Business Interruption

We are sorry for the inconvenience being experienced with our tool line.  We are currently in the process of moving our shop and home to another location.  We expect to return to making lampworking tools in about 2 months, hopefully by August,2019.  Please sign up for our newsletter to receive information on progress.   Please stay in touch!  Thank you, Grace and Frank Santos

Metal Casting two day class March 24 and March 31, 2018

Carmen Martinez, jewelry fabricator and designer will be here to teach another Metal Casting  class on 2 Saturdays, March 24 and March 31, 2018.

  Casting has been done by Jewelers for thousands of years.  It is as important

in the 21^st century as it was years ago.  You ask yourself “Why should I learn lost wax casting?”   This is a great technique for making your own custom items for your jewelry pieces.   You can easily have someone cast your unique customs items for you, but the more you understand the process, the easier it will be for you to design your pieces.  You will learn vacuum and centrifugal casting methods.  You will learn how to sprue and invest the wax models, calculate metal requirements, and understand the burnout cycle.  You will learn  the “sprue” technique and cast an organic item.  We will review what items are best for casting.  You can bring your own items to cast, however, we will also have an assortment of organic pieces.  Sterling silver and bronze will be available for you to cast with.  Email Grace@GracefulCustoms to sign up, $275.00 plus material fee.

Sterling Silver Cuff Bracelet, Sat. March 3, 2018

Marge Regan, jewelry designer and jewelry fabricator in silver, gold and platinum, with 20+ years of experience, will be here to teach a sterling silver cuff bracelet on Sat., March 3, 2018 at Graceful Customs Studio.  

            This class will get you started on making your own beautiful anticlastic bracelet cuffs in sterling silver.  You will learn how to anneal sterling silver, use traditional and contemporary methods to apply texture or a pattern to the metal with a rolling mill, choose a die to punch out a bracelet shape and use the hydraulic press to form your bracelet cuff.  Students will also do a small amount of sawing and forging to complete their bracelet.  Students will have the opportunity to oxidize their cuff after the final polish if desired. 

You will leave this class with a ready-to-wear original silver bracelet cuff.  This class is the 1^st of a series of classes that will be offered during this year at Graceful Customs.  $250.00 for one day, plus material fee to be determined closer to class.  e-mail Grace@Gracefulcustoms.com to sign up!  

 

Open house 6:00 to 8:00 pm - Meet the Artist with Wesley Fleming, Sat., Sept. 23, 2017

Come meet Wes Fleming at Graceful Customs Studio, in Gilroy, on Sat., Sept 23.  Call for directions if you have not been here before: 408 348-9239

Creepy Crawly Critters with Wes Fleming Class

Wes Fleming, soft glass sculptor, will once again return to Graceful Customs Studio on Sat and Sun, Sept 23 & 24, 2017. More details to follow! A couple of seats still available!  Cost is $485.00 for both days.

New date to be announced -Michael Dickinson

Michael's class scheduled for Sept. 16 will be rescheduled due to a schedule conflect,  This class is for boro (hard glass) and torches are Nortel minor/major    No experience needed.  e-mail Grace@Gracefulcustoms.com

Heather from Chaos Glassworks

We are excited to host Heather from Chaos Glassworks for a class!  She will be here at Graceful Customs Studio in Gilroy, CA, on Saturday and Sunday, August 26 & 27, 2017, to teach separate projects on each of the two days.  Heather is very busy participating in art and gem shows throughout the bay area, and would now like to share some of her techniques and art forms.  Her husband, Dave, is an accomplished Artist Glassmaker who makes larger sculptured items such as lights, vases, paper weights, bowls. Their beautiful art can be seen on their website at www.Chaosglassworks.com  Their art gallery and workshop is in Sutter Creek, California.

Heather Hopman works in a variety of mediums including lampworked soft glass beads, ceramics, gourds, metalworking, blown glass and watercolors. She was born and raised in Amador County.
She has studied under Loren Stump, Robert Mickelson and Vittorio Constantini.
Heather will be teaching soft glass sculptures, a cat and a horse on the first day, and a seal on the second day.  She will teach us how to manipulate shapes, colors, and animal details such as faces. 

 Cost is $175.00 for one class, and $300.00 for both classes.  e-mail
Grace@Gracefulcustoms.com to sign up and class supplies details.