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.

Michael Dickinson Returns on June 3

Michael will return for a one day Boro class, space limited, e-mail Grace@GracefulCustoms.com for information, see class description in previous post!

Michael Dickinson here on Sat., April 8, 2017

Michael Dickinson will be here at Graceful Customs Studio in Gilroy, Ca for a one day seminar April 8!  See his work on Facebook and website www.Dickinsonglass.com  Michael will be teaching glass blowing and other boro glass techniques.  No experience needed!  New students will be started on a basic project while students with previous experience can further their practical experience with Michael's help.  Class is 9:00 am to 4:30 pm.  Fee is $100.  Please bring your own lunch, some boro glass provided, otherwise bring your own for your own project.  Bring your favorite tools, e-mail me at Grace@GracefulCustoms.com for further details. 

Metal Etching class at Graceful Customs Studio on Sat., Feb.18, 2017

Metal Etching Class

Taught by Carmen M. Almlie-Martinez

1 Day        -     $ 150.00

Metal etching has been around for hundreds of years and is one of the most amazing and magical techniques you can have in your artistic arsenal.   The process is exciting which can be used to transfer images to metal.   While some believe, etching can be intimidating, the truth of the matter is that when it is executed in the correct manner, it is a safe and efficient process.

For the etching process, we will need an etchant which removes metal particles from any areas not protected by some sort of resist (or mask).  The most common form of etchant used for base metals (copper, brass, nickel silver, and pewter) is ferric chloride.  There are several resists that can be used.  The one we will use for this class is a blue acetate film called Press-n-Peel(PnP) paper.  We will also cover and talk about some of the other resist that can be used – Rubber Stamps and Ink, Letraset Lettering, Permanent Ink Markers, Asphaltum, and Nail Polish.

We will also talk about other etching processes - Edinburgh Process, Electrical Process, and Galvanic Process.  We will also go over what etchants are needed if one wishes to etch Sterling Silver or Gold.

e-mail Grace@Gracefulcustoms.com to register.

Lapidary Class every 2nd Sat. of the month

The Lapidary group meets every 2nd Saturday of each month, with occasional changes in schedule. Beginning and intermediate class to learn how to shape and polish to a shiny finish natural stones, using our lapidary equipment. Jim & Jennifer Ziegler are here once a month, to show you how to turn a natural unfinished stone into finished cabachon pendant to wire-wrap or make mount onto a metal bezel! All materials included, no experience needed, $85.00 Bring your lunch. e-mail Grace@Gracefulcustoms.com for more details and directions.

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 few spots still available!

Meet the Artist Evening with Rashan Jones

Come meet and greet Rashan Jones, Boro Artist, from Albuquerque's, New Mexico, on Saturday, November 5, 2016, at GracefulCustoms Studio, in Gilroy, Ca, e-mail us for more info:  grace@gracefulcustoms.com  See his work at http://jonesartglass.com/jones-art-glass/
He is here that weekend to teach a boro class!  Let us know if you are interested in the class.  See class description on this blog. www.Gracefulstudios.blogspot.com

Jelveh's Christmas-inspired Ornaments Class, Oct 22, 2016

Jelveh of Jelveh Designs will be hosting a Holiday ornament class at Graceful Customs, this Saturday, Oct. 22, 2016, from 9 am to 1 pm.  She will be demonstrating how to make a blown glass ornament, a snowman, and others on a headpins.  Cost is $125.00,   E-mail us at Grace@GracefulCustoms.com for other details. 

Rashan Jones, Nov. 5 & 6, 2016

Our next class will be with Rashan Jones on Sat. & Sun., Nov. 5 and 6, 2016, here is what Rashan says about his class:

"All that Jazz: Boro exploration."

"The beginner class was well received so I'm headed back to Graceful Customs Lampwork for another session.
We will spend 2 days covering implosion pendants, shot glasses and basic hand pipes. There will be some color application but mostly we will focus on fuming techniques for fine silver and some 24kt gold. I'll also be covering a review of Gilson Opal inclusions because they compliment the fumed pendants and they look great on hand pipes as well.
This is a perfect class for someone with experience in lamp working either soft or Boro, or an ambitious first timer."
Contact Grace for signup details!  Cost of class $475, includes lunch and glass used in class.
Bring your own tools.  Refrigerator and microwave available.  Water and drinks provided.  RV space available without charge.  Airport pickup available, from San Jose Airport.
See his work at: High Desert Flame Works

Making Murrini with CCGlass Art - Chistina Catherine

Christina Catherine of CCGlass Art will be here to teach a 2 day lampworking glass art class on July 23 and 24, 2016.  Christina has been making lampwork glass beads since 2008 and discovered her "passion" was making murrini.  She has 2 tutorials "Making Beautiful Murrini" and "Making Beautiful Encased Murrini Beads" and has had her tutorials  featured is e-magazines, Soda Lime Times  and ISGB publication. 
Description of class:
Day 1:
Making ocean-theme murrini, latticino, and other embeds for encasing
- complex concentric circle murrini
- watercolor murrini
- shell murrini
- encased stringers
- black coral strands
- seaweed latticino
Learn multiple techniques on Day 1 while making all the sea-themed elements that will go into the bead design we will construct and encase on day 2.
Day 2:
Putting it all together: Designing and assembling the pattern, applying all the elements, and successfully encasing multi-murrini beads
- learn my reliable, step-by-step method of placing murrini, and other embeds, that creates a color coordinated, harmonious, and visually full design every time
- finish the bead with encasing techniques that suspends the design while maintaining a dimensional look
Day 2 is all about mapping out the bead design, building and properly placing all the elements in the bead then encasing the murrini beneath a layer of clear glass while maintaining the dimensional look of all the embeds.  Christina's work can be seen on her website:  www.CCGlassArt.com and www.CCGlassArt.Etsy.com and Facebook
 Cost of class is $350, e-mail grace@gracefulcustoms.com to sign up for this new class

Electroforming/Anodizing/Plating made Easy!

ELECTROFORMING/ANODIZING/PLATING MADE EASY - 2 sessions: 
Sat, June 18 and Sat, June 25, 2016, Saturdays- Graceful Customs Studio, Gilroy, CA

(dates of class have changed from May)

Electroforming Class: 2 Days

Price: $ 275.00

Kit Price: $ 25.00

With the high cost of metals over the past years, alternative processes like Electroforming, Anodizing and Plating have become more popular over the years.

Electroforming is an exciting technique that does not require you to have a lot of metal working experience. This process will let you “grow” copper over almost any object. You will learn how to use this processes to create a shell of copper over objects like glass, wax carvings and organic materials (Leaves, Dried Flowers and Seed Pods).

Anodizing is fun way of adding color to metals like Niobium and Aluminum.

Plating is a method of adding a thin coating of metal over another metal. Most popular adding silver over a base metal.

What are these processes? How to prepare the metal or organic material? What can you do with the piece next? Rivets? Setting? Can you solder? How to clean or polish?   As time allows, Carmen will demonstrate these techniques!

Instructor:  Carmen Martinez, Email:  Grace@GracefulCustoms.com

Lost Wax Casting - 2 consecutive Saturdays, Mar 19 & 26, 2016

Casting has been done by Jewelers for thousands of years.  It is as important in the 21st 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 a variety of casting methods:  Vacuum, centrifugal, cuttle bone, and sand casting.  You will learn how to sprue and invest the wax models, calculate metal requirement, understand the burnout cycle and cast your projects.  We will have an assortment of waxes for you to choose from.
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. Price:  $ 275.00
Kit Price:  $25.00 (Metal not included)
e-mail Grace@Gracefulcustoms.com to sign up!  Overnight accommodations available to first person who requests.  $25.00 for one night.

Open House, "Meet the Artist" Rashan Jones

Come meet Rashan Jones, who will be teaching a 2 day Borosilicate skills for soft glass flame workers on Sat. Feb 20 and Sun. Feb. 21.  e-mail Grace@Gracefulcustoms for directions.

Rashan Jones to teach at Gracefulcustoms on Feb 20 & 21, 2016.

Rashan Jones will be here for a 2 day class, Sat & Sun, Feb 20 and 21.  He describes it as, "Crossover: Borosilicate skills for Soft glass flame workers. It is designed for soft glass workers looking to expand into a new COE. Boro is a very different, it moves slower, takes more heat, and the color palette works differently as well. This is crash course on how to take you existing skills and apply them to hard glass.-We’ll also spend some time learning some off mandrel boro techniques including blown hollow beads, inside out dot and line patterning, honeycombing and the use of lenses and horns to enhance your piece.
-Boro color is unique and so beautiful. We will cover WYSIWYG, striking, cadmiums, and metallic colors in depth. Each color family has a unique flame environment it prefers so we will also discuss flame chemistry and how to set neutral flames, when to reduce, and which colors prefer an oxidizing flame.
-And Boro also has few different tools, we will cover when to use them efficiently to achieve your desired results."  See his work at: http://jonesartglass.com/
Fee for 2 day class is $475, all materials included, e-mail Grace@Gracefulcustoms.com to enroll in this class, lunch also included.