August 10th, 2015 — Matt Harrelson
Several women from Richmond and surrounding counties took part in a metalsmith class Saturday in the Arts Richmond building in downtown Rockingham.
The special workshop, which is taught by Deb Guess of Laurinburg, showed these women how to make jewelry — and more specifically, bracelets in this class — from scratch out of copper and brass.
Guess described herself as a mixed media and jewelry artist, and she teaches and produces these handmade, one-of-a-kind pieces of jewelry for galleries.
On Saturday, the ladies made a collection of bangle bands with spinner elements. Guess said she was teaching them how to “texture, form, solder and finish sheetmetal and wire.”
The participating women created the shape of their bracelets by hitting them with a mallet around a cone-shaped object, used blowtorches to help shape them as well and then dipped them in a solution called “super pickle,” which helps restore brass back to its bright color. They then used a brush to buff it down.
This was the third metalsmith class held at Arts Richmond, and Guess said organizers hope to add more in the future so others can make their own unique jewelry.
Said Guess while lighting up her blowtorch, “No two will look alike when they’re done.”