Mokume Gane: Wood Grain Pattern in Metal with visiting artist Eric Burris
Mokume Gane: Wood Grain Pattern in Metal Mokume Gane, or wood grain metal, is a traditional Japanese technique in which two or more different metals are meticulously cleaned, alternately stacked, compressed and heated to a high temperature. The result is the fusing of all layers into a solid block or billet. The billet can be made into sheet metal with a variety of patterns by repeatedly carving through layers and reducing the thickness. Ring stock can be made by twisting a thick piece to rearrange the layers and removing material to reveal a hidden pattern.
Participants will learn a low tech, low cost, but efficient method to make Mokume Gane-using a refractory brick mini furnace and soldering torch to fire the billet. Participants will start by making their own copper and sterling silver billet and finish with a seamless forged band ring. In between are several technical demonstrations, so beginning metals & jewelry skills are needed to be successful in this workshop. This 3 day workshop is limited to only eight students. Tools will be available for use, and consumable materials are included.
Friday, June 10 – Sunday, June 12 10:00 am – 6:00 pm each day
Basic metalsmithing skills and comfort with a torch is required. (Ages 18 & up)
Class Fee: $650
Materials Kit Fee: $130 payable to the instructor.* Includes the following:
- 6”x2” 22 gauge sterling silver,
- 6”x2” 20 gauge copper sheet
- 3”x.5” 24 gauge sterling sheet
- set of steel torque plates w/ hardware
- wood & brass cleaning jig
- cleaning blocks w/ scotch-brite pads
- 320 sandpaper
- lint free towels
- 2oz. fine pumice powder
Students are required to bring: safety glasses, ear protection, closed toe shoes (leather preferred), leather work gloves, notebook & pen/ pencil, ultra-fine pont sharpie marker.
Students will be given the opportunity to purchase the following items to fire Mokume Gane at home:
- Refractory brick mini furnace $70
- Steel Compression plates $30-50
- forging hammer $25
- forging tongs $30
Instructor: *visiting artist* Eric Burris
Please note our*visiting artist* registration policy for this workshop.
*Due to the volatility of the metals market, all material/ supply fees are subject to change. If there is a significant change of cost for materials or supplies, students will be notified in advance and are required to pay for the difference in cost when they arrive at the class or workshop.
Participants will learn a low tech, low cost, but efficient method to make Mokume Gane-using a refractory brick mini furnace and soldering torch to fire the billet. Participants will start by making their own copper and sterling silver billet and finish with a seamless forged band ring. In between are several technical demonstrations, so beginning metals & jewelry skills are needed to be successful in this workshop. This 3 day workshop is limited to only eight students. Tools will be available for use, and consumable materials are included.
Friday, June 10 – Sunday, June 12 10:00 am – 6:00 pm each day
Basic metalsmithing skills and comfort with a torch is required. (Ages 18 & up)
Class Fee: $650
Materials Kit Fee: $130 payable to the instructor.* Includes the following:
- 6”x2” 22 gauge sterling silver
- 6”x2” 20 gauge copper sheet
- 3”x.5” 24 gauge sterling sheet
- set of steel torque plates w/ hardware
- wood & brass cleaning jig
- cleaning blocks w/ scotch-brite pads
- 320 sandpaper
- lint free towels
- 2oz. fine pumice powder
Students are required to bring: safety glasses, ear protection, closed toe shoes (leather preferred), leather work gloves, notebook & pen/ pencil, ultra-fine pont sharpie marker.
Students will be given the opportunity to purchase the following items to fire Mokume Gane at home:
Refractory brick mini furnace $70
Steel Compression plates $30-50
forging hammer $25
forging tongs $30
Instructor: *visiting artist* Eric Burris
Please note our *visiting artist* registration policy for this workshop.
*Due to the volatility of the metals market, all material/ supply fees are subject to change. If there is a significant change of cost for materials or supplies, students will be notified in advance and are required to pay for the difference in cost when they arrive at the class or workshop.
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Visiting artist Eric Burris has been making things out of metal and teaching others how to do the same for over twenty years. He has a BFA from Kansas State University and an MFA from Arizona State University. He’s also been employed as a bench jeweler, an adjunct teacher at multiple colleges, and sold his jewelry, nationally at fine craft shows. During graduate school he was hooked on the Japanese technique, Mokume Gane. By combining traditional and western methods he’s developed a low-tech, low-cost, and efficient method of making diffusion bonded Mokume Gane. Eric thrives on sharing his metal working experiences and travels around the country teaching workshops. Eric has also made a living working with dogs as an amatuer dog trainer and operating a dog walking business for five years. He lives in Silver Spring, MD with his printmaker partner, Gretchen and their two dogs Carmela & Javier.
mokumeganeworkshops.com |