Jewelry with Found Beachcombing Objects

Do you like to beachcomb? Do you have a collection of beautiful small pebbles, rocks, sea glass, broken shells? What if you could make them into wearable art? In this course, students will create one of a kind jewelry incorporating found objects from Oregon beaches. We will cover basic metalsmithing techniques including sawing, soldering, surface finishing and cold connections such as stone setting and riveting. We will also explore cuttlefish bone casting to add as decorative elements to your pieces! Students will complete a few pieces of wearable art over the four day workshop.

Junko Iijima has been teaching metalsmithing and design in colleges and art centers in the US since 1995.

Her teaching at Clacakcams Community College and her artwork have been featured on OPB's Art Beat

Junko focuses on students’ success in creating their work. In her work, she focuses on the intertwining cultures of the Japanese where she is from, and the United States where she lives.

• Found objects, anything that has flat back will work great, such as:

o beach rocks (flat)

o beach glasses

o shells

o toy parts, etc..

Optionally, feel free to bring any hand tools you already have for jewelry making, such as:

•Needle nose, flat nose, chain nose pliers

• Wire cutter

•Needle files

•#2 files

• Butane jewelry torch

• Metal stamps

• Hammers

•Bring any necklace chains, cords for your finished artwork

• Various sizes of silver bezel wires

• Saw blades

• Copper and brass sheets and wires

• Silver solders

• Sandpapers

• Cuttlefish bones