2787 Recreational courses

We are very pleased to announce that Stephen Goldsmith aka the Gold polishing Guru is coming to our workshop 925 to teach his polishing masterclass. If you’re in the industry, he needs no introduction but for anyone who hasn’t heard of him, he is a master of the polishing craft with over 50 years experience, his client list past and present includes, Asprey, Garrard, Theo Fennell, Hamilton and Inches Crown Jewellers of Scotland, The Royal Mint, The Royal Society. He has polished and restored many famous silverware pieces including the Americas Cup; Davis Cup; Wimbledon Cup and the Premier League Cup and he has also advised the Tower of London Jewel House on the upkeep of their silver collections. He also judged the polishing section of Goldsmiths craft and design awards. WHEN: Thursday 31st October and Friday 1st November 2024 WHERE:  Workshop 925 based at The Mayford Centre, just outside of Woking and very close to Guildford. Unit F9 The Mayford Centre, Mayford Green Woking, Surrey  GU22 0PP TUTOR: Stephen M Goldsmith ABOUT STEPHEN: Stephen M Goldsmith started out at Rochester Art college, now known as University for the Creative Arts and was apprenticed at C.J Vander’s in 1971 and indentured with The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths’. Now a Master Polisher of over 50 years’ experience, originally working for the Crown Jewellers Asprey & Garrards and well-known society jeweller Theo Fennell. Many of the pieces polished are now seen in Palaces, Museums and the rich and famous across the world. Stephen is one the most respected jewellery & silver polishers and is currently is teaching polishing across Europe and is known affectionately as “The Gold polishing Guru”. He has polished and restored many famous silverware pieces including the Americas Cup; Cricket World cup, Wimbledon Cup, Dubai Gold Cup, Premier League Cup. He has also been privileged to work in the jewel house at the Tower of London restoring The Grand Punch bowl made in 1830 and used by the Royal family on many occasions. Also known for polishing the largest pure gold coins made by the Royal Mint the largest being the James Bond 7kg pure gold coin. He is a fellow of the Institute of Professional Goldsmiths (IPG) and their official ambassador and a Master of The Dutch Guild of Goldsmiths. He shares his trade skills by teaching nationally and internationally including at Goldsmiths Centre, School of Master Jeweller’s Birmingham and VanTol & Breet Academy (Netherlands), The School of Jewellery Dublin & The Design & Craft Irish Craft Council in Kilkenny, Vannilla Ink, Aka_bespoke Manchester, Sheila Fleet in Orkney, Patrick Mavros in Zimbabwe and Mauritius. Stephen is a Freeman of The Worshipful Company of Goldsmiths’ and was granted the Freedom of the City of London in 1975. He has also had the very rare honour of winning The Goldsmith’s Company Award twice, plus many other prestigious awards and served as a council member for The Goldsmiths’ Craft and Design Council and a published authority on polishing precious metals “Polishing and Finishing for Jewellers and Silversmiths by the Crowood Press. WHAT DOES THE DAY INVOLVE? We are very pleased to announce that Stephen Goldsmith aka the Gold polishing Guru is coming to our workshop 925 to teach his polishing masterclass. If you’re in the industry, he needs no introduction but for anyone who hasn’t heard of him, he is a master of the polishing craft with over 50 years experience, his client list past and present includes, Asprey, Garrard, Theo Fennell, Hamilton and Inches Crown Jewellers of Scotland, The Royal Mint, The Royal Society. He has polished and restored many famous silverware pieces including the Americas Cup; Davis Cup; Wimbledon Cup and the Premier League Cup and he has also advised the Tower of London Jewel House on the upkeep of their silver collections. He also judged the polishing section of Goldsmiths craft and design awards.You can get a glimpse of what he does on his instagramWHAT HAPPENS DURING THE MASTERCLASS?First, Stephen will talk about his career giving you an insight into the makings of a master craftsman. Then he will demonstrate just why he is known as master polisher. After this demonstration you will be guided by Stephen to try and replicate what you have been shown in the demonstration.After working through a few more exercises you will set to work on your own jewellery, receiving guidance on not just how to achieve the finish you would like for your jewellery but to reach a standard of finish you didn’t know you could.These Masterclasses are a great opportunity to learn from someone who is:a) A true master in our tradeb) Not a grump or condescending because you don’t know somethingc) Happy to chat and share his knowledge!All you need to bring is some of your own jewellery (around 6 items) at the point where it’s ready for polishing.You will have a spindle that is yours for the duration of the masterclass, mops, materials etc will be provided. It can be a messy business so make sure your clothing is workshop friendly!You will also have full access to our workshop, benches, tools and equipment if needed.This Masterclass will leave you with the knowledge and skills to take your polishing to a highly professional standard.EXPERIENCE REQUIRED: This class will benefit jewellers with some experience who are looking to learn to polish their work to a professional level. Our small classes mean we are able to provide each student with the support they require. CLASS SIZE: 6 WHAT TO BRING: For safety reasons, during each class, you are required to wear appropriate footwear, we request that no open toed shoes are worn within Workshop 925. Long hair should also be tied back when working with the equipment. You may also wish to bring a notebook. We have handouts for many demonstrations, but there are always many tips and tricks given verbally by the tutor, which some might like to keep note of. We have a microwave, kettle and fridge to store or cook your lunch choices. PAYMENT OPTIONS: You can pay via our website or in our workshop in person using our card machine. If you prefer to pay directly, you can email us on hello@workshop925.com and we can invoice you manually to arrange a bank transfer. For classes over £80, instalment options are also available. Please email us on hello@workshop925.com to arrange. Gift Voucher – if you have a voucher to redeem, please email us before booking on hello@workshop925.com Please check your dates carefully before booking a class as we are unable to offer refunds. See our Terms & Conditions for full details.

Come and have some fun with clay in the peaceful setting of my studio located in the cottage garden of our home on the Cambridgeshire/Norfolk border.

The beginners 1 day course offers a comprehensive introduction to the world of bowl turning and gives participants confidence and a solid foundation to pursue this fascinating craft. Learn about wood preparation, aspects of design, tool sharpening and tool techniques.

The one day one-to-one freestyle course is tailored to your requirements and I happy to discuss your requirements before booking. If you have a specific project in mind and that you need assistance with then I am happy to guide you through the processes involved.

My Hollow form making day for intermediate students will give you the basic knowledge to make beautiful vases and bowls. Usually made from solid branch or trunk wood I will teach you how to choose and prepare suitable timber and use the specialist tools to carry out hollowing. (one-to-one only or maximum of 2 students)

The Three Legged stool making day takes each student through the process of making a small hardwood stool from start to finish. Stool making includes both spindle and faceplate turning techniques and gives each student a good understanding of the different tools and methods used for each. ( 2 students maximum )

Come along and make three attractive willow bird feeders. One to fill with fat balls, one for seeds and a hanging bird table. These make great additions to your garden or thoughtful handmade gifts. You will learn how the willow is cut and processed and learn some of the key willow weaving techniques. Refreshments included, please bring your own lunch

Within this day you will learn how to mould a part of your/your partners/ your childs body in a safe, non toxic, water based material called alginate. You will then learn how to make a cast from that mould using a sculpture plaster. Once the cast is removed from the mould you will learn how to 'fettle' the cast in other words make it perfect, then you'll have the option of adding a colour to the cast or mounting it on a stand. What you learn during the course can be used to cast your children's hands and feet when you're back at home, I can supply all the materials you need to do this. I've been running this type of workshop for 25 years so I'm very experienced in the process. I cast my own mothers hands about a year before she died and they are my most prized possessions as they have picked up so much detail

During this class we will explore the creation of abstract sculpture starting with the development of ideas, shapes and forms, then we will use some composite sculpture material to transfer your ideas from a sketch to a 3 dimensional work. The material we use is rigid but very easily worked with rasps and reduction paper so you'll quite quickly gain confidence in working with it. We will supply a dust mast if requred You don't need any prior experience in sculpture or a background in art to enjoy this course, I'll take you through all aspects of the creative process. At the end of the day you'll have a piece of work to take away but we will also have discussed how to take your original to the next stage which will be moulding and casting to re-produce it in a hard wearing material.

Come along and make three attractive willow bird feeders. One to fill with fat balls, one for seeds and a hanging bird table. These make great additions to your garden or thoughtful handmade gifts. You will learn how the willow is cut and processed and learn some of the key willow weaving techniques. Refreshments included, please bring your own lunch