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SEPTEMBER
55
TIME OFF
CONCIERGE
What
A one-day practical jewellery workshop
with jeweller Sarah Macrae, focusing on
working with silver.
Where
This is part of the Short Courses
programme at West Dean College, near
Chichester. The college is in West Sussex,
about 35 miles from Southampton Airport.
Why
West Dean College is renowned for its
conservation and creative arts education.
The former home of poet and patron of
the arts, Edward James, the college is part
of a beautiful 6,350-acre estate, and hosts
residential courses as well as short courses.
The jewellery workshop I was taking part
in was run by Sarah Macrae, a jeweller
who exhibits her work with The Designer
Silver lining
Just how easy is it to learn the basics of working with silver and to create your
own jewellery?
Emily Gravenor
went on a short course at
West Dean College, Sussex
to find out
Jewellers Group – most recently at the
Barbican in London.
As a newcomer to jewellery-making,
my main aim was to create something,
however small, that I could wear and feel
smug about when someone complimented
me on it – it’s good to be optimistic!
How
We were to spend the morning working on
a set project – using a piece of silver we
were given to produce a band ring, then
in the afternoon we would work on our
own designs, with advice from Sarah. The
course is suitable for those with experience
who want help to perfect their projects or
beginners who need step-by-step help.
We began by preparing our piece of
silver – heating it so that it would be
malleable to work with. I was very excited
when I realised I was going to be let loose
on a French blowtorch. This involved
blowing into a plastic tube whilst directing
the flame at your metal, placed against
stone bricks. You had to get just the right
level of flame going, by adjusting the
strength of your blow, then watch the
colour of the metal until it began to get a
rosy colour to it. Sarah explained that the
more you do it, the more easily you can
judge the state of the metal by its hue. As
it was, I hadn’t quite reached that stage –
at one point she turned round to see me
pumping flames at the small piece of silver
a little like George’s dragon after a very hot
vindaloo. I got the knack gradually, though,
tempering the flame so it was more of a
gentle scorching.