Merry-Lee Rae

Mer Almagro is an amazing resource for all enamelists. She is a relentless researcher with years of experience. The work that I find the most fascinating of hers is her Opalescent Grisaille and the research of the S-64 vitrifiable paints which she also sells on her website- Enamel Workshop.

Mer has also recently translated into English The Complicity of Fire and Art - Book by Andreu Vilasís written by her mentor and friend. It is a stunning work full of information and inspiration.

Kent Raible is a master of granulation and a wonderful instructor- He also is the best fabricator I have ever known. Truthfully, Kent has inspired plenty of improvement in my work and helped to reignite the passion for making exceptional pieces.. The metalwork on my cloisonné pieces has grown dramatically and I will continue to learn from Kent whenever the opportunity arises. Studying with Kent online is an exciting prospect. If you prefer your own tools and workspace, If you prefer your own schedule and prefer your own projects- Now you can have all of this and get Kent’s help too! I suggest doing Kent’s online classes first and then traveling to his studio in Washington State for an In-Person workshop.

Lucy Walker jumped to my rescue when I first started my online classroom. I found myself up “Skit Creek Without a Paddle” as I didn’t have a clue how to build an online classroom when the pandemic hit. Lucy took me under her wing and walked me through the filming, editing, website build and marketing. She has become a great friend and I am pleased to send people her way to learn Jewelry making skills. Her approach is pretty amazing- she offers excellent instruction for beginners as well as experienced metalsmiths with fantastic videos and lots of downloadable handouts. Let’s face it, if you are going to make enamels, it would be helpful for you to be able to present them in nice settings. Go to Lucy, you won’t be sorry. Did I mention that she is entertaining as well?

Martha Banyas has been my inspiration for nearly fifty years. She has taken enameling to a new height as an artists medium. Martha has relentlessly pursued the technical aspects of “Mark Making” in glass on metal so that she could master the medium and transcend the limitations enabling her to create true art. Sigh. She is a Goddess and my hero. I have been fortunate enough to be a friend for so many years and we have gotten so many of her techniques documented on my Online Classroom. May I present…

Amy Roper Lyons teaches the soldered wirework Technique of Plique A Jour and I am fortunate enough to be able to present this to you through my online classroom. Amy has taken what she learned from the Russian Master Valery Timofeev and elaborated on it to make it her own. It is an honor to preserve instruction to pass along to future generations of enamelists.

Patsy Croft is such a force in the enameling world that I felt it was important to include her in this section. Not only is she a researcher of lost arts but is also a true innovator in our field. I am including a link to Patsy’s site as it offers information on this stunning Plique A Jour brooch made by goldsmith Tom Herman and Patsy Croft- The Matilija Poppy. While you are there cruise the rest of her offerings.

My friend, my former teacher, and my recent student, Alan Revere is a unique jewelry artist. He is a European-trained master goldsmith, an award-winning designer, author of 7 books on jewelry, and instructor of 10,000 students. After training in Germany, Alan founded the Revere Academy of Jewelry Arts in San Francisco in 1979. I should know, I was in the first Stone Setting class he offered and I still use skills that I learned there. It was the beginning of great things for both of us. After 40 successful years, Alan retired and closed Revere Academy. But he continues to teach in a very accessible way online. Alan leads members of his FaceBook group through a project-based learning platform in a group called LetsMakeProfessionalJewelry. Join the group and let Alan walk you through scores of projects from his highly revered book, Professional Jewelry Making. And there is no cost! 

It is no wonder that Alan Revere is called a master’s master.

Keep learning, it is the best part in the Banquet of Life…