This workshop meets Friday and Saturday, August 22 & 23, 2025, 9:00 am - 5:00 pm with a lunch break each day
 
In this workshop, you will have the opportunity to unleash your creativity and express yourself in a meaningful way. We will begin by exploring Mandalas and creating our own by hand, focusing on freely expressing our emotions. After that, we will deconstruct our drawings to add depth and transfer the design onto Scratch Foam to capture the lines in low relief. Scratch Foam has its own unique look and feel, giving our creations a distinct signature. As we cut, shape, and dry the Metal Clay parts, we will assemble them in layers to give the Mandala a sense of depth. Throughout the process, you will learn various techniques for creating textures in Scratch Foam, assembling, setting Fire in Place Cultured Opals, and best practices for working with them. Opals symbolize hope, purity, and truth, making them the perfect fit for this project. We will start with the basics, explore creative boundaries, and explore advanced skills anyone can learn.
 
A kit fee of $135 will be collected by the instructor during the workshop and includes:
30g Fine Silver Metal Clay 
Fire in Place Cultured Opals* (1) 7 - 8mm, (5) 2 - 3mm ($80 allowance with your choice of gem colors)
Scratch foam 
Pilot Broad and fine gel ballpoint pens 
Silly Putty® 
Tracing paper 
Carbon Paper 
Grafix® Incredible White Mask Liquid Frisket 
1/8” Foam Paper/foam healing 
3M polishing papers 
Sandpaper 
Polishing pads
 
Optional Polishing Kit for hand polishing to be used with rotary tool: To be purchased in class only if needed. $35 • 3mm Eve® Bristle Brushes coarse to fine assortment • Eve® Rubber Wheels coarse to fine assortment • Eve® Rubber Knife Edge coarse to fine assortment • Mandrel
 
Basic Tools Students should bring (extras will be available) 
Snake roller 
Playing cards
Lubricant (Cool Slip®, badger balm) 
Metal Clay rolling pin tool 
Exacto® knife 
Pin tool or awl 
Non-stick work surface 
Small #2 brush 
Dust brush 
Overhead projector sheets cut in 1/4’s 
Needle files 
Tube cutters
 
We will share a limited number of the following, if you have either you’d like to bring, you are welcome: • Rotary Tool with 3/23 collet • Diamond Burr Set 2mm, 3mm, 7mm, 8mm
 
This workshop is part of the Metal Clay Artists Symposium and requires the purchase of the General Registration.
 
About Holly
Holly Gage of Gage Designs is a 2015 Saul Bell Design winner recognized for distinction in jewelry design. She creates contemporary jewelry and teaches her unique techniques with a gentle blend of design instruction and technical proficiency. Holly brings her innovation, creativity, and gift of helping others find their artistic voice through classes, mentoring programs, master workshops, and retreats. Classes are available live Online, at her PA studio, throughout the US, and abroad. She is a full-time jewelry artist, Certified Metal Clay Instructor, author, and conference speaker. In addition, Holly holds a BS in Fine Art and Education. Her jewelry and articles on techniques and design can be found in over 75 regional and national publications including the Best of America Jewelry Artists; Named 3rd in Handmade Business: Top 12 Makers, Movers, and Shakers; Metal Clay Today; Making Jewellery: among others. You can find more information about Holly’s jewelry, classes, and awards, along with numerous Metal Clay tips, tutorials, and blog on her web site at http://www.HollyGage.com