Makers Mill launches new Metalsmithing Foundations series

WOLFEBORO — For anyone who has looked at a sheet of silver, copper or bronze and wondered how it becomes a piece of jewelry or art, Makers Mill is offering a new place to begin.

On Tuesday, Sept. 22, from 5:30 to 8 p.m., Makers Mill will launch its new Metalsmithing Foundations series with a class focused on one of the most fundamental tools of the craft: the jeweler’s saw.

Led by metalsmith and instructor Kristin Ohlmann, the class will introduce participants to selecting saw blades, setting up and tensioning a saw frame, proper body positioning, and techniques for cutting a variety of lines and shapes in sheet copper. Participants will also learn piercing, the technique of cutting shapes from the interior of a sheet, while creating a small decorative copper bird.

The class will also cover the use of hand files and sandpaper to refine sawn edges, along with techniques for sawing wire and small copper or brass tubing.

The September class is the first in a new series of foundational metalsmithing offerings at Makers Mill. Each class will stand on its own and focus on a different core skill or technique, allowing participants to explore individual topics or continue building their metalsmithing skills through future offerings.

Ohlmann studied metalsmithing at RIT’s School for American Craft and the Memorial Art Gallery Creative Workshop in Rochester, New York, and later earned a Post Baccalaureate Certificate in Studio Art from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. Her experience also includes study at Haystack Mountain School of Crafts. A former college physics teaching assistant, Ohlmann brings technical knowledge, curiosity and a love of problem solving to her teaching.

For Ohlmann, working with a jeweler’s saw is one of the most contemplative and enjoyable parts of metalsmithing. Through the series, she hopes to help participants become comfortable with the tools and process while learning to design, experiment, problem solve and embrace the challenges of making by hand.

Metalsmithing Foundations: The Jeweler’s Saw takes place Tuesday, Sept. 22, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. in the Metalsmithing and Jewelry Shop at Makers Mill, 23 Bay St. in Wolfeboro. The class is open to adults and youth ages 16 and older, with enrollment limited to six participants. 

The series continues on Saturday, Oct. 24, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. with Metalsmithing Foundations: Hammers & Mallets, where participants will explore the different hammers and mallets used to shape and texture metal and get hands on practice with a variety of tools and techniques.

Learn more and register for The Jeweler’s Saw at makersmill.org/saw.