Each Year Jewelers Studio in the Woods has a Studio Sale that includes tools, consumables, stones, rough , safety and health equipment and discounted e-course registration. This year the annual sale begins MAY1 and will continue- ON LINE- through May 30,2011.
Our inventory of tools is huge and contains everything from rolling mills , hand tools and precious metals- but the most important sale item this year is custom mill products in your choice of coloured karated golds made to your specs 9 though the minimum order is approximately 7 grams ( based on the international troy weights and measurements system), it is enough to make a couple of heavy band rings or a nice sized sheet of material or length of wire, etc. to use for whatever design you can dream up
Our inventory of gemstones contains single faceted stones and cabochons as well as parcels and higher ticket gems : coloured diamonds in the 2.5-half carat range, and brilliant white round diamonds in one carat and up to 3 carat stones sold wholesale to independent metalsmiths , jewelers and hobbyists. the list is far too large to post in this jotting but do look for a catalogue on the site in the next few weeks. If you require any thing before the catalogue is published please contact us with your requests and we will respond with the photos and prices.
Our courses are almost full in all subjects but basic silver and gold work has three spots each for the summer session and 10 spots are available for the online courses. Our on line courses match individuals with one instructor that works with that student for the duration of each course and shares a whiteboard and video conferencing for demonstrations, help with problem solving regarding pieces, and for the equivalent of "testing"...though no grades are given and testing sounds like a pass/fail situation it is actually more to confirm that the student has grasped the process or practice in question before advancing to a more complex operation or one requiring proficiency in the step being taught at a given time..you won't ever fail- some processes will just take some more time than others to grasp and mastery of anything takes a lifetime as in jewelry making or metalsmithing it is an ongoing process of learning an art and the sciences involved that never ends..
Our courses "on sale" are a flat rate . The on-line couirses however have a maximum allowable time a person may remain in each on-line course is limited to six months. If after 6 months you have not progressed you may opt to continue ( at a reduced fee for the course) or try another course equal to the level of skill offered in the first course you enrolled in. You may not "skip ahead" because if you, for instance, have not mastered soldering or collected the tools or equipment necessary to advance you will not be able to advance to a higher skill until that basic concept is without question part of your repertoire. Our courses at the center in the woods ( in Western North Carolina ) begin at $650.00 for a week long residential programme with room and board not included, and camping available nearby for a very low rate and meals offered through our center's kitchen.
On line courses are a flat $500.00 per course and can run as long as six months ( the maximum time allowable to complete any level) with one instructor. Some students have completed, for example silver 1 or 2 in as few as six weeks of approximately 20 hours work per week with an instructor and as many hours at home in the studio ( that we help you set-up) as is necessary to learn whichever subject enrolled in.. Though we are structured in our approach to the arts and sciences of teaching one jewelry making or metalsmithing,etc. we realize that some enter the classes for pleasure and to develop a hobby while others are enrolling with the dream of opening their own business.We match the students with the instructors based on the students goals and tailor each on-line course, to a degree, towards helping the student reach his or her goal. For that reason the amount of time one takes to complete each course or level of study in a given topic area varies by student and is accommodated as best we can by our staff and educators. We guarantee that you will receive a first rate education in whichever topic area you choose.
