INSTRUCTOR: Diane Almeyda, Artisan
COURSE: Metalwork/Enameling
PROJECT: Enamel Wall or Yard Décor
A spot of color on a wall or in a garden adds interest and a bright spot to a setting. These enameled plaques will be just the thing! Students will learn basic enamel techniques which will include both metal and enamel preparation, sawing with a jeweler’s saw, sifting enamel, and painting with enamel overglaze. Students will be able to choose from a variety of subjects or may make a design of their own choosing (an enameled sign, anyone?). This is a class meant to be fun while learning new materials and techniques. Anyone with good vision and use of their hands will be successful and be pleased with their creation!
TIME: 12 hours. Completion is likely.
POWER TOOLS: flex shaft
SKILL LEVEL: All levels.
MATERIALS FEE: $45 to be collected in advance of school or at school for non US students
INSTRUCTOR: Pete & Pam Boorum, Artisans
COURSE: Metal and Wood Working
PROJECT: Garden Tools
This class is FULL.
After a long winter, the early flowering bulbs pull us out to the garden. As soon as the soil is workable, the beds need to be prepared. And so we pull out the gardening tools.
This class will offer an assortment of hand tools for the miniature gardener. Included are a long-handled hoe, shovel and rake. For closer work, we offer a trowel, cultivator and pruning shears. And for the heavier work, we have hedge shears, bush cutters, and a pruning saw. Students may not complete all of these items, but they will have the opportunity to make quite a number of these in a comfortable, relaxed class setting. The jeweler’s saw will be the primary metal working tool used. Students will learn to apply and cut out the patterns, use forms to shape the flat metal and solder the parts together as needed. Students will also use the duplicator lathe to form the various handles and a drill press for various other chores. Paint and a few aging techniques will give the garden tools that well-used look.
TIME: 12 hours. Completion is likely.
POWER TOOLS: table saw, lathe, moto tool, drill press
SKILL LEVEL: Beginner and intermediate
MATERIALS FEE: $40 to be collected at school
INSTRUCTOR: Beth Freeman-Kane, Fellow
COURSE: Box-Framed Diorama
PROJECT: Ducklings
This class is FULL.
In this class students will create a box-framed scene depicting swimming ducklings and fish. Students will learn the skill of working with clear resin to represent water and the highly delicate process of balancing the ducks and fish in an underwater scene. This class also involves a silicon mold (which will be pre-made for you) to contain the “slab” of resin water. Students will also learn flower making and acrylic painting techniques. The cast ducklings and fish will be provided. This will be a fun class with an astounding end product!
TIME: 12 hours. Completion is likely.
POWER TOOLS: moto tool
SKILL LEVEL: Intermediate
MATERIALS FEE: $70 to be collected at school
INSTRUCTOR: Christine Hannon, Artisan
COURSE: Traditional Painting in Acrylics
PROJECT: Victorian Lilacs Still Life Painting
This class is FULL.
With the lilacs in bloom when we arrive in Castine, students can capture their beauty while learning how to paint realistically in miniature. Henri Fantin-Latour, mentored by James McNeill Whistler, was a successful English floral painter best known for simple compositions and subtle color harmonies. Painted in 1872, “Lilacs” has a timeless elegance and is a perfect image for the beginning painter. Success in rendering form, capturing light and controlling a color palette are all observed in this work.
In this class students will create a 1/12th scale reproduction of this painting using water-based, soft body acrylics, designed for luminous glazing. A historical overview of Victorian floral still life painting, materials and framing will be presented. Skills learned will include surface prep, image transfer, dead coloring (underpainting), color glazing and framing. Color mixing, brushwork, blending/shading, and glazing will all be practiced during instructor demonstrations. Upon completion, the student will be able to render glass, foliage and background surfaces realistically, having the confidence to apply these skills in future work.
The painting will be 1 ½" x 1 ⅞" plus framing. Students receive a set of 12 professional grade, soft-body acrylic colors, 3 miniature brushes and a step-by-step booklet of each demonstration. A custom-made, era-appropriate wood frame is also included. Students may choose to upgrade to a John Hodgson gilt frame for an additional fee.
TIME: 12 hours. Completion is likely.
POWER TOOLS: None
SKILL LEVEL: Beginner. Students need good eyesight and steady eye/hand coordination. The ability to see all colors is helpful but not mandatory.
MATERIALS FEE: $100 to be collected at school. An upgrade to a John Hodgson gilt frame is an additional $20.
INSTRUCTOR: Daniela Kiefhaber, Artisan
COURSE: Silver Clay Sculpting
PROJECT: Adventures in Silver Clay
This class is ideal for students if they have ever wanted to try the possibilities of the new medium — Silver Clay for miniatures. They can let their imagination run wild — from frames to bowls to teapots. Everything is possible!
When the Silver Clay is taken out of the package, it is a slightly moist lump of clay. The clay is then molded into its desired shape and dried. Once the piece is completely dry it can then be filed, carved, and sanded, after which it is fired in a kiln. Once completely fired, the remaining piece is composed of 99.9% pure silver. Students will be encouraged to develop and work on their own pieces. They will also learn how to combine readymade pottery with silver parts. They will have the opportunity to use ready-made molds as well as to learn how to make their own. Creating with metal clay is always an adventure!
TIME: 12 hours. Completion is likely.
POWER TOOLS: None
SKILL LEVEL: All levels
MATERIALS FEE: $65 to be collected at school. There is an optional fee of $35 for additional clay.
INSTRUCTOR: Daniela Kiefhaber, Artisan
COURSE: Needlework/Embroidery/Beading
PROJECT: Elizabethan Embroidered and Beaded Gift Basket
Elizabethan gift baskets were ceremonial and commemorative pieces of needlework art, given for marriage or betrothal. Often they picture the union of King Charles II and Catherine of Braganza, as this miniature version does as well. They are surrounded by a beaded garden of miniature flowers.
This project consists of two different kinds of needlework. While the center piece is silk embroidery on silk satin (mainly chain stitches), the flowers and leaves will be made from wire and antiques beads in different sizes (18/0–24/0). Students will use different techniques for the flowers and leaves and, of course, these can be used for many other projects as well.
To complete our fancy basket, the provided wire frame will be covered with silk floss; the embroidery being placed on the bottom. Then students go crazy decorating it with flowers and leaves in many different colors. The dimensions of finished basket are approximately 1" (30 mm) W x ¼" (10 mm) D x ¾" (20 mm) H.
TIME: 12 hours. Completion is unlikely. However, students will have the materials and techniques to complete the project at home.
POWER TOOLS: None
SKILL LEVEL: Intermediate and advanced
MATERIALS FEE: $40 to be collected at school
INSTRUCTOR: Daniela Kiefhaber, Artisan
COURSE: Needlework/Goldwork
PROJECT: A Book Box — Goldwork Embroidery
on Velvet
Goldwork is a form of embroidery that was originally developed in Asia 2000 years ago. It was used for church vestments and hangings; later in clothing and furnishings of the royals and nobility; later still, on military and other regalia. Embroidered book bindings are known throughout Europe from the 13th Century on, the most popular time was during the first half of the 17th Century and often used for prayer books.
Our project for this class is a small little box in the shape of a book. It can be used to store tiny treasures. The embroidery will include the use of different kinds of metal threads in (real!) gold and silver and spangles. Different techniques will be explored from couching/laid work to other stitches. The class will explore ways to mimic and use velvet in miniature. Also, students will use (real) gold leaf to gild the “pages” of our little box. The dimensions of finished box are approximately ½" (15 mm) W x ¼" (5 mm) D x 1" (25 mm) H.
TIME: 12 hours. Completion is likely with some overtime on their own outside the classroom (homework) and depending on level of skill/experience.
POWER TOOLS: None
SKILL LEVEL: All levels
MATERIALS FEE: $40 to be collected at school
INSTRUCTOR: Miyuki Kobayashi, Artisan
COURSE: Clay Sculpting
PROJECT: Goldfish and Aquatic Plants Aquarium
This class is FULL.
-->The nature aquarium or green aquarium, having a lot of plants, is recently becoming very popular due to its more natural style and taste. With this project students can enjoy fish and plants at same time, as well as a very good interior setting. Students will learn how to make fish as usual and more various kinds of aquatic plants. They will make a 50 mm (nearly 2” in US measurement) tank/aquarium and the instructor will also be prepared to offer a 60 mm tank so students can choose the one they like. In addition, if they want, students can make another tropical fish like the neon tetra instead of goldfish.
TIME: 12 hours. Completion is likely.
POWER TOOLS: none
SKILL LEVEL: All levels
MATERIALS FEE: $31 to be collected at school. There may be optional tools or supplies offered for an additional fee.
INSTRUCTOR: Tine Krijnen, Fellow
COURSE: Micro Book Making
PROJECT: Library in a Miniature Book
A nice project, a library book with micro booklets. No sewn books, but the micro booklets have leather covers decorated with embossed golden lines. Different sizes and thicknesses and colors of leather make the contents of this library interesting. Even a library staircase so that the books can also be packed on the top shelf. The library itself is made of thin wood covered with super thin leather. The spine has ribs and the title shield of leather in a contrasting color is embossed with the title Library. The challenge of this class is not to lose these micro books that are the size of a flea. They tend to jump away if you hold them with tweezers to place them on the bookshelves.
TIME: 12 hours. Completion is likely.
POWER TOOLS: none
SKILL LEVEL: All levels. A steady hand and good eyesight.
MATERIALS FEE: $35 to be collected at school
INSTRUCTOR: Hillary Lee, Artisan
COURSE: Mixed Media
PROJECT: Audubon Bird Feeder on Forged Hook
Students will heat and hammer out a steel rod and a brass rod to experience the two metals’ different hot working properties. To achieve a forge-worked look, students will experiment with various techniques using common tools and bits, again discovering the different ways the metals respond to intentional deformation. Choosing one rod for the project (the other can be used for an extra project), students will shape the rod end using a rotary tool equipped with a cut-off wheel. Then they will drill nail holes through the rod end for mounting. Finally, the hook is formed with heating, hammering, and rolling (pliers) to the desired shape. Mount it on a sander-shaped post, and it’s ready for hanging your bird feeder.
The feeder is formed from a plastic tube with painted wire perches and a fitted cap and base. Just as on its full-scale counterpart, the lid slides up along the handle arms for adding seed. And because this is Guild School, students will make and bake their own seeds. Okay, it is tedious work, but you don’t have to generate a big volume, and just think of the amazing birds you’ll attract!
TIME: 12 hours. Completion is likely.
POWER TOOLS: flex shaft, drill press, belt sander
SKILL LEVEL: Beginner. Good eye-hand coordination required for some steps.
MATERIALS FEE: $40 to be collected at school
INSTRUCTOR: Iulia Chin Lee, Artisan
COURSE: Turning Wooden Bowls with
Decorated Elements
PROJECT: Decorated Bowls
This course is a lovely introduction to basic techniques of lathe turning, which includes basic wood-turning and bowl-hollowing. Students will gain an understanding of, and familiarity with, turning tools and their proper use. Through practice, the students will be able to develop these skills, which will enable them to create beautiful, artistic pieces.
The instructor will teach students how to create the contours and shapes for bowls. While basic and bowl turning techniques are taught in the class, how to prepare the surface of wood turnings will be high-lighted for this project. The surface treatments will include priming, painting and gilding.
Beginners will receive individual coaching and instruction, especially during the basic wood turning. Students will be turning a variety of woods. It is a perfect course for students to make little bowls to fit in their miniature room settings.
TIME: 12 hours. Completion is likely.
POWER TOOLS: lathe
SKILL LEVEL: Beginner and intermediate
MATERIALS FEE: $50 to be collected at school. Students need to have their own micro turning tools in class. Sorby Turning Tool Set is recommended. Those who do not have tools have the option of purchasing them from the instructor. Robert Sorby Micro Turning Tool Set, made in England, is $150.
INSTRUCTOR: Chris Malcomson, Artisan
COURSE: Woodworking/Marquetry
PROJECT: Italian Gilt Bronze Marquetry Tray
This class is FULL.
Students will learn to make this fabulous rosewood tray using exotic veneers before going on to the marquetry using a number of techniques. They will be working from an established design, but students will be encouraged to make a design of their own choosing. The final assembly will include a handmade cast bronze gallery which the instructor will cast especially for this class. The class promises to be great fun and a great lesson in the art of marquetry.
TIME: 12 hours. Completion is likely.
POWER TOOLS: sanding machine
SKILL LEVEL: Beginner.
MATERIALS FEE: $40 to be collected at school
INSTRUCTOR: Marcia McClain, Artisan
COURSE: Upholstery
PROJECT: Contemporary Chair
This contemporary chair has its inspiration from home decorating magazines. It has classic lines that become updated with what is called a waterfall skirt and a trim color at the bottom edge of the skirt. With different fabrics it can blend well with traditional furnishings or be very modern and “now.” The instructor will help students select a fabric that will work for that special place in their collection from a very large assortment of fabrics. Think of fabrics from traditional to that popular farmhouse look.
TIME: 12 hours. Completion is likely.
POWER TOOLS: None
SKILL LEVEL: Beginner
MATERIALS FEE: $45 to be collected at school
INSTRUCTOR: Marcia McClain, Artisan
COURSE: Upholstery
PROJECT: Curved Front Sofa
This class is FULL.
This fabulous sofa is a copy of one used on an advertisement sent to the instructor a few years ago. It is graceful and lush. Use matching fabric for the pillows or a combination works very well too. The instructor has a very large selection of fabrics that she will help students select from for their use prior to their arrival at Guild School. When finished and photographed in a well-planned setting, it is hard to tell it is miniature and not full scale.
TIME: 12 hours. Completion is likely.
POWER TOOLS: None
SKILL LEVEL: Beginner
MATERIALS FEE: $45 to be collected at school
INSTRUCTOR: Marcia McClain, Artisan
COURSE: Upholstery
PROJECT: Round Ottoman
A round ottoman can be a wonderful addition to a foyer, bedroom, living room or conservatory. So many places it can be used! A combination of fabrics makes it more playful or use a solid color with a tonal blend for the fringed skirt. Learn to create a realistic fullness to the top of the ottoman and other areas of the upholstery, plus decorative trim and tassels. The instructor will contact students prior to Guild School to select fabrics from a huge assortment she has on hand.
TIME: 12 hours. Completion is likely.
POWER TOOLS: None
SKILL LEVEL: Beginner
MATERIALS FEE: $45 to be collected at school
INSTRUCTOR: Mary Grady O’Brien, Fellow
COURSE: Painting with Oils
PROJECT: Folk Art Decorated Boxes
Many household items were decorated with colorful, charming folk art design. Nothing was more popular than the always useful storage box used for documents, letters, jewelry, sewing notions, candles, soap, along with pantry supplies. Because these containers were so practical yet affordable, there are many examples that we still enjoy today, because of the vision of our many antique collectors.
The patterns chosen for this class will all reflect the same theme—the American home. Each box will be a different size, color, and style. These will be created by IGMA Artisan, Pam Boorum.
The students will be decorating with oil paint and become familiar with the basic brush stroke that is familiar in tole painting application.
The instructor’s goal is that students will end the week with new skills and confidence, along with more appreciation for the long history of folk art in our country. Students will return home with their own ideas for “how to decorate a box on your own!”
TIME: 12 hours. Completion is likely.
POWER TOOLS: None
SKILL LEVEL: All levels are welcome.
MATERIALS FEE: $100 to be collected at school
INSTRUCTOR: Pat Richards, Fellow
COURSE: Textiles
PROJECT: Making Rugs with Felted Wool
This class is FULL.
Hand dyed and felted wool is a forgiving fabric with which to make miniature rugs. The felting process tightens the weave to the point that it is unlikely to ravel when cut. The process used in class to piece together a rug will utilize that unique quality to our advantage. Students will cut and assemble a simple rug pattern with their choice of the hand-dyed wools provided. The basic process of rug making with felted wool has been taught in the past and anyone who has taken the class previously or those who feel especially confident in their blanket stitching, may choose to try a more complex design. After piecing the design, all edges are blanket stitched (also called buttonhole stitch) to add an additional layer of color and texture to the overall appearance of their rug.
TIME: 12 hours. Depending on the complexity and size of the rug, some students may complete their project by the end of the week, but all will return home confident that they can finish on their own, if necessary.
POWER TOOLS: None
SKILL LEVEL: All levels
MATERIALS FEE: $25 to be collected at school
INSTRUCTOR: Brooke Rothshank, Fellow
COURSE: Watercolor Painting
PROJECT: Tiny Gratitudes
“It’s not happiness that makes us grateful, its gratefulness that makes us happy.” These words by David Steidel Rast challenge and inspire us to look at the world we live in with new eyes. Just as a painter learns to see their subject in ways that take time and thoughtfulness, learning to see gratefulness in our lives requires practice.
The Tiny Gratitudes class will be dedicated to creating beautiful and finely detailed 1" x 1" watercolor paintings based on gratitude for our five senses. Students will learn how to prepare and plan a painting. Each day will include a gratitude journal exercise, teacher demonstrations, and one-on-one student instruction and discussion with the instructor. We will discuss the value of dedicated practice for our inner and outer creative lives. Everyone will be encouraged to find new ways of seeing both personally and creatively. This will be a week to reset your perspective on a path of gratitude and energize your creative skills.
TIME: 12 hours. Completion is likely with some overtime on their own outside the classroom (homework) and depending on level of skill/experience.
POWER TOOLS: None
SKILL LEVEL: Intermediate
MATERIALS FEE: $56 to be collected at school. An option of purchasing a 6" x 6" white wood frame is offered for an additional $20.
INSTRUCTOR: Brooke Rothshank, Fellow
COURSE: Watercolor Painting
PROJECT: Lover’s Eye
Eye miniatures, also known as lover’s eyes, cropped up across Britain around 1785 and were en vogue for shorter than half a century. As with the royal couple, most were commissioned as gifts expressing devotion between loved ones. Some, too, were painted in memory of a loved one.
The Lover’s Eye class will be dedicated to creating a beautiful and finely detailed watercolor painting based on each student’s personal loved one. Students will learn basic watercolor techniques and end their week with a finished painting set in a decorative pin. Students are asked to provide several eye images, but will select the best one with help from the instructor to work from for the week.
TIME: 12 hours. Completion is likely.
POWER TOOLS: None
SKILL LEVEL: All levels welcome.
MATERIALS FEE: $67 to be collected at school
INSTRUCTOR: Lidi Stroud, Artisan
COURSE: Basketry
PROJECT: Market Basket
This class is FULL.
This class is perfect for beginners who have a penchant towards learning how to weave a basket. Techniques used will include: laying the slath for an oval base; twining/pairing weave; 4 rod wale; working a bound border; and painting and aging the basket. This class guarantees to give a satisfying outcome for the beginner weaver.
TIME: 12 hours. Completion is likely.
POWER TOOLS: None
SKILL LEVEL: Beginner
MATERIALS FEE: $30 to be collected at school
INSTRUCTOR: Bill Studebaker, Artisan
COURSE: Metalworking
PROJECT: Chased Brass Plant Stand
This class is FULL.
Once a common feature in Victorian households, these stands have become somewhat rare today. Usually made from heavy cast bronze with an onyx insert, we will be using brass and glass. The Arts and Crafts style oak leaf pattern on the top brings this example into the early 20th Century. From the instructor’s pattern students will cut out the top and shelf; then emboss the pattern with the tool provided. The parts will then be soldered using a wooden fixture to align them. Finally, a patina will be applied to enhance the design.
TIME: 12 hours. Completion is likely.
POWER TOOLS: soldering iron
SKILL LEVEL: All levels
MATERIALS FEE: $15 to be collected at school
INSTRUCTOR: Mariella Vitale, Fellow
COURSE: Crochet
PROJECT: Mini Ted
This class is FULL.
Artist teddy bears are a special category of teddy bears that are typically made in small quantities or as one-of-a-kind pieces. Unlike mass-produced teddy bears, each teddy bear is a unique and special creation, each one carefully designed and crocheted with attention to detail and love. These bears bring joy, comfort, and a sense of wonder to collectors of all ages. Creating a One Of A Kind (OOAK) teddy bear is a labor of love and requires a great deal of creativity. Crocheters can create bears in various sizes, colors, and patterns, and take inspiration from nature, stories, and their own imagination to bring bears to life. Each bear carries a piece of the artist’s heart and soul, making them not just toys but cherished companions and treasured art pieces. Owning an artist teddy bear is like having a handmade treasure, a piece of magic in your hands, a reminder of the beauty and wonder that can be found in the world of art and imagination.
In this class students will make Mini Ted, a tiny teddy bear. Mini Ted is just 1.10" (28 mm) tall, crocheted with a 0.75mm hook and cotton thread #40. The project requires students to know how to single crochet, how to work in rounds (as you do with doilies) and how to increase and decrease. Students will be given an original crochet pattern and the instructions with all the tips and tricks about micro crochet. Don’t be scared about the size of the bear and crocheting so small! The instructor will provide different kind of yarns and hooks and by the end of the week, students will have a cuddly OOAK little bear to bring home!
TIME: 12 hours. Completion is likely.
POWER TOOLS: None
SKILL LEVEL: Beginner
MATERIALS FEE: $30 to be collected at school