Teaching
Workshops & Silversmithing Instruction
Hands-on silversmithing, lapidary, and jewelry-making instruction — learn at the bench, working real metal and real stone.
Learn silversmithing the way it is actually practiced
I teach the way I work at the bench. My workshops are built around hands-on studio learning — sawing, filing, forming, soldering, and setting stone — with personal guidance at every step, from first cuts to a finished piece you take home.
Instruction draws on decades of studio practice in sterling silver, turquoise, and semi-precious stones, and covers both traditional jewelry-making techniques and the lapidary work of cutting and shaping the stones themselves. Students of all experience levels are welcome — the only prerequisite is curiosity and a willingness to learn by doing.
In the Studio
What You'll Learn
Workshops are tailored to the session and the students at the bench, but the core of the curriculum is consistent.
Silversmithing Fundamentals
Sawing, filing, forming, and soldering sterling silver — the essential bench skills behind every piece of handcrafted jewelry.
Lapidary Arts
Cutting, shaping, and polishing stones — turquoise, agates, jaspers, and other materials — to prepare them for setting.
Stone Setting
Bezel-making and stone-setting technique: fitting, burnishing, and securing stones in hand-fabricated silver mounts.
Inlay Technique
Channel inlay and stone-on-stone work, a hallmark of Southwestern jewelry-making, from cutting and fitting to final polish.
Design & Craftsmanship
Design thinking at the bench — proportion, material selection, and problem-solving — the same decisions behind every finished piece.
Studio Practice
Tool use, shop safety, and work habits that let students keep making jewelry confidently after the workshop ends.
The Program
The Ghost Ranch Studio
I lead the silversmithing program at Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu, New Mexico — the education and conference center in the red-rock country north of Santa Fe, long associated with arts workshops in the Southwestern tradition.
Sessions take place in a dedicated studio where each student works at their own bench with full access to silversmithing and lapidary equipment. Class sizes are kept small so instruction stays personal, and the pace is set by the work itself.
All current workshop dates and registration are handled through Ghost Ranch. Workshop listings appear on the GhostRanch.org website under 'Programs' (select category 'silversmithing/jewelry').
Schedule
Upcoming Workshops
Workshop dates, availability, and registration are announced through Ghost Ranch. Check the current Ghost Ranch catalog under 'Programs' for the latest session schedule, or reach out with questions about what a session covers. Workshop topics include:
Silversmithing Fundamentals
An introduction to the silversmith's bench: sawing, filing, soldering, and finishing a first piece of sterling silver jewelry.
Lapidary Arts & Stone Cutting
Working raw stone into finished material: cutting, shaping, and polishing turquoise and other stones for jewelry use.
Stone Setting & Inlay
Bezel fabrication, stone setting, and channel-inlay technique for students ready to set their own stones.
Questions?
Curious whether a workshop is the right fit, or what a typical session covers? I welcome your questions.