Flux Metal Arts offers a wide variety of exciting classes and workshops in jewelry making and metalworking for students and artists of ALL levels. Taught by talented area and visiting artists who are passionate about the craft, our studio encourages creativity, exploration, and discovery.
Instructor Bios:
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Kim Baxter is Co-Founder of Flux Metal Arts. She has a BFA in Metals from the Cleveland Institute of Art. As former adjunct faculty of Lakeland Community College, she has over fifteen years of teaching experience in the Jewelry/ Metal arts. Kim now shares her passion for metalsmithing, teaching a wide variety of classes and workshops at Flux Metal Arts. As a studio artist, she creates one-of-a-kind, commissioned, and occasional limited edition jewelry. She sells her work at Flux Metal Arts, and participates in exhibitions across the United States.
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Visiting artist Alison B. Antelman exhibits and sells her work from her studio, galleries and at craft shows nationally. She is a 2015 Niche Award Winner, won First Place in the 2014 Charles Lewton Brain Fold-Forming Competition and 2015 Best of Jewelry at the Sun Valley Center Arts & Crafts Festival. Her work is published in Art Jewelry Today 4 by Schiffer Publishing, Showcase 500 Art Necklaces and 500 Gemstone Jewels by Lark Books, Art Jewelry Today 3 by Schiffer publishing, Lapidary Journal’s Jewelry Artist magazine and The San Francisco Chronicle. She teaches workshops through art centers and Guilds nationally. She is often found creating one-of-a-kind jewelry in her well-lit studio, The Sawtooth building in Berkeley, California. antelman.com
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Julie Belfiore graduated from the Cleveland Institute of Art in 2008 with a BFA in Jewlery & Metals. After graduation, CIA asked her to continue working with students as a Technical Assistant to both the Jewlery and Enameling departments before persuing her career in education. Since receiving her MA in Art Education from Case Western Reserve University, Julie has activly taught jewelry classes for schools in the greater Cleveland area including the newly rennovated Cleveland Institute of Art, Kenston Local School district, and currently at Magnificat High School. She especially enjoys working with found objects which has gotten her recognized in publications such as Jewelry from Found Objects from Stackpole Books and numerous jewelry exhibitions nationwide.
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Visiting artist Michael Brehl is a teaching artist/metalsmith who lives and works in Mount Rainier, Maryland with his wife and two children. He received his BFA from the University of Wisconsin and MFA from University of Washington. He has been a practicing silversmith since 1988. Michael’s career has included gallery exhibits, extensive prototyping for the flatware industry, production of judaica and liturgical hollowware, consultations with museum professionals, numerous commissions for wedding jewelry and other personal objects, and, of course, teaching.
Several years ago Michael realized that what he loves most is teaching and demonstrating metalsmithing—not just to college students, but to adults and children of all ages. Inspired by the story of ceramicist George Ohr (“The Mad Potter of Biloxi”, who lived from 1857 to 1918) Michael invested in numerous tools and built collapsible furniture and cabinets to create a portable teaching studio. He has brought this teaching studio to many venues, including community centers, the Smithsonian, farmer’s markets, the Washington Goldsmith’s Guild, schools, and maker fairs. allthingshammered.com |
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Visiting artist Eric Burris received his BFA from Kansas State University and MFA from Arizona State University. He participates in regional and national fine craft shows and art festivals. In addition to making his own work, he has been an educator for several years, teaching at the college level and conducting workshops in the Mokume Gane technique. He currently lives and works in Silver Spring, MD with his partner Gretchen and dog Carmela.
mokumeganeworkshops.com & ericburrisjewelry.com |
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Catherine Butler received her BFA from the Cleveland Institute of Art in 1981 where she studied with John Paul Miller. For decades, Catherine Butler’s spunky work has been bringing delight to
those it adorns and spicing up their lives and interactions. In addition to making her work she has taught Metals and been interim Gallery Director at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, taught and run education programs at Heights Arts, and currently teaches art at Laurel School. Her work is included in the Danner Foundation's Die Neue Sammlung (one of the foremost collections of contemporary and 20th century jewelry in the world), which is permanently housed in the Pinakothek der Moderne in Munich, Germany. She exhibits in local, national and international venues and is the recipient of two Ohio Arts Council Individual Artist Fellowships. catherinebutlerjewelry.com |
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Charlene Ciammaichella is a basket weaver by trade, but fell in love weaving chain maille with silver. She has been a weaver for more than 25 years, and a chain maille artist for the last 9 years. She is a member of many weaving guilds and travels across the country to teach at weaving gatherings and conventions.
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Visiting Artist Karen Christians is a jewelry teacher, photographer and author. She is the founder of Metalwerx, The School for Jewelry and the Metal Arts in Waltham, MA in 1998. Karen developed the Hot Craft Studio for Jewelry at Artisan’s Asylum, a 40K sq. foot maker space in Somerville, MA. A late bloomer, she graduated with a BFA with Honors from the Massachusetts College of Art in 1997. Karen lives in Waltham, MA with her husband and two cats. As a nationally known artist, she frequently teaches classes and workshops, and has written several articles for major publications such as MJSA Journal & Art Jewelry Magazine. Karen is the author of the top-rated and widely referenced how-to book Making the Most of Your Flex-shaft, published by the MJSA Press. Her love of jewelry, embellishment and storytelling led to a successful Kickstarter campaign for her book Jewelry of Burning Man.
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Visiting Artist Andy Cooperman makes all sorts of things from all sorts of things and is known for applying the ethos and discipline of High Craft Metalsmithing to a wide variety of often disparate materials, including wood, pingpong balls, quills, bronze, sterling, steel and gold. He has been a jeweler and metalsmith for over thirty years and a writer and educator for close to that. As a teacher, Andy’s goal is to help students develop the creative problem-solving tools that will allow them to open new doors onto the creative process.
Andy’s work has been exhibited widely and can be found in public and private collections as well as books and publications that include The Penland Book of Jewelry, Humor in Craft and many more. Exhibitions include Protective Ornament: Contemporary Amulets to Armor at the National Ornamental Metals Museum in Memphis, a solo exhibition at the Appalachian Center for Craft and most recently in Metalmorphosis, the Bellevue Arts Museum Biennial Exhibition. Andy lectures nationally and has spoken at the Society of North American Goldsmiths conference, the annual Colorado Metalsmithing Association conference and as keynote speaker for the International Society of Glass Bead Makers and the East Carolina University Symposium. |
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Visiting Artist Cynthia Eid- "Whether using hammers and stakes, or hydraulic press tools, Cynthia’s sculptural jewelry and hollowware shows her focus on exploring the fluidity with which metal can be moved, formed, and joined. Cynthia Eid co-authored the book Creative Metal Forming, with Betty Helen Longhi, published in 2013 by Tim McCreight’s Brynmorgen Press. In his foreword for the book, Michael Good says the authors "have succeeded in assembling the first comprehensive textbook on synclastic and anticlastic forming.”
Cynthia and Betty developed a set of anticlastic stakes, and Eid also works with Knew Concepts and Bonny Doon to help make tools for jewelers and metalsmiths. Lee Marshall has dubbed Cynthia Eid “Godmother of the Knew Concept Saws” since it was her idea for him to produce these saws for jewelers. Having worked with Argentium Silver since 1999, Eid’s participation in the development of AS brought her recognition as a Pioneer by Argentium International, Ltd. Cynthia Eid's metalwork has won awards for creativity and design, been featured in many publications, and been exhibited internationally. With a BS in Art Education and MFA in Jewelry, Design, and Silversmithing, she has previously worked as a bench jeweler for fine goldsmiths, a model-maker in a gold jewelry factory, and on private commissions. Her work is in museums in the US and UK. Currently an independent metalsmith and educator, she teaches weekly classes at Metalwerx in Massachusetts, and has taught workshops in the US, Canada, Europe, and Australia." See Cynthia’s work at cynthiaeid.com More about the book at creativemetalforming.com |
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Visiting artist Jeff Georgantes has a MFA in Jewelry/Metals from CSU, Fullerton and a BA in Art and a MA in Sculpture, both from CSU, Humboldt. He taught Art at College of the Redwoods, Eureka, CA, for fifteen years and has taught numerous visiting artist workshops across the USA. He helped develop and coordinate the Jewelry/Metals program at the Mendocino Art Center from the early 1990s until 2005 when he started his position as head of the Jewelry/Metals program at Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH. Jeff has written technical articles for the Society of North American Goldsmiths, and produced many informational You-Tube videos for Otto Frei, Peppe Tools USA, and Foredom Electric Co. His work can be seen in Alan Revere's book, The Art of Jewelry. www.jeffgeorgantes.com
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Visiting artist Liza Nechamkin-Glasser earned her BFA from the Rochester Institute of Technology, School for American Crafts and immediately thereafter went on to work for Tiffany and Company for 13 years as a Silversmith/Chaser. During this time she developed her silver restoration business and began to instruct chasing and jewelry workshops. Liza resigned her position with Tiffany and Co. to manage Nechamkin Silver Studios full-time and pursue the development and marketing of her popular chasing tools, custom holloware and restoration services.
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Valerie A. Heck is a graduate of Townson Univerity and the New Approach School for Jewelers where she studied under Blaine Lewis. Valerie has worked as the Jewelry & Suppliers Manager for the Buyers’ Market of American Craft (Now the American Made Show) and served as a judge for the Niche Awards, she has also worked as a goldsmith and salesperson for Barbie Levy Jewelry Designs, Bezak Glass and Heather B. Moore Jewelry. She has been making jewelry for over 20 years, and owns her own company Valerie A. Heck Jewelry. She’s also taught at the Society for Contemporary Craft in Pittsburgh, PA, and done live jewelry making demonstrations at galleries in Gettysburg PA and Annapolis MD. In 2014 she won top 10 in the 2014 Halstead Jewelry Business Grant; in 2015 she was a Niche Award Finalist. Valerie has been featured in the book Wrap, Stitch, Fold and Rivet by Lark Books, Niche Magazine, American Style Magazine, Art Jewelry Magazine and JQ Magazine. vahjewelry.com
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Visiting artist Anne Havel has been an independent studio artist for 15 years and exhibits her enameled jewelry predominantly in juried craft shows across the country. In addition, she teaches workshops around the country in the enamel arts. Her work is and has been included in numerous exhibitions, collections, and publications including: "Art Jewelry Today 3", Lapidary Journal Jewelry Artist, Art Jewelry magazine, & "Behind the Brooch" by Lark Books. Anne is also the current Treasurer and Board member of both the Society of North American Goldsmiths and The Enamelist Society.
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Visiting artist Jill Hurant is a native of Cleveland,
Ohio. Her creativity began by watching
her mother, a talented artist in her own right. She left Ohio in the early 70’s to attend the
Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC. While there she met and married her
husband and then moved to New Jersey. Jill’s creative path led to an immersion
into classic jewelry techniques. Along
with teaching across the country, Jill sells her finely crafted jewelry via
galleries, participates
in national fine craft shows, and her work has been featured in numerous books
including Lark Books“1000 Rings” and “500 Gemstones”. jillhurant.com
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Lauralee Hutson is a graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Art, and teaches three-dimensional design and sculpture at Lorain County Community College. She has been a metalsmith and enamellist for fourteen years, exhibiting her work both nationally and internationally. Lauralee sells via galleries, and commissions, and her work has been in numerous publications including Lark Books "500 Enameled Objects”. |
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Eldon Kohler, a native of the Pacific Northwest, resides in NE Ohio with his wife and three children. Along with teaching for a private school in the area, he is a jewelry artist and
metalsmith, has a professional background in machining and industrial fabrication, loves to sculpt, write poetry, and is an avid botanist. His deep love for Japanese art and aesthetics has lead to his studies of Japanese Kinko metalworking under friend and teacher Patrick Hastings. Believing in fusion of the old and new, Eldon creates his unique style of jewelry using the aesthetics of this ancient art form and traditional tools. |
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Visiting artist Andrew Kuebeck received his BFA from Bowling Green State University in 2008 and his MFA in Jewelry Design and Metalsmithing from Indiana University in 2011. He is an Assistant Professor and Area Head of the Jewelry/Metals/Enameling Program at Kent State University. Andrew works in a variety of formats ranging from functional jewelry to sculptural objects and vessels, and has lectured and has taught workshops nationally on the incorporation of photographic images into jewelry pieces and vessels. He has exhibited regionally & nationally and has had his work appear in numerous publications including 500 Enameled Objects, 21st Century Jewelry, Wrap, Stitch, Fold, and Rivet, and Metalsmith and Niche magazines. He was a 2012 SNAG Emerging Artist and is represented by Charon Kransen Arts, New York. andrewkuebeck.com
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Visiting artist Kirk Lang is a Seattle based Artist, Goldsmith and Educator. He holds a MFA from the University of Washington in Interdisciplinary Visual Arts and a BFA from the Cleveland Institute of Art in Jewelry & Metals. Kirk has taught regionally and nationally at the University of Washington, North Seattle College, Pratt Fine Arts Center, Danaca Design and Penland. In addition to teaching, he has worked for 15+ years in the commercial and fine jewelry fields as a contracted fabricator, stone setter and engraver. His work can be seen in such publications as MJSA Journal, 500 Metal Vessels, 500 Necklaces, 1000 Rings and Metalsmith Magazine. Most recently, he was awarded an Artist Trust Fellowship, Artist Trust GAP Grant and a 4Culture Individual Project Grant. In 2014 he had a solo exhibition at the National Ornamental Metal Museum in Memphis, TN and in 2016 was selected to participate in the Bellevue Arts Museum Biennial titled Metalmorphosis. Recurring themes in his work include time, space and mythology, in the form of wearable and interactive sculptural objects. kirklang.com
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Visiting artist Victoria Lansford has generated an international revival of nearly lost metalsmithing techniques through her artwork, publications, workshops, and passion for creating. Her award winning artwork has appeared in numerous juried exhibitions, books, and magazines, including the Lark 500 series, Metalsmith, and on Home & Garden Television. She created the metals program and served as head of the Metalsmithing Department at Spruill Center for the Arts, Atlanta and was an adjunct professor at the University of Tennessee.
Her instructional DVD and book series, Metal Techniques of Bronze Age Masters, featuring the titles Russian Filigree, Rings, All Chained Up, Eastern Repoussé and Chasing, and her iPhone™ app, iMakeJewelry have sold throughout Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and the Americas. victorialansford.com |
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Visiting Artist Tom Muir is Distinguished Research Professor at Bowling Green State University, where he is head of the Jewelry and Metalsmithing area in the School of Art. He received his MFA from Indiana University, Bloomington, and his BFA degree from Georgia State University in Atlanta. Mr. Muir has lectured and taught widely, holding positions at universities and craft schools around the country. His award-winning work has been published and exhibited extensively in art, craft and design exhibitions, in which he has received 12 best of show or first place awards. Collections include the Art Institute of Chicago, Renwick Gallery of the National Museum of American Art, Smithsonian Institution and The White House Collection of American Crafts, National Museum of American Art, Smithsonian Institution. He is the recipient of an Arts Midwest/National Endowment for the Arts Regional Artist Fellowship, Michigan Council for the Arts Fellowship, and numerous Ohio Arts Council Individual Artist Fellowship Awards. In 2009, Tom received the Outstanding Achievement Award from the Ohio Designer Craftsmen for having made a major contribution to craft in Ohio. tommuir.org
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Kevin Olds is a professional photographer for artists. He has worked with many known artists in Northeast Ohio and beyond, creating images of their work for juried exhibitions, newspaper and print publications, websites, and other publicity related uses. kevinolds.com
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Catherine Davies Paetz has been designing and creating jewelry for more than 30 years and has a BFA in Metals. Since 2000, she has been working extensively in Precious Metal Clay. As a nationally known Certified PMC Artisan, she frequently teaches classes and workshops, presents at conferences and has written several articles on metal clay techniques for Art Jewelry Magazine, Metal ClayArtist Magazine, and Studio Clay artist. Examples of her PMC work have been published in books and magazines and included in various presentations. She creates one-of-a-kind, custom designs and production jewelry. Catherine's work is sold in galleries and at fine craft shows.
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Visiting artist Donna Penoyer began working in metal clay in January 2005 but has been making jewelry for over 20 years. She is certified by both PMC Connection and Rio Grande; has studied a wide range of 3D media in countless workshops with national artists; has taught hundreds of beginner-through-master jewelry classes around the U.S., England, and Belgium; and has been featured several times as a master instructor on the online webinar series CRAFTCAST with Alison Lee. She creates mostly one-of-a-kind jewelry and small objects via metal clay, along with combinations of metal clay and traditional metalsmithing. Educated as a poet and known affectionately in the metal clay world as "The Whistle Lady, " Donna is interested in how metaphor can power our imaginations and drive us to make the best of ourselves. Her whistle amulets and other pieces have appeared in multiple books, magazines, online sources, and exhibits. Besides being an outgoing and enthusiastic ambassador for metal clay (and whistles!). donnapenoyer.com
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Visiting artist Jayne Redman earned her B.F.A. in Jewelry and Silversmithing from Maine College of Art in 1977. She began her jewelry career in the fashion jewelry industry in New York as a design and production assistant. She started her own company, Jayne Redman Jewelry, in 1982. She has exhibited at numerous American Craft Council Shows and Buyers Market of American Craft shows as well as the Smithsonian Craft Show and the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show and is represented by fine jewelry galleries and craft stores across the country. Jayne is a former faculty member of the Maine College of Art Department of Jewelry and Metals. She teaches workshops nationally and at Riverview Workshops at Jayne Redman Studio in Westbrook, Maine. jayneredmanjewelry.com
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Emily Roetzel is a Cleveland, Ohio based jewelry artist. She graduated from Kent State University in 2007 where she received a BA in Jewelry/Metals/Enameling. Upon graduation Emily began working for local Cleveland company Heather Moore Jewelry, and more recently for Todd Pownell at T.A.P. Studio. She was also an Enamel Artist in Residence at the Cleveland Institute of Art during the 2010-2011 academic year. The past six years in the field have allowed her to develop her skills as a studio jeweler while holding a range of positions from Studio Assistant to Production Manager and Stone Setting Trainer. Emily currently owns and operates Emily R Studio, where her focus is creating simple and elegant jewelry handcrafted in an environmentally responsible manner.
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Michael Romanik is a native of northeast Ohio, and a graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Art receiving his BFA Degree in Drawing and minors in both Printmaking and Glass. As a student studying enameling in art school, he became intrigued with the technique of cloisonné. In his pursuit to learn more and perfect his skills, he has spent over 20 years researching and experimenting this captivating art form. Michael has exhibited his work both nationally and internationally, been published in numerous periodicals and books including Lark Books “500 Enameled Objects”, and is a 2011 Creative Workforce Fellowship recipient. michaelromanik.com
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Visiting artist Richard Salley began working with metal in 1969 as an assistant to Carmel, California metal sculptor Malcom Moran. His metal working experience turned to 'found object jewelry' after taking a workshop with Keith LoBue in 2002.
Richard has recently retired from teaching in public schools to devote more time to his art and teaching workshops around the country. His interests include digital art, mixed media collage/assemblage, sculpture and jewelry. Richard's work has been featured in ‘Belle Armoire Jewelry’, ‘Art Jewelry’ and ‘Jewelry Artist’ magazines, Susan Lenart-Kazmer’s book ‘Making Connections’, ‘Steel Wire Jewelry' by Brenda Schweder, 'Steampunk Style Jewelry' by Jean Campbell and 'Metal Style' by Karen Dougherty. rsalley.com |
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Visiting artist Molly Sharp's journey into metalsmithing began over four decades ago when she lived in England. After several years of studying traditional European techniques, she returned to the United States in 1981 to live and continue her education at Penland School of Crafts in North Carolina and The Arrowmont School of Arts and Crafts in Tennessee. Molly has studied under some of this country's top renowned Jewelers including John Cogswell, Marvin Jensen, Thomas Mann, Pat Flynn, Randy Long, Kate Wagle and Tom McCarthy.
In 1996 Molly became a full time jeweler and a member of the prestigious Southern Highland Craft Guild in Asheville, North Carolina. She teaches classes in her home studio in North Carolina, and travels teaching at several schools throughout the country. "My work is meticulously fabricated from sterling silver and gold. Over the years I've developed a style of textured and oxidized pieces, often with the use of constructed hollow forms, hinges and the incorporation of tiny, unpolished pebbles. My work can be found in several galleries and on my website, www.mollysharpmetalsmith.com." |
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Visiting artist Casey Sheppard is a "Metalsmith, freelance
writer, mountain biker, community gatherer, adventure seeker, classic cocktail
maker, and entrepreneur, these are a few of the passions that influence my life
and my art. My granddad passed-on to me his love and respect for tools. That
combined with my love of fashion and sculpture result in the metal work I do
today. Inspired by cities, nature, mechanics and life I create work that is
just a bit different than everyone else. I feel it's important to find your own
voice and proudly ride that shiny unique rainbow unicorn all the way into the
sunset!"
I’m currently working on a project to connect communities called “Case of the Nomads”. It’s a yearlong trip where I will be traveling in my Ford Transit Connect (that I converted to a live work/space), bike and my adventure dog “India”. The purpose is to stop at art, bike and other communities to see what they are doing, connect and then share my experience with others." Casey has exhibited at galleries nation/world wide, art festivals and has been published in numerous periodicals and books including American Craft Magazine, Art Jewelry Magazine and Schiffer Publishing "Behind the Brooch", to name a few. She currently writes for Art Jewelry Magazine, and is working on her first cold connection jewelry design book slated for release in 2017. |
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Eva Sherman began beading as a way to spend time with her daughters but soon became hopelessly addicted. In 2005 she traded in her architectural career for the opportunity to spend all her time among beads, and opened Grand River Bead Studio in Cleveland, Ohio. Eva now happily spends most days in the studio creating, writing and teaching, but has been know to take her show on the road. She has discovered an affinity for working with wire and metals, and prefers to design in an organic and unstructured style. Eva has authored two books on jewelry design: "Organic Wire & Metal Jewelry" and "Cool Copper Cuffs".
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Susan Skoczen Southard was born and raised in the suburbs of Cleveland, OH. She attended Kent State University where she earned her BFA in Jewelry and Metals, and went on to receive her MFA in Jewelry and Metals at Rhode Island School of Design. She has taught at the Cleveland Institute of Art, Kent State University and Indiana University Kokomo. Susan exhibits her work nationally, sells via galleries, and her work has been featured in Lark Books “1000 Rings” and “500 Pendants and Lockets”. susanskoczen.com
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Michele Stoffan has been creating jewelry for over 20 years. An avid scuba diver, much of the sea glass, shells and other objects she uses is gathered while beach combing during her travels and other adventures. A trustee of the Parma Lapidary Club, she has been teaching basic and advanced wire wrapping for many years. “I love to see students' faces light up when they "get it!" Michele’s jewelry is sold at juried art shows in Ohio, and through local shops.
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