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< Back Georgia Talent Growing up in Franklin, NC, the gem hub of the Southeast, rocks were always grabbing my attention. Sometimes it was just a nice piece of gravel or a rock from the woods, sometimes it was a baggie of colorful stones from my favorite rock shop/gem museum, often, it was a piece of jewelry for a family member at Christmas or a birthday. Once I got a real job, the rocks got nicer and more plentiful until it was a little embarrassing how big my gem collection was because it was doing nothing but gathering dust. In December 22', I was shopping for gems at the Bellpoint gem show, and one of the guild members was helping out at one of the booths. She asked me what I was going to do with them, and I said, "I don't really know. I'm really looking for settings to put them in because the ones online are too expensive." Then she told me about MAGG and recommended I try taking a class there to learn how to make my own settings. (I'd rather make something myself than pay somebody extra to make it for me.) So I started taking classes the following January and I've been taking them ever since. I still can't draw a good stick figure... but I'm having lots of fun putting my passion into practice and discovering that creativity can be learned (slowly). I'm proof that you don't have to be an artist to make art and if you're willing to risk embarrassing yourself, you might have fun and make something you will be proud of. Ben Horton

< Back Georgia Talent May Engelhardt is a jewelry artist and educator based in Atlanta, GA, specializing in unique, hand-crafted and sculptural jewelry. Born in a small town in Southern Maine, May moved to Brooklyn in 1998, where she lived and worked for 18 years,focusing primarily on painting and photography. Over the past decade, May’s creative focus has evolved toward sculpture and jewelry design, blending her fine art background with a love for form, texture, and wearability. Working primarily with mixed metals, May’s pieces are known for their organic textures and bold, minimalist designs created to be light enough for everyday wear. May Engelhardt

< Back Visiting Artist Jill Herlands, the self-taught jewelry artist behind the eponymous brand “JILL.HERLANDS,” possesses a unique creative spirit that knows no bounds. Unfettered by conventional rules and traditions, Jill’s approach to jewelry design is a remarkable journey where she skillfully employs hand fabrication to transform precious metals into abstract forms of wearable art. Jill’s artistic journey is a testament to her willingness to venture into experimental techniques and her discerning eye for materials that offer intriguing contrasts. Her creative process unfolds with an air of spontaneity, where each piece’s form and composition take shape organically, guided by the muse of the moment. With an unwavering belief in the allure of imperfection over perfection, Jill places her trust in the realms of imagination, innovation, and fearless experimentation. Her artistic sanctuary thrives amidst controlled chaos, where materials themselves often dictate the outcome of her meticulously crafted pieces. To Jill, the absence of a predefined plan is not a risk but a source of inspiration. Her art mirrors her unbridled spirit, and, like her creations, she refuses to conform to convention. Jill Herlands is an artist who embraces the freedom of artistic expression and cherishes the unpredictable beauty that accompanies her creative journey. Herlands’ award-winning work is featured in fashion magazines including recent editions of Bazaar, Paper, and Nylon. Her designs are carried in galleries and boutiques worldwide. Jill Herlands currently lives and works in Hell’s Kitchen, New York City. https://www.jillherlands.com/ https://www.instagram.com/jill.herlands/ Jill Herlands The Sun-Smart Collection Jill Herlands Button View More

< Back Georgia Talent Rita McMorris, is a professional grills fabricator, and educator and the Founder of 7Metalworks Studio. Serving as Lead Instructor- Custom Grillz Fabrication, she approaches oral jewelry as a precise craft that balances artistry, anatomy and function. Holding a Bachelor's degree in Biology and Associate degree in Art, Rita brings a unique interdisciplinary perspective to custom Grillz fabrication, combining scientific understanding of oral structures with creative metalwork. With years of hands on experience, she is committed to ethical fabrication, technical excellence and educating the next generation of skilled grillz artisans. Artist Assistant - Nyla Battle Nyla Battle's creative foundataion begain in childhood through singing, dancing, and performance, where she developed a strong sense of expression, rhythm, and discipline. As an adult, her background in contracting deepened her understanding of structure, process and craftsmanship. Through mentorshop and training under metal artist and educator Rita McMorris, Nyla discovered her passion for jewelry making and metal arts. As a student, she has developed foundational skills in mold-taking, waxing techniques, and material preparation, gaining hands-on experience in the precision and patience required for metal fabricaiton Nyla is committed to continued learning and view the challenges of the craft as an essential part of artistic growth. http://instagram.com/icy.shiny.grills http://instagram.com/7metalworks Rita McMorris

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

< Back Georgia Talent Becoming an artist was the last thing that I would have ever dreamt of becoming!” As a child, I enjoyed science-based hobbies. I had a chemistry set and a microscope. I collected rocks. I even had several craft kits to make things. One of these kits was a hotplate enameling kiln with copper shapes and vials of powdered glass. Like most of my hobbies, I enjoyed doing this briefly and then moved onto new hobbies. I spent most of my time playing sports with my friends and then on a variety of teams in high school. I did not know any artists and did not give art any thought. May parents did not encourage us to sing, dance, tell stories, or create. My goals were to succeed at school and then succeed with a career. After graduating with a degree in Psychology, I began to think beyond a career (I didn’t see an obvious way to use earn a living using my Psych education). I began to explore my artistic side and while returning to my childhood home for a visit, discovered my old enameling kit. There were still copper shapes and powders and the kiln still worked. I started to play with it and then my life was turned upside down when I saw my first ever piece of cloisonne´ jewelry at a local craft show. I was so moved that I told myself, “One day, I am going to make something this beautiful”. The question of how to learn to enamel and to become an artist became my burning question; I’ve explored these questions for over 47 years as I created an enamel jewelry business and an enamel teaching career. Over those many decades I’ve sold my cloisonne´ jewelry to craft stores and jewelry stores across the USA, attended some of the most prestigious craft shows, and taught numerous classes on enameling at guilds, conferences, and craft businesses. I’ve even used that dang Psychology degree as I taught myself “how to think like an artist” and make a change from “starving artist” to “affluent artist” as I struggled to overcome some of the many challenges on my journey. http://www.rickyfrank.com https://www.instagram.com/rickyfrank32/ https://www.facebook.com/ricky.frank/ Ricky Frank The Sun-Smart Collection Ricky Frank Button View More The Sun-Smart Collection Ricky Frank Button View More

< Back Visiting Artist My work is an homage to the rocks and the mountains – a way to stay connected to the important things in life. Born and raised in Taos, New Mexico, I grew up in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. My jewelry journey started by working during the summer for my uncle, master goldsmith Phil Poirier. I went on to study photography and then built custom furniture for five years. I got sucked into the endless work, struggling to find balance between my love for climbing and the outdoors, and my creative work. I found my way back to metal while working part-time for Bonny Doon Hydraulic Presses. Using this background in machining, die making and hydraulic forming I created my first line of jewelry in 2011. In 2014, after a few years of making furniture and jewelry, but struggling to balance my love for the mountains, I had a pivotal change of thinking. Instead of seeing my two passions as separate, I asked myself: "What if I combine my passion for making art with my passion for climbing and the mountains? " One day I wrote in my sketchbook, "CHOOSE ADVENTURE" Since that day, I have been on a journey to bring these aspects together in my art. Everything seems so simple and peaceful in the mountains and my art is an exploration of bringing that into our daily lives. I've spent the last 8 years learning, experimenting, innovating new techniques, pushing the limits of tools and machinery, and gaining skills to be able to create the work that I do. It's taken sacrifice in many other aspects of my life, but I'm a dirtbag for my art, and proud of it. Whether it is the subtle details of the texture of granite, the effortless flow that only a hard climb can force us to find, or the amazing views from a summit, the inspiration offered by the mountains, and the rock we climb on, is endless. I want to capture the experiences we have outdoors and then bring them forward as mementos, to be savored in all the other moments of our lives. Everything is made by me and an assistant, in my small studio, in Taos, NM. I work with American-made machinery and tools. All materials, like stones and metal, are from the best, recycled, as local if possible, and always eco-friendly sources. As of 2022, I am also the owner of Bonny Doon Tools, working with my jewelry making experience to continue the legacy of innovation in Hydraulic Presses and Tools for the Jewelry Industry. http://peterwgilroy.com Peter Gilroy

< Back Georgia Talent Susan Wachler has been exploring metalwork and jewelry making for the past 12 years. She has sold at local and distant shows, as well as gallery experience and e-commerce. Design, texture, risk, and challenge are suitable descriptors of Susan's work as she is a lover of the unexpected and mystery. Coming to jewelry making post midlife, there is a passion for what is possible beyond limiting beliefs or common worries of "not good enough-ness". Susan’s years of work as a therapist, empowering people to reach their fullness, translates easily to students striving to find their own unique voices in their metalsmithing. https://susanwachlerjewelry.com http://instagram.com/susanwachlerjewelry Susan Wachler The Sun-Smart Collection Susan Wachler Button View More The Sun-Smart Collection Susan Wachler Button View More The Sun-Smart Collection Susan Wachler Button View More

< Back Georgia Talent Living in Atlanta, Lisa was always involved in the design and creation of beautiful things - from painting to fashion design to jewelry making, she was always intrigued by what could be made out of simple materials to elevate them to beautiful, one-of-a-kind pieces of art. What started out, as a hobby soon became an absolute, consuming passion - crafting unique jewelry “sculptures.” Her path to creative success has sent her to Italy and England to show her jewelry designs. Lisa is workshop taught primarily from local instructors. Lockets are her niche loving to reveal a treasure inside is the essence of her lockets. Movement and surprise are an integral part of her creations. Her jewelry celebrates the mystery and beauty of life in its most pure form. She won first place in the Bremer Design Challenge in 2016 and has participated in the American Craft Council Show and shows at Facere Gallery in Seattle, and Parallax in London. She is represented by Topaz Gallery in Atlanta. http://instagram.com/Lisawinndesigns Lisa Winn The Sun-Smart Collection Lisa Winn Button View More The Sun-Smart Collection Lisa Winn Button View More The Sun-Smart Collection Lisa Winn Button View More

< Back Georgia Talent In my jewelry-making, I move between free-flowing and classical forms. The botany-inspired pieces incorporate vines and branches, growing from gold wires in endless variations. In the waterfall series, I try to capture the wild and chaotic movement of the water and try to balance randomness and harmony. The classical forms, in contrast, emphasize symmetrical designs and architectural elements, for example the arch of a bridge, curved in red gold as a nod to our industrial past. My early inspiration was ancient and medieval jewelry, and I work in traditional goldsmithing techniques that have been used for centuries. While most of my work is in silver and gold combinations, my new emphasis is gold jewelry recycled from vintage pieces. My favorite stones are aquamarines, tourmalines, and sapphires. http://reginaimbsweiler.com http://instagram.com/imbsweiler_jewelry https://www.facebook.com/regina.imbsweiler Regina Imbsweiler

< Back Visiting Artist Aalia Mujtaba is the designer and metalsmith behind Metaalia Jewelry, creating bold and graphic, mixed-metal, jewelry and accessories. For over 20 years, Aalia has grown her craft and her business in the South. She has taught metalsmithing at Atlanta’s Callanwolde Fine Arts Center for 16 years and exhibits in craft shows and festivals locally. In 2020 she was selected for NYC Jewelry Week's “We Are Here” initiative, and in 2021 was the recipient of their Emerging Entrepreneur Award. https://www.instagram.com/metaaliajewelry Aalia Mujtaba

< Back Georgia Talent Katherine is a certified teacher through Art Clay World and specializes in metal clay jewelry with sculptural elements. In her classes, you'll learn functional and foundational skills in metal clay as well as a variety of techniques that will expand your imagination and understanding of what can be possible with this artform. Katherine is originally from North Carolina but now lives in Decatur with her husband and pets. Outside of the studio, she enjoys spending time in nature and can always be found with a book in her hand. https://www.etsy.com/shop/LarrabeeDesignCo https://www.instagram.com/LarrabeeDesignCo/ Katherine Larrabee