Courses and Lectures
TESTIMONIALS
"I fondly recall your mount making course from a few years ago. Thanks again! You were an amazing teacher. What you taught has come in handy many times over."
-Patrick Barth, NewProject CEO, 2024 (mountmaking 101, Brooklyn Metal Works)
"Sasha is a rare gem in jewelry education. Her broad span of practice, covering a variety of aspects in jewelry, gives me views from different angles. I learnt with Sasha for Jewelry theory at RISD. She’s familiar with practicing contemporary jewelers, while knowing jewelry history in detail, and at the same time, holds a humble and unbiased respect for whatever is emerging. Sasha shows a thorough comprehension and true appreciation in her critique as well. I later learnt that Sasha is also a practicing jeweler and mount maker, and studied mount making with her. Mount making with Sasha doesn’t feel like a supplement for the jewelry piece. Sasha crafts everything with utmost care, respect and curiosity. She relit my passion for jewelry, showing me how one can be so knowledgeable but with zero arrogance to what she masters. Sasha’s practice and vision as a generalist in jewelry broadened my understanding of jewelry. She is a true inspiration."
-Man Luo, 2024 (Jewelry Theory, RISD Jewelry and Metals Program & mountmaking 101, Brooklyn Metal Works)
Contact me to set up a workshop, course, or lecture with your group! I am happy to customize for your needs
SketchUp for Exhibition Design
Format: Lecture or workshop
This can be adapted to the skill level of the students. In this lecture we will go over the basic skills needed to use SketchUp for exhibition design as well as a few more advanced skills that are especially helpful for the modeling of exhibition furniture and art objects.
Jewelry in Context
Format: Lecture
What does Jewelry mean to us? How do we wear it, who wears it, and why does that matter?
We explore these questions and many more in this discussion based lecture on the history and social significance of jewelry.
Jewelry 2
Format: 8 week practical course
This course builds upon basic metalworking skills and will introduce a variety of new jewelry techniques. Learn how to construct a hollow form ring from sheet metal and expand your soldering capabilities. Utilize riveting to layer sheet metal and explore more advanced piercing techniques to create a pair of earrings. Finishing and polishing will be taught. Refine your basic benchwork proficiency, expand your knowledge of metals, build your design repertoire, and complete more complex jewelry project
Course is taught seasonally at Brooklyn Metalworks
Mount-making 101
Format: 8 week practical course
In this course students are introduced to the theory and practice of making mounts and the unique challenges of mounting jewelry. Classes will progress from initial design, through fabrication and installation, and consider the needs of museum, gallery, and personal objects. Custom mounts can elevate the display of any art practice or retail business. Making mounts is also a specialized and sought-after skill set that offers careers in metalworking or can supplement income with freelance work. The course includes lectures, demonstrations and hands-on practice sessions. Students will create mounts for personal objects and keep them.
Design
The beginning of the process and arguably the most important. This section includes assessing the nature and condition of the object, determining contact points for supporting the object, the overall shape of the mount, and appropriateness and strength of mount materials.
Fabrication
Working with primarily brass and archival padding materials to execute the design, This can involve soldering, cutting, bending and shaping, pinning, padding, and painting.
Installation
Securely fastening mounts to bases and installing the objects in them while preventing damage to the object.
Course is taught seasonally at Brooklyn Metalworks
Skill and Technique in Ancient Metalsmithing
Format: Lecture
This lecture illuminates the techniques and technologies used in antiquity in ancient metalsmithing, particularly in the creation of jewelry. The focus can be on either techniques used in ancient Egypt, Mediterranean and Black Sea areas or those used in the ancient Americas, particularly as exhibited in Aztec and Moche objects.