Teaching Mokume Gane at Touchstone

I've recently returned from five fabulous days teaching at Touchstone Center for Crafts in Western Pennsylvania. They have an extensive campus; besides my mokume gane box making class, there was a blacksmithing class, ceramics, and textiles. There is even a glass-blowing studio! Students and teachers alike stayed in either dorm rooms or cabins, and we all ate at a central dining hall. It felt like a proper retreat, well for the students anyway! It was a lot of fun for me too, but I left wanting to go back as a student. There is nothing like that feeling of being able to just work in the studio all day, no driving, no cooking, no cleaning, no TV, no emails. Many of my students went back to the studio after dinner, working till the wee hours. I really enjoyed one evening hanging out the with the blacksmiths (thank you Addison de Lisle!), and getting to know the ceramics and textiles teachers too.
Over the five days, students learned two different ways of patterning mokume gane, and each made about four finished patterns. Those patterned pieces then became the lids of small boxes - along the way they learned about texturing, forming, soldering, clean-up and of course patinas. I was impressed with their creativity - no two boxes alike.
My assistant Francesca Urciuoli was a huge help with everything from teaching to taking photos - thank you Francesca!
Look for this class to be taught online later this year, and in other 'away' locations next year (at a school near you?).
Last three pics show a field trip to Ohiopyle State park, just a 20 minute drive from Touchstone. Yes, it was quite a large snake! I also really enjoyed the fireflies, not something we see on the West coast.

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