – if you live local and can bring them
Dapping dies – if you live local and can bring them
work light
Safety glasses/Magnifiers/Optivisor
ADDITIONAL NOTES FROM SUSAN
24g s/s sheet (keep in mind the extra on each side for the smaller gems)
1/4″ s/s dead soft bezel strip wire (32g for the very small stones- for this ring, Susan uses a bezel wire that has teeth cut along one edge to fold over to set the stone)
Your choice s/s or fine silver filigree wire (at least enough to go around your center stone twice, plus enough to go around your crystal point)
Your choice- twisted wire for 2nd layer (enough to wrap around your bezel).
12g dead soft s/s wire for bail (can use plain wire or decorative)
Thicker s/s wire for ring band- your choice.
NOTE: 24g means 24 gauge. s/s means sterling silver.
NOTE: You can also use copper, bronze or brass instead of silver. If using bronze wire, use jeweler’s grade. You can use brass filigree wire- comes in lots of decorative shapes. (remember to use silver solder with silver).
click here for an additional inspirational video
Additional Class Comments
***If you are interested in joining this retreat but aren’t sure your soldering skills are up to snuff, Susan offers a free soldering video that will walk you through the steps and give you a chance to practice before attending class.
<click here> to be directed to the free soldering lesson
DO YOU NEED ANY SUPPLIES OR TOOLS FOR CLASS?
PRE-ORDER THEM TODAY!
Would you rather have all your metal and supplies ready for you in Mesa when you arrive? Sometimes, it’s a bit nerve-wracking to try and carry all the precious metals on the plane with you for fear TSA will confiscate them; and likewise, they’re too precious to check in your luggage for the same reason.
Many of our students have asked us to help streamline the process of gathering their supplies and tools for classes, and we have come up with a way we think will work for you.
SJ Jewelry Supply in Phoenix is owned and operated by a wonderful family, headed by Mario Morales. His wife, Erika, and son, Steven, round out the staff, and they are excited to help make gathering your supplies easy and stress free. We guarantee they will make life easier for you! No kidding!
Here’s how it will work….
- Once you have determined what you will need for class, send an email with your request for products and/or tools to SJ Jewelry Supply
- Go to our website, open the class description for the class, scroll down to the section “Student Supplies,” cut and paste the items you want to purchase into an email to Mario.
- Here’s their email address
- Or, you can phone them if you prefer
- (602) 956-0189
- When they receive your email, they will send you a return email acknowledging receipt of your request
- In this email, they will instruct you about payment methods
- Once your order is filled, they will send you a second email with confirmation stating your order is complete
- Included in this email, they will give you instructions on how to pick up your orders upon arrival in September!
Sound easy? We think it’s going to help take the stress out of preparing for classes!
Instructor Website: susanlenart.com
Lookbook: Sacred Objects – Totems + Talismans
