The Story behind Instructor Helen Blythe-Hart's piece “Self Portrait as a Funnel Top Teapot” held in collection at Deutches Goldschmeidehaus HB Paying a visit to her piece in Germany, "Self Portrait as a Funnel Top Teapot" In March, HB took a pilgrimage to the Deutches Goldschmeidehaus Metalsmithing Museum in Hanau, Germany. The museum purchased HB's piece "Self Portrait as a Funnel Top Teapot" in 2001, during the International Silver Triennial exhibition. “Self Portrait as a Funnel Top Teapot” is hand fabricated in sterling silver with cast pieces and opal. It’s about 8” tall, and full of symbolic and narrative elements that reflect HB's personal creative process. "This self portrait represents my artistic process where ideas funnel into me from the sieve-like head and wash into my insides where the art is conceived. The Opal represents looking outward into the universe and the closed eye looking inward. The stuff inside of me is what creates the Art, and then once steeped, pours out over my hands like tea into the world." Cast silver objects "Inside is a treadmill with a high heeled shoe and a boot symbolizing the struggle to balance the feminine and toughness necessary to pursue Metalsmithing as a career. There’s an actual moving mousetrap to transmute the things that eat away at a person like the mice eating cheese. A demon, one dimensional as it is, represents something everyone struggles with at times. " Reclaimed red glass heart "The Twin Towers, pyramid, Chrysler Building and Jetsons style space needle show my love for architecture as an inspiration. There’s also a waft of Argyle swirling through which represents my philosophy of the cyclical nature of art and creativity. The glass heart came from a set of beautiful red glasses my mother once gave me. During her losing battle with cancer, one of the glasses broke. I took the pieces of the broken glass and melted them back together to represent me putting the pieces of my broken heart back together to make something beautiful emerge from the pain. " The Deutches Goldschmeidehaus purchased the piece during the International Silver Triennial exhibition in 2001 shortly after the tragedy of 911. HB recalls this period – "I could see the smoke billowing from the burning towers from my back yard. That experience affected me deeply. It was an honor for me to have this very personal piece purchased early in my career by a place that would display it for so many to enjoy." Deutsches Goldschmiedehaus in Hanau is one of Germany’s most important museums devoted to contemporary jewelry, silversmithing, and metal arts. Housed in a reconstructed Renaissance timber-frame building, it has been a major exhibition center for gold- and silversmithing since 1942, with strong ties to Hanau’s historic jewelry-making tradition and the Staatliche Zeichenakademie. Its influence extends internationally through exhibitions on studio jewelry, hollowware, conceptual adornment, and experimental metalwork. HB's piece "Self Portrait as a Funnel Top Teapot" is held in their permanent collection. Current exhibitions open to the public include “Spuren legen. Mit Materialität erzählen” (through Oct. 18, 2026), the Friedrich Becker Prize 2026 exhibition, and “Aus dem Depot. Eine Bestandsaufnahme,” a survey of postwar jewelry and metal arts from the museum collection.

In case you missed our live stream on Saturday, check out the free demo we offered. Thank you to Ricky Frank and Anie Piliguian, the inventor of the amazing Jool Tool. The Metal Arts Guild of Georgia is proud to offer this tool as a resource for our members. All you need to do to use it is buy your own consumable discs from https://jooltool.com

MAGG is seeking a member to take on the role of our Sip 'N Saw Chairperson The responsibilities of this volunteer role includes: Reach out to our booked metalsmith instructors who are conducting workshops in the future to schedule a virtual Sip 'N Saw talk. Develop the dialog of what will be covered in the lecture - artist's history and life, studio tour, demos of techniques, discussion of upcoming workshops, Q & A session, really.......anything that is interesting for our community. These are fun and informal. Hosting the 90-minute talk with metalsmith artists from around the country who want to share the love of their craft. You will have the flexibility to pick dates and times that work for you and the artists to conduct the lectures as they will be recorded and hosted on our website and Youtube channel for future views. If you would like to explore this idea and learn more, please send an email to education@metalartsguildga.org. We would love to see your smiling face hosting our program. We are open to having multiple hosts if you want to grab your bestie and take this on. You must be a Bronze MAGG member to take on this role. Thanks! MAGG Board

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Meet Our Instructors Metal Arts Guild of Georgia boasts an impressive roster of talented and experienced instructors who share a passion for the ancient art of metalsmithing. Each instructor brings their unique style and expertise to the classes they teach, making for a diverse and exciting learning experience for students. Founded in 1998, Metal Arts Guild of Georgia (MAGG) has grown from offering a few workshops a year by visiting artists to an impressive roster of weekly classes and intensive weekend and week-long workshops by master instructors. Workshops available for in-person learning can also be taken virtually by students around the world thanks to our state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment and the dedicated artist assistants who help facilitate our online learning opportunities. In 2022, MAGG’s long-time instructor Piper Espey accepted the position as Director of Education, bringing her years of experience as a metalsmith and educator to the coordination of our educational program. Under her direction, we have added the Wildfire Summer Camp program for teens to teach and inspire the next generation of metalsmiths. During our regular adult class sessions, Piper teaches Beginner Metalsmithing and Jewelry, where she excels at making metalsmithing approachable and fun for new students. Beginning in 2023, MAGG’s former president Alan Bremer is heading up a new program with Boy Scouts of America, in which scouts can earn the Metalworks Badge. Through this program, scouts will have the opportunity to learn hands-on about the art and science of metalworking and gain valuable skills in creativity, design, and problem-solving. For more information about this program, visit the Atlanta BSA website . With so many learning options to choose from, metalsmiths of all skill levels, from absolute beginners to advanced professional artists, will find a topic and an instructor suited to their interests. Sign up for one of our classes today! Caroline Flournoy Georgia Talent Read More Rian Archer Georgia Talent Read More Seldom Saw Georgia Talent Read More Priscilla Fritsch Georgia Talent Read More Linda Bernasconi Visiting Artist Read More Jody DeWeese Georgia Talent Read More Alex Wilson Georgia Talent Read More Aalia Mujtaba Visiting Artist Read More Alan Bremer Georgia Talent Read More Piper Espey Georgia Talent Read More Ryan Gardner Visiting Artist Read More Jill Herlands Visiting Artist Read More Kathy Kinev Georgia Talent Read More Ace McCasland Visiting Artist Read More Courtney Pendergrast Georgia Talent Read More Tony Sanger Georgia Talent Read More Anna Johnson Visiting Artist Read More Jay Reddish Read More Jennifer Stenhouse Visiting Artist Read More May Engelhardt Georgia Talent Read More Todd Conover Visiting Artist Read More Larissa McPherson Georgia Talent Read More Rachel Vanatta Georgia Talent Read More Helen Blythe-Hart Georgia Talent Read More Tonya Davidson Visiting Artist Read More Leah Fedeli Georgia Talent Read More Peter Gilroy Visiting Artist Read More Regina Imbsweiler Georgia Talent Read More Beth Kirtland Georgia Talent Read More Rita McMorris Georgia Talent Read More Nash Quinn Visiting Artist Read More Jeanette K. Caines Visiting Artist Read More Christina Kober-Kauke Read More Ben Horton Georgia Talent Read More Judy Parady Georgia Talent Read More Sarah Chapman Visiting Artist Read More Bette Barnett Visiting Artist Read More Jennifer Wells Visiting Artist Read More Zhuwei Lu Visiting Artist Read More Alex Boyd Visiting Artist Read More Ekaterina Domashchenko Georgia Talent Read More Ricky Frank Georgia Talent Read More Lisa Heller Georgia Talent Read More Cassidy Kento Georgia Talent Read More Katherine Larrabee Georgia Talent Read More Harold O'Connor Visiting Artist Read More Nicole Ringgold Visiting Artist Read More Dallas Vinson Georgia Talent Read More

Learn something new today! At MAGG, we know there's no end of things to learn about metalsmithing. Whether you've always wanted to learn about making traditional filigree, exploring the mysteries of stone setting, or simply don't know where to start, our Classes, Workshops and Pop-Ups are going to help you every step of the way. Workshops Quick View Visiting Artist Workshop Fuse, Forge, and Roll: Creating a Mokume Gane Billet Price $580.00 Quick View Workshop Jump Start Jewelry Making: Kinetic Jewelry Price $180.00 Quick View Workshop Jump Start: Metal Clay Out of stock Quick View Workshop Flush Setting 201 Price $160.00 Quick View Workshop Double Tube Set Fidget Ring Price $180.00 Quick View Visiting Artist Workshop Wearable Hollow Forms & Capsules Price $900.00 Quick View Workshop Practical Production Price $210.00 Quick View Visiting Artist Workshop Working from Scratch Price $210.00 Quick View Workshop Jump Start Jewelry Making: Rings! Price $180.00 Quick View Workshop Covey of Clasps Price $360.00 Quick View Visiting Artist Workshop Soldering Demystified Price $225.00 Quick View Visiting Artist Workshop Chasing and Repousse: No Pitch Required Price $225.00 Quick View Visiting Artist Workshop 24k Gold Powder on Silver Price $225.00 Quick View Visiting Artist Workshop 24k Gold Powder on Silver Price $225.00 Classes Quick View 8 Sessions Wax Carving & Casting: Saturday Morning Price $339.00 Sold Out Quick View 8 Sessions Wax Carving & Casting: Wednesday Evening Price $339.00 Add to Cart Quick View 7 Sessions Enamel: Cloissone Exploration (Intermediate) Price $339.00 Add to Cart Quick View 8 Sessions Guided Metalsmithing: Friday Afternoon Price $339.00 Add to Cart Quick View 7 Sessions Guided Metalsmithing: Tuesday Morning Price $339.00 Add to Cart Quick View 7 Sessions Guided Metalsmithing: Monday Morning Price $339.00 Add to Cart Quick View 10 Sessions Precision & Play: Small Works Price $325.00 Add to Cart Quick View 8 Sessions Jewelry 3: Thursday Evening Price $339.00 Add to Cart Quick View 8 Sessions Jewelry 2: Sunday Afternoon Price $339.00 Add to Cart Quick View 8 Sessions Jewelry 1: Sunday Evening Price $310.00 Sold Out Quick View 4 Sessions Jewelry 1 Mini: Sunday Morning Price $235.00 Add to Cart Quick View 7 Sessions Jewelry 1: Thursday Evening Price $310.00 Add to Cart Quick View 8 Sessions Jewelry 1: Thursday Morning Price $339.00 Add to Cart Quick View 8 Sessions Jewelry 1: Wednesday Morning Price $339.00 Add to Cart ONE DAY Wonders Quick View Workshop Covey of Clasps Price $360.00 Add to Cart Quick View Workshop Jump Start Jewelry Making: Rings! Price $180.00 Add to Cart Quick View Workshop Practical Production Price $210.00 Add to Cart Quick View Workshop Double Tube Set Fidget Ring Price $180.00 Add to Cart Quick View Workshop Jump Start: Metal Clay Price $180.00 Sold Out Quick View Workshop Flush Setting 201 Price $160.00 Add to Cart Quick View Workshop Jump Start Jewelry Making: Kinetic Jewelry Price $180.00 Add to Cart Quick View Visiting Artist Workshop Soldering Demystified Price $225.00 Add to Cart