CCA and SF Metal Arts Guild collaborate to bring you Metalsmithing Day!

There will be metalworking demos and lectures focused on sustainability.

This free event is open to everyone. Instagram @metalartsguild_sf for more info.

10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday March 31 at CCA, 1111 8th St. (Enter at 455 Irwin), San Francisco.

Starting in Temkin Hall. No registration is required. 

Bring your own lunch. 

10:00-10:30 am: Registration/Check-in
10:30-10:45 am: Curtis Hidemasa Arima welcomes everyone.

10:45-11:15 am: Ryan Peterson  
Lecture Topic: Unveiling the Copper Veins: A Journey through 10,000 years

of metallurgy in the Northern Lake Superior Basin, from Ancient Craftsmanship to Modern Challenges. Indigenous metalworking information will be discussed
CCA Room: Temkin Hall     

11:30am-12:00 pm: Alexandra Hart
Lecture Topic: Raising Ethical Metalsmiths
CCA Room: Temkin Hall 

12:15-12:45 pm: Joe Silvera
Lecture Topic: Sustainable Practices
CCA Room: Temkin Hall

1:00-1:30 pm: Ana Brazaityte                       
Lecture Topic: Sustainability in Metalsmithing
CCA Room: Temkin Hall

1:45-2:30 pm: Lunch! BYO Lunch
Room: Nave Presentation Room


DEMOS

2:45-3:15 pm: Nikki Yelchuru
Demo: Quilling Demo
Room: Nave Presentation Room

3:30 -4:00 pm: Adam Clark
Demo: Sand Casting Demo
Room: Jewelry Studio Room A2

4:00-4:30 pm: Curtis Arima  closes the event and provides a quick tour of the facility. 

Presenters Brief Description:

Ryan Peterson  
Unveiling the Copper Veins: A Journey through 10,000 years of Metallurgy in theNorthernLake Superior Basin, from Ancient Craftsmanship to Modern Challenges

Alexandra Hart
Raising Ethical Metalsmiths. Community for Ethical Jewelers that makes a difference through education, connection, and action.

Joe Silvera
Sustainable Practices in jewelry making

Ana Brazaityte                       
Sustainability in Metalsmithing with Christian Miller Sustainable Consulting

Nikki Yelchuru
Quilling Demo 

Adam Clark
Sand Casting Demo

Ryan Edward Peterson, currently pursuing a doctoral degree at Indiana University in Bloomington, stands at the forefront of archaeological exploration in the Upper Great Lakes region. Ryan's scholarship in archaeology unfolds a compelling narrative of the ancient copper working legacy in the Upper Great Lakes region over the past 6,000 years. Ryan seamlessly integrates traditional archaeological methodologies with advanced approaches like GIS and lead isotopes. His research focuses on unraveling the complexities of copper production systems among Archaic Hunter-Gatherers. On his creative site, Ryan is known for his dedication to recreating metalworking techniques and technologies from the past to understand what archaeologists see in the archaeological record. This includes hammering copper using stone tools and fire in a technique indigenous people used over the past 10,000 years. Beyond scholarly pursuits, Ryan actively engages with local communities through invited talks, imparting insights into Michigan's ancient copper mining history. Recognized for his academic excellence with awards and fellowships, Ryan Peterson stands as a visionary scholar contributing significantly to our understanding of prehistoric cultures in the Great Lakes region.

Unveiling the Copper Veins: A Journey through 10,000 years of Metallurgy in the Northern Lake Superior Basin, form Ancient Craftsmanship to Modern Challenges 

My talk will have a two-fold focus. The first will be to discuss how people in the northern Lake Superior Basin mined and worked native copper over the past 10,000 years. I will examine the technological process that was used to mine and produce copper items as well as discuss major shifts in technology with a focus on jewelry and ornamentation. I will discuss an anti-colonial approach to the study of metallurgy in ancient North America. The second aspect will focus on the impact that modern mining activities have had on cultural resources. Modern mining activities have led to the destruction of important cultural heritage sites, the extent to which we will never know due to the continuous nature of many of these mining ventures. Isle Royale provides a case study for both the impact of preservation and the destruction of cultural heritage sites. 

Alexandra Hart

Metals artist and designer goldsmith Alexandra Hart is an advocate and activist for social and environmental ethics, for the love of our planet. Her work celebrates the beauty found in natural forms, made of natural materials, championing evolution in the natural world. Her background includes an MFA in metalsmithing, designing Karl Lagerfeld and Givenchy fashion jewelry, as well as German-style master goldsmithing for Barbara Heinrich Studio, helping her achieve synergy among artistic inspiration, high design, and skillful craftsmanship. 

In every way she tries to reduce the negative impact her own life has on the planet, while working in leadership to more broadly help improve the world. From personally reducing consumption and using the most responsible options- to her non-profit leadership work- as a former President of WJA San Diego, former President and then Executive Director of Ethical Metalsmiths, and Board Directors of Compassion for African Villages, as a Rotarian, as a teacher, as a mentor of teenage girls- she lives in service for the greater good.

Ana Brazaityte is a designer, jeweler, and sustainability consultant currently based in the Bay Area (Ohlone land). Ethical and sustainable sourcing is a focus of her work, both in her own business- Truss and Ore as well as in her work with Christina T Miller Sustainable Jewelry 

Consulting and the Jewelry Glossary Project. 

Joe Silvera and his wife Anat are founders of the Silvera Jewelry School. His classes provide a great foundation in the fundamental skills of jewelry, mixed with laughter and creativity.

Originally a fine arts major, Joe switched majors during college and graduated with a BFA in Metalsmithing in 1991. He then became an apprentice and went to work in the jewelry trade, first as a goldsmith, then as a wax carver. He sold his jewelry for decades at craft shows, galleries and shops. Joe has over 30 years of jewelry and teaching experience.

He is the author of the jewelry books, Soldering Made Simple: Easy Techniques for the Kitchen-Table Jeweler, which has sold over 45,000 copies, and Soldering Beyond the Basics.

Joe has also contributed articles to jewelry magazines and is a presenter on several jewelry dvds and online videos, including Soldering Made Simple and Soldering Beyond the Basics. Joe has been a guest on television shows like Beads, Baubles and Jewels and Jewel School.

His favorite technique is lost wax casting, with which he likes to carve detailed jewelry scale sculptures of animals, flowers and more.

Nikki Yelchuru

Join me for a captivating demonstration showcasing the intricate craft of paper quilling. Witness the transformation of delicate paper strips into enchanting butterfly earrings, each fold and curl a testament to the ancient art form's timeless beauty. Experience the magic unfold before your eyes.

Adam Clark, the founder and owner of Scintillant Studio, grew up in Rhode Island and received his Bachelor of Fine Art degree from Maine College of Art. Following his formal education, a series of apprenticeships and jobs with renowned metal artists allowed him to develop his metalworking skills. Adam has been living here in the Bay Area for over 30 years and has taught at both the College of Marin and the Richmond Art Center. He now teaches exclusively in his own successful studio in San Francisco. He was technical advisor on Tim McCreight's book The Complete Metalsmith, the recognized standard text for metalsmithing classes around the world. Adam brings to his classes an enthusiasm that is both contagious and a little outrageous. His patience and understanding, coupled with high expectations, make his classes an entertaining and challenging learning experience.