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Road Trip – Live from Tucson!

By on January 18, 2016
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by Judy Ellis, Wirejewelry.com

Wire Jewelry Tip for January 18th, 2016

Today we introduce you to the last 10 of our 20 Instructors for the JOGS Gem and Mineral Show with our sister company – JewerlyTools.com.

If you haven’t ever had the chance to take a class and have always wanted to – WHY NOT?! Now’s the time – pack up the car – and get on the road!

Tucson is a lovely place to visit this time of year – average temperatures range between 65 degrees to about 75 degrees. If you are currently in a state where it’s snowing (like me) it’s very nice to get away for a few days.

There’s a lot of fun things to see and do in Tucson – not to mention just seeing all of the amazing exhibits that are part of the JOGS Gem Show all around Tucson and the surrounding area. If you haven’t had a chance to take a look at the JOGS show website – You can CLICK HERE and check it out!

Now, onto the rest of our amazing instructors!

Jewerly Tools’ 2016 Jewelry Instructors and Classes at JOGS

Kaska Firor

Kate Richbourg

Simply put, Kate Richbourg loves jewelry. She loves to teach it. She loves to make it. She loves to wear it. Teaching and designing jewelry since 1992, she teaches at national shows, bead societies and bead shops and is published in a variety of jewelry magazines and is the author of the popular blog “We Can Make That at Home.

She has also appeared on several episodes of the DIY and HGTV network shows “DIY Jewelry” and “Craft Lab.” Kate is the author of the popular book, Simple Soldering: A Beginner’s Guide to Jewelry Making from Interweave Press.


Kim St. Jean

Following ten years as a public school teacher, Kim combined her love of teaching with her creative talents and began teaching jewelry related classes. She has been teaching jewelry classes for over 15 years.

She is an award winning instructor, author and jewelry designer. Kim has been published in numerous magazines and books. She has appeared on several beading/craft television programs and has written two books. Mixed Metal Mania: Solder, Rivet, Hammer, and Wire Exceptional Jewelry and Metal Magic: How to Etch, Pierce, Enamel and Set Striking Jewelry.In 2010 she was elected one of the Top Ten Instructors in the country by the attendees of the Bead & Button show.

Kim’s home base is in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, where she and her husband, Norm, own Studio St. Jean. She and Norm spend much of the year traveling across the country teaching Silver, Cold Connections, Enameling, Forming and other disciplines at art shows, bead shows, jewelry schools, guilds, clubs, studios and stores

 

Marilyn Gardiner

I love jewelry, color, pattern, and design. It is thrilling to create something new that others love too. And I truly enjoy breaking down something complex into an easy-to-learn sequence that I can share with others, both in print and in the classroom. During the past 13 years I have developed my beading and chain mail skills with energy and enthusiasm and created beadwork and chain mail kits with step-by-step instructions that really work.

I know that the kits have quality instructions because of positive feedback from my students and from customers who buy my kits in classes, at shows and from my online store. I regularly teach classes in bead stores in Toronto, Ontario, and at bead shows and retreats across Canada, in Texas, Tucson AZ and at Bead&Button in Milwaukee WI. In 2007 I was “Folk Artist in Residence – Beadwork” at the Joseph Schneider Haus in Kitchener. I set up a series of lectures, seminars, and demonstrations throughout the year. There was also a gallery exhibit of beadwork that featured my work and included the contemporary and historical work of several other artists. The residency resulted in several articles in the local media.

I later completed a beadwork commission for the museum, and some of my work is sold in the museum gift shop. I have published projects available online at Beading Times, Bead Bugle, All Free Jewelry, and The Beading Gem’s Journal. Some of my kits are sold online through The Jewelry Professor and Beadfx. The Fall 2012 issue of A Needle Pulling Thread published a multi-page Artist Profile of my work. Most of my time at present is directed to the creation of new chain mail projects.

I am currently working on several new designs that will be ready as kits and for teaching at the fall and winter shows. I have well over a hundred active chain mail kits available.

 

Monika Lamb

I have been making jewelry for nearly 10 years. Retired from church music I found myself in need of a creative outlet. I started beading as a hobby which evolved into a home based jewelry business that quickly morphed into a retail store. In 2009 my business partner Caroline and I began our formal retail experience with Bead Rhapsody & More LLC.

In 2012, in order to grow our business and offer a greater selection to our customers we decided to join Gem & Bead Mall Inc. of San Diego by becoming their first franchise in Arizona. As true business partners, she keeps the books and I make the jewelry. The best of both worlds for each of us.

I have been taking wire work classes with master wire artist Ann Thayer and try my hands on new jewelry making techniques all the time. My passion still lies in the chainmaille weaves, which I have learned on my own with lots of practice and patience. I pride myself in paying close attention to details and craftsmanship.

Neda Mazdeh

Neda Mazdeh

I have been making jewelry & professional goldsmithing (handmade) for nearly 5 years along with teaching short Courses at different jewelry exhibitions. Neda’s goal is to train people in real jewelry making, principles of standard jewelry making, and introduce Eastern and unique models. She works with a wide range of metals including gold, silver, and anodized aluminum.

Neda enjoys experimenting with different techniques and teaches at her studio in Anaheim, CA. Her work & collections have been exhibited in various galleries in Germany. Neda studied Eastern arts and has developed new models & methods,along with a strong interest in gemstones. In addition, My husband Milad Rajabi, an international professional jewelry making teacher with fifteen years of experience, will be in attendance at the classes.

Neda Mazdeh

Olena Bugrimenko

Olena and her family enjoy living in southern New Hampshire. More than 10 years ago, she started to make jewelry using seed beads; beautiful, yes, but it wasn’t enough. Then she discovered the art of making Chainmaille, and now it is one of her favorite techniques.

Olena loves combining this technique with beads, gems, and wire. Sometimes the result is unexpected, unique, and a new beautiful design is created! In 2009 Olena won the 1st Place Gold Medal award with piece titled “Glorious Summer Necklace” in FMG’s Swarovski category.

In 2010 she took the Bronze Medal award with piece titled “Wedding Necklace” in FMG’s wirework and chain category. Her designs have been used by Fire Mountain Gems both as a back cover advertisement and in their catalogs.

Neda Mazdeh

Phyllis Martin-Rennie

Stitching, metal working & “Sparkle & Shine” are a big part of my personal universe along with my family & dogs. The “Ah Ha” moment my students get is just like adding hot fudge on ice cream to me. I’m aware that each person learns a little different than the next, and that is where my strong passion for teaching kicks in.

I have taught at Philly Bead Fest multiple times since 2008 through 2015, The Best Bead Show 2006 through 2015, as well as The Puget Sound Bead Show in San Jose, Ca. Phyllis also teaches in her store of 16 years, Sew Beadazzled, which is where she calls home.

Rhonda Chase

Rhonda Chase is an award-winning jewelry artist who began her career as a graphic designer. For many years, she owned a successful design and marketing firm in the San Francisco Bay Area, serving large corporate clients.

In 2009 Rhonda decided get her hands away from her computer and back into the art she loves. She focused on jewelry design and quickly gained recognition the field: winning awards and showing her work in galleries. She has been writing tutorials and teaching art classes in various disciplines for over 20 years.

Ronda Stevens

Ronda Stevens

Ronda has been teaching wire wrap design classes for over 10 years at bead shows and local bead stores. She began teaching at The Tucson Bead Show and at Bead Fest in Philadelphia in 2015. She specializes in traditional wire wrap design and loves to see her students succeed in her classes.

She released her first book in October 2013, The Art of Wire Wrap Design and is co-owner of the Great Bead Escape Retreat which is in its 6th year of introducing attendees to the world of Jewelry Art.

Sara Thompson

Sarah Thompson is a self-taught artist who has been working with wire exclusively for the last 5 years. She specializes in wire weaving techniques and uses a layering process to add dimension to her pieces. She began teaching three years ago and has found great success and enjoyment teaching at Fusion Beads in Seattle and Rings-n-Things in Spokane, Washington.

Sarah won best in show this year in the Bead And Button show’s Bead Dreams contest. Her first book, “Fine Art Wire Weaving: Weaving Techniques for Stunning Jewelry Designs” was published in August 2015.

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If you’ve never spent any time in Tucson – why not go?!!! To learn more about our classes or to get signed up today CLICK HERE!

Happy Wrapping!

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