Pendant Making in Silver – Ceilidh Dalton & Amber Ecclestone

Learn about the ancient art of lost wax casting and the skills and processes
needed to make your own handmade designs and get them cast into metal
jewellery.

• Dates: Thursdays, 5 – 26th February (4 weeks)
  
• Time: 1:30pm – 4:30pm
  
• Location: Jerrabomberra Wetlands and NatureArt Lab, M16 Artspace, 21 Blaxland Crescent, Griffith, ACT

About the course:

In this class you will make a pendant out of wax that will be
professionally cast in silver by Palloys in Sydney. You will learn about chain and
cord materials and choices and how make your own plaited silk cord. When the
cast pendants are sent back, you will practice the skills needed to finish your pendant with files and sandpaper, patinate it and make it ready to wear.

Ceilidh and Amber will be co-teaching the class, with one or the other taking the lead.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this workshop, you will be able to:

• Understand the history, processes and limitations of lost wax casting
• Make a wax master suitable for casting
• Understand chain and cord types and make a plaited cord
• Safely use files and sandpaper
• Surface finish and patinate silver.

Pre-requisites: This course is suitable for 16+ beginners with little to no experience, or for those wishing to build on the foundations of their jewellery making practice.

Materials:  Materials will be provided by the tutor and the silver ring produced will be cast and finished by Palloys.

Materials Cost:  

$90.00 payable to the tutor in class includes:

• Cast silver pendant processed through Palloys - up to 12g silver
  with sprue removed – $80
• Sandpaper, files, cords and other, consumables – $10

About the tutor:

Ceilidh Dalton is a practicing environmental artist, teacher, curator and toolmaker. Her studies in Environmental Studio, while studying a Bachelor of Design Arts in Gold and Silversmithing, fed her passion for conservation and environmental art. 

Ceilidh went on to do a residency at Mulligans Flat and Jerrabomberra Wetlands which included teaching nature inspired silver jewellery workshops. She was a finalist for the Chief Ministers Inclusion Awards for Innovative Design, based on her work as a person with disability. Their first solo art exhibition 'Interlinked' was designed to be accessible for everyone.  Ceilihd is particularly passionate about eucalypts and native animals and often incorporates them into lost wax cast jewellery. Teaching is based on feeling a need to pass on the skills they were privileged to be taught at the ANU school of Art Gold and Silversmithing workshop and Ceilidh delights in passing on her specialised knowledge of lost wax casting to students.

See more of Ceilidh's work at Instagram @ceilidhdaltonmetalartist

NatureArt Lab Awards

• 2022, Telstra Best of Business Award for Promoting Sustainability, ACT Winner and National Finalist
• 2024, Telstra Best of Business Award for Building Communities, ACT Winner and National Finalist

Images by Ceilidh Dalton