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Educational Programs
Open Shop The shop is a creative environment where lapidary and jewelry artists generously share their knowledge, experience, techniques, and ideas. A lot of informal learning takes place as you rub shoulders with experts and commercial artists! Bring your own raw materials (e.g. metal, wire, and stone). The Club offers an excellent variety of motorized tools, hand tools, and even some stone you may polishwith the Club's equipment. New members are welcome to Open Shop, however we strongly recommend that new members attend a Shop Orientation held at 10 am on the third Saturday of every month. Please view the Events Calendar for Open Shop hours. Classes The fastest path toward new skills is to take a class offered at our facility. These classes typically include all the materials and supplies, plus in-depth training in how to safely and successfully operate tools and equipment. Classes are normally held on weekends or during our annual Gem and Mineral Show. All of our classes are taught by skilled artists, most of whom are also commercial artists. Class Scholarships Students with financial need may apply for a scholarship, funded by the City of Durango Lodger's Tax Fund. If selected, the scholarships will pay 2/3 the cost of tuition, and the student will pay the remaining 1/3. To apply for a class scholarship, visit the scholarship program page. Demos and Presentations Demonstrations on lapidary and metalsmith techniques and presentations on geology topics are held occasionally throughout the year. These are open to the public and are usually free. Find demos and presentations on our Events Calendar. Visitors Visitors are welcome to stop by during Open Shop to see what is going on, but are not allowed entry during scheduled classes. Classes are closed to the public unless you are registered for that class. Our bylaws allow a visitor to use the Club's Open Shop one time, if daily shop fees are paid and a liability waiver is signed. Thereafter, please join the Club for continued use of the Shop. Fortunately membership is very reasonably priced. Check our Join the Club page. |
Learn lapidary, metalsmith and other art techniques.
View exhibits to identify rocks, gems and minerals
Cabochons by Carl Lindeman, Gem Show Class instructor
Silver Bracelet with Stone Setting by Jama Crawford, Gem Show Class Instructor
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Year Round Classes
The Club offers a wide variety of lapidary and metal smith classes throughout the year, taught by talented members and professional jewelers. Click the View Calendar button above to find upcoming classes.
How to Enroll
Each class description on the Calendar includes an email or phone number to contact the instructor. The instructor will explain enrollment procedures and how to make payment.
Typical Class Offerings
Many students will begin their studies in the lapidary studio, where they learn how to slice, shape, and polish stone. Others dive right into metal smith classes, learning how to saw, bend, rivet, roll, and shape metal. They also learn how to solder, to join two or more pieces of metal to create more complex jewelry and stone settings. Others will start with colorful glass enamels, precious metal clay or lost wax casting. Follow your passion!
Meet Some of Our Instructors
The Club offers a wide variety of lapidary and metal smith classes throughout the year, taught by talented members and professional jewelers. Click the View Calendar button above to find upcoming classes.
How to Enroll
Each class description on the Calendar includes an email or phone number to contact the instructor. The instructor will explain enrollment procedures and how to make payment.
Typical Class Offerings
Many students will begin their studies in the lapidary studio, where they learn how to slice, shape, and polish stone. Others dive right into metal smith classes, learning how to saw, bend, rivet, roll, and shape metal. They also learn how to solder, to join two or more pieces of metal to create more complex jewelry and stone settings. Others will start with colorful glass enamels, precious metal clay or lost wax casting. Follow your passion!
Meet Some of Our Instructors
Lucas Wardein
Lucas started his jewelry journey after a mountain biking accident ended his professional cycling career in 2017. The accident left him with 4 broken vertebrae, 2 broken ribs, a collapsed lung, and a lifetime of inspiration!
In recovery, he started drawing and then, once able to, got trained in tattooing. After realizing he wasn’t passionate about that art form, a tip from an old engineering friend about wire-wrapping set aflame in a new way.
Lucas has been wire-wrapping for 4 years and is completely self-taught; he teaches basic, intermediate and advanced wire classes.
Lucas started his jewelry journey after a mountain biking accident ended his professional cycling career in 2017. The accident left him with 4 broken vertebrae, 2 broken ribs, a collapsed lung, and a lifetime of inspiration!
In recovery, he started drawing and then, once able to, got trained in tattooing. After realizing he wasn’t passionate about that art form, a tip from an old engineering friend about wire-wrapping set aflame in a new way.
Lucas has been wire-wrapping for 4 years and is completely self-taught; he teaches basic, intermediate and advanced wire classes.
Tracey Belt
Tracey became enchanted with metalsmithing while studying at the University of New Mexico. She was drawn immediately and completely to this ancient art that would become her career and passion. Inspired by silver, gold, turquoise, and tools, she went on to study metal fabrication and lost wax casting. During this time she also learned to work with glass, creating lamp-work glass beads and works in enamels. While still in college Tracey began selling her jewelry and her path as a professional artist began. Since then, she has studied with contemporary goldsmith Harold O’Connor, and renowned enamelist Harlan Butt at the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, and many other professional jewelers. Tracey teaches metalsmithing and enameling at the Four Corners Gem & Mineral Club and also at the AhHaa School for the Arts in Telluride, Colorado. Her jewelry is exhibited at Diane West Gallery in Durango, Colorado (dianewestart.com). Images of her work can be found on her website at traceybelt.com (examples below)
Tracey became enchanted with metalsmithing while studying at the University of New Mexico. She was drawn immediately and completely to this ancient art that would become her career and passion. Inspired by silver, gold, turquoise, and tools, she went on to study metal fabrication and lost wax casting. During this time she also learned to work with glass, creating lamp-work glass beads and works in enamels. While still in college Tracey began selling her jewelry and her path as a professional artist began. Since then, she has studied with contemporary goldsmith Harold O’Connor, and renowned enamelist Harlan Butt at the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, and many other professional jewelers. Tracey teaches metalsmithing and enameling at the Four Corners Gem & Mineral Club and also at the AhHaa School for the Arts in Telluride, Colorado. Her jewelry is exhibited at Diane West Gallery in Durango, Colorado (dianewestart.com). Images of her work can be found on her website at traceybelt.com (examples below)
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Chayse Romero
Chayse Romero runs a one-woman jewelry business called Frontera Silver that is located on the 8th block of Downtown Durango. Her journey with metals and stones began during her travels through the high desert of Mexico, while taking a semester off from Fort Lewis. Returning completely infatuated with the craft of metalsmithing, she joined the Gem Club, continued to create and the rest is history. She enjoys exploring the wilderness in search of the creative presence of the wild and bringing that presence into making jewelry. Chayse also deeply enjoys sharing the ancient wisdom of silversmithing and empowering others to connect with earth’s elements to create their own unique wearable works of art. You can learn more about what she has going on at FronteraSilver.com |
Joel Arnold
Joel Arnold has a lifelong interest in Gems and Minerals. In 1974 he was hired by jeweler Mike Cross in Rifle, CO. Joel worked as a lapidary artist cutting and polishing oil shale and made a desk set for Colorado Governor Vanderhoof, as well as a set of bookends for President Ford. In 2002 he joined our Club and took several classes in cabochon making. Later he studied advanced cabochon making with Mark Haughton of Rock Deco and worked with Mark in his studio. Joel spent many hours making cabochons perfecting his skills. In 2010 he started teaching classes at the Four Corners Gem & Mineral Club. Examples of his work are shown at right. |
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Charlotte Lenssen
Charlotte studied Studio Art at Rollins College and graduated in 1988. Her senior focus was jewelry making and casting. She has dabbled in many media including: drawing, painting, photography, printmaking, glass bead making, craft and then of course jewelry making. She teaches casting, both traditional lost wax method and other innovative approaches to cast metal. |
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Here are photos from Charlotte's latest class:
Jama Crawford
Jama is an avid backpacker and gardener, and someone who dabbled in art her whole life: painting, sewing, costume making, working with clay, woodworking. In her career she produced graphic design, scientific illustration, and exhibit development. Upon retirement she decided it was time to focus on one art discipline - jewelry making. She discovered the Club while searching for the company of other artists in an open studio setting. She took classes from all the talented instructors shown on this page, and enrolled in online jewelry courses. She launched a jewelry business in 2016 and primarily sells online and at local arts & crafts fairs. Her teaching focuses on metal smith techniques, usually combined with stone settings and scenes from nature. Her work is shown below.
Jama is an avid backpacker and gardener, and someone who dabbled in art her whole life: painting, sewing, costume making, working with clay, woodworking. In her career she produced graphic design, scientific illustration, and exhibit development. Upon retirement she decided it was time to focus on one art discipline - jewelry making. She discovered the Club while searching for the company of other artists in an open studio setting. She took classes from all the talented instructors shown on this page, and enrolled in online jewelry courses. She launched a jewelry business in 2016 and primarily sells online and at local arts & crafts fairs. Her teaching focuses on metal smith techniques, usually combined with stone settings and scenes from nature. Her work is shown below.
Nancy Conrad
Nancy studied visual arts and elementary education at Fort Lewis College, and then spent her career as an artist and art instructor. She has specialized in kiln work, first as a potter for more than 25 years, then as a fused glass artist, and for the past 17 years producing kiln-fired art jewelry. She still loves to play with fire! Nancy teaches metal clay at the Four Corners Gem and Mineral Club in Durango as well as in her home studio. She taught three days of classes at the national conference "Metal Clay by the Bay" in 2014. Nancy completed Hadar Jacobson's intensive year-long accreditation course to teach mixed metals in 2013. Nancy was certified to teach PMC silver through Rio Grande's certification program with Barbara Becker Simon in 2010. Four of Nancy's pieces were selected to be published in “Patterns of Color in Metal Clay, Canes, Gradients, Mokume-Gane” book. Her jewelry may be found in fine arts galleries in Salida (Culture Clash) and Vail (Karats) as well as in Create (in Durango Arts Center) and No Place Like Home in Durango. Examples of her work are shown below.
Nancy studied visual arts and elementary education at Fort Lewis College, and then spent her career as an artist and art instructor. She has specialized in kiln work, first as a potter for more than 25 years, then as a fused glass artist, and for the past 17 years producing kiln-fired art jewelry. She still loves to play with fire! Nancy teaches metal clay at the Four Corners Gem and Mineral Club in Durango as well as in her home studio. She taught three days of classes at the national conference "Metal Clay by the Bay" in 2014. Nancy completed Hadar Jacobson's intensive year-long accreditation course to teach mixed metals in 2013. Nancy was certified to teach PMC silver through Rio Grande's certification program with Barbara Becker Simon in 2010. Four of Nancy's pieces were selected to be published in “Patterns of Color in Metal Clay, Canes, Gradients, Mokume-Gane” book. Her jewelry may be found in fine arts galleries in Salida (Culture Clash) and Vail (Karats) as well as in Create (in Durango Arts Center) and No Place Like Home in Durango. Examples of her work are shown below.
Jaymus Perry
Jaymus (also known as James) has been a Club member for nearly 5 years, soon became a shop steward, and then advanced to Club officer and President of the Board.A master silversmith, Jaymus specializes in wax casting. His innovative designs are inspired by his Navajo heritage, but are also his own beautiful and unique artistic creations. His stone selection often includes red garnets and lime-green peridot, precious stones he found exploring his Navajo homeland since youth. His web site artbonnet.com is where he concentrates on selling his unique and customizable motorcycle ornament, the ArtBonnet, shown right. Jaymus is also trained in the management of art galleries and artists, and so brings a lot of know-how to budding art entrepreneurs. The images below show steps in wax-casting. |
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If you are interested in becoming an instructor, please read the Teachers Q & A, provided here.