Jewelry-Making Classes at Brookfield Craft Center
Brookfield Craft Center's Jewelry Studio welcomes students at every stage, from a first afternoon at the bench to advanced technique-based study.
Workshops move from a hands-on sampler through focused instruction in metal fabrication, enameling, metal clay, and wax model making, with small classes that keep you close to your instructor and your own bench.
Qualified students and members can also book Open Studio time to keep practicing on their own between classes. Explore our current listings to find the right starting point for you.
Jewelry-Making Techniques You May Explore
Sampler Jewelry Workshops
A Sampler Workshop is a low-commitment way to try jewelry making before enrolling in a longer course. Expect a safety orientation, an introduction to basic tools, instructor demonstrations, and guided work on a small project, along with a sense of where to go next.
Beginning Silversmithing (101 and 102)
Brookfield Craft Center recommends Silversmithing 101 and 102 for a broader foundation in metal jewelry construction. These introductory courses may cover measuring, sawing, filing, forming, and basic soldering, building toward a simple wearable piece using core studio tools.
Metal Fabrication
Fabrication classes focus on building jewelry from separate metal components, covering sheet metal and wire work, piercing, forming, and soldering connections between parts.
Enameling
Enameling uses heat to fuse glass-based color onto metal. Classes may cover preparing the metal, applying and layering enamel, and firing pieces in the studio's enameling kilns to see how color choices translate after firing.
Metal Clay and PMC
Metal clay, often called PMC, lets you shape a clay-like material that becomes metal once fired in a kiln. Classes may cover shaping, texturing, joining components before firing, and polishing the finished piece.
Wax Model Making
Wax model making introduces carving and shaping forms used in a later casting process. Not every class includes casting itself, so check the course description to see what a specific workshop covers.
Forming, Raising, and Surface Techniques
These workshops cover the physical shaping side of jewelry making, including hammered texture, curved or dimensional forms, hydraulic pressing, and raising, supported by the studio's Bonny Doon press, pitch bowls, and forming stakes.
Rotating Specialty Workshops
Brookfield Craft Center periodically offers specialty workshops built around a particular material, construction technique, finished project, or an instructor's specialized process.
Find a Class for Your Experience Level
Not sure where to start? The right class depends less on how creative you are and more on how much hands-on studio experience you already have. Here’s a general guide to help you find your fit.
New to Jewelry Making
Start with a Sampler Workshop or Silversmithing 101 to build core skills and studio comfort. These classes introduce basic tools, safety practices, and simple construction techniques, so you leave with a foundation to build on, even if you've never picked up a torch or flex shaft before.
Building on the Basics
Silversmithing 102 and fabrication classes add independence, detail, and more advanced technique. You'll spend less time on demonstrations and more time working through your own design decisions, with room to practice soldering, forming, and finishing at a steadier pace.
Advanced Students
Technique-focused workshops in PMC, enameling, wax modeling, and specialty processes assume comfort with soldering, forming, and kiln work. Brookfield Craft Center's program is built to challenge students from introductory through advanced levels, so there's always a next skill worth developing.
Work in a Fully Equipped Jewelry Studio
The Jewelry Studio holds eight students at counter-height benches and includes the following:
- Rolling mills, flex shafts, and oxy-acetylene torches
- Enameling and metal clay kilns
- A Bonny Doon hydraulic press
- Buffing, grinding, and polishing equipment
- A belt sander, drill press, and bench shear
- Wax-working tools, pitch bowls, and forming stakes
- A steel-shot tumbler and jewelry hand tools
Capacity and equipment access may vary slightly by class.
Jewelry Open Studio for Independent Work
Open Studio gives eligible students and members monitored bench time to practice independently outside a scheduled class. Eligible participants include current or recent students who have completed a class within the past 12 months and current members with basic skills confirmed by the studio monitor. A drop-in fee applies, advance registration is required, and bench space is limited, so plan ahead.
Why Learn Jewelry Making at Brookfield Craft Center?
Our Jewelry Studio is part of a larger commitment to hands-on craft education, with instruction for every experience level, access to specialized equipment, and teaching from working artists and experienced teachers.
You'll also have opportunities to keep practicing through Open Studio and connect with a wider community of artists and makers on campus. Brookfield Craft Center is a nonprofit school dedicated to teaching traditional and contemporary craft skills and building appreciation for fine craftsmanship.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I know before registering for a class?
Review the current listing for age requirements, prerequisites, course length, materials fees, cancellation policy, and current space availability. Requirements differ by technique and project, so this is worth checking each time.
Will I finish a piece by the end of a single class?
Not always. Many workshops are organized around a finished piece or a focused technique, but completion depends on the project, the class length, and your own pace. Some students finish in one session, while others need additional time.
Are metals and materials included in the class fee?
It depends on the course. Some classes include materials in the registration fee, while others list a separate materials fee or a specific supply list.
How many students are in a class, and how much individual attention will I get?
The Jewelry Studio holds up to eight students at a time, which keeps classes small enough for direct instructor feedback and easier supervision around torches, kilns, and machinery.
What safety precautions should I know before taking a class?
Jewelry making involves torches, kilns, and power equipment, so review your course description for specific requirements. Plan to wear appropriate clothing, secure long hair and loose clothing, use eye protection when directed, and avoid operating unfamiliar equipment without instructor approval.
Discover Your Upcoming Jewelry Class
Every piece starts somewhere, whether that's your first afternoon at the bench or a technique you've been refining for years. Brookfield Craft Center's Jewelry Studio gives you room to grow at your own pace, with classes that build real skill and Open Studio time to keep practicing once you're ready to work independently.
Take a look at what's currently on the schedule.
