ABOUT ARTISAN COURSES

An updated metal clay certification program that will be inclusive of several different manufacturers of metal clay is currently in development and will be available later in 2023.

For those who have already completed Foundations 101 certification, these artisan courses are available for registration! 

Camp MC Artisan courses are specialty courses designed to focus attention on specific metal clay techniques. After completing the Foundations 101 Certification, you can enroll in any Artisan course described below.  

Artisan courses may be scheduled at any time upon request and can be taught either online or in-person. All courses cost $ 450.00 for the online version and $ 475.00 for in-person. For this price, you will receive one-on-one personalized instruction and custom dates are now available in August, September, and October!

Upon successful completion of each course, you will receive a certificate from Sawtooth School for Visual Art in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.  

Soldering and Fusing 

Skill Level: Prerequisite is completion of the Foundations 101 Certification course.

This two-session course is designed for students interested in expanding their metal clay skills through the use of soldering and fusing. Learn basic techniques of soldering sterling silver, copper, brass, and metal clays. In addition, learn how to fuse fine silver, Argentium, and metal clays.

You will make four (4) projects including fine silver post earrings, fine silver and Argentium-fused earrings, a soldered ring with a stone, and a copper/brass pendant with a stone. 

The included materials kit consists of metal clay, bezel cups, a selection of gemstones, silver solder, Argentium wire, copper blank, silver ring stock, silver earring posts and nuts, and a student course manual.  You get more than $ 200 of clay and materials (plus free shipping for online students) included as part of the class fees!

Elemental Linked Bracelet

Skill Level: Prerequisite is completion of the Foundations 101 Certification course.

This two-session course is designed for students interested in expanding their metal clay skills through fundamental techniques of setting stones with bezel wire and bezel cups.

You will first design a bracelet using metal clay to create heavy, detailed links which can be fired together. Once the bracelet is complete, you will shift from metal clay work to using basic soldering skills to create fitted bezels and settings. Your final piece will be one linked bracelet with six (6) stone settings using metal clay and sterling wires.

The included materials kit consists of 60g of metal clay, matching stones, silver wire, and a student course manual. You get more than $ 200 of clay and materials (plus free shipping for online students) included as part of the class fees!

Three Kinds of Enameling

Skill Level: Prerequisite is completion of the Foundations 101 Certification course.

This two-session course is designed for students interested in learning about enameling on metal clay. You will learn to create enamel test strips as well as make three (3) different types of enamel projects including a cloisonne pendant, a champleve pendant, and a pair of plique a jour earrings.

Topics that will be covered in the class include:

• Basics of enameling
• Understanding the best enamel colors for working with silver
• Designing jewelry for enameling

The included materials kit consists of 50g metal clay, fine silver cloisonne wire, bezel wire, ear wires, embeddables, trivet, Klyr-Fire (A-1), a student course manual, and a selection of opaque and transparent enamels including Thompson clear enamel. You get more than $ 200 of clay and materials (plus free shipping for online students) included as part of the class fees!

Incorporating Glass

Skill Level: Prerequisite is completion of the Foundations 101 Certification course.

This two-session course is designed for students interested in learning how to use different types of glasses in combination with metal clay. You will fuse your own cabochons of glass by cutting, stacking, and firing fusible glasses. After creating your cabochons, you will work with fine silver metal clays to create high fire and low fire projects including two pendants and a pair of earrings.

You'll learn about different types of glasses, different designs requiring different types of firing and detailed kiln schedule for the best firing results.

You will make eight (8) glass cabochons, one simple pendant, one complex pendant and a pair of earrings using metal clay and fusible glass.

The included materials kit consists of flex metal clay, metal clay syringe, sterling silver ear wires, silver embeddables, a selection of sized glass (COE90 and COE96) and Bullseye ThinFire shelf paper. You get more than $ 200 of clay and materials (plus free shipping for online students) included as part of the class fees!

Commonly Asked Questions

What is the difference between the online versus in-person class experience?

There is no difference in the content covered.  The in-person experience takes two full days from 9am to 5pm to complete course projects.   The online course is often preferred if you desire to work at your own pace and complete the projects after the course sessions are complete.  Regardless of format, I share a significant amount of process pictures, videos, and tips along with the standard course material.

How do you teach the online course?

We will meet using Zoom, an online video conference platform that you access through your computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone that allows face-to-face interaction just like an in-person classroom. Lecture, live demonstration, process pictures, and customized videos are used throughout the course to help illustrate and reinforce concepts across all the projects. You are able to ask questions interactively as I explain concepts, show techniques, and share examples.

How long is each online session?

All courses will have two separate online sessions across consecutive days.  Each session usually takes about 3-4 hours each.  Because each course is personalized you can request a specific time that works best for your schedule.

Do you provide project consulting?

In addition to class instruction time, I am also available outside of class to answer questions and provide advice as you work on your projects.  Part of the value of taking a course from me is the personalized mentorship I offer you as you learn and grow your skills over time.

Do you provide project reference materials?

Yes!  Regardless of whether you take the course online or in-person you will be provided access to a secure, private online folder of course reference documents as well as all course videos via an unlisted YouTube playlist so you can review at your own pace after the class. Online students also receive recordings of each Zoom session. All videos remain available for a minimum of 30 days after the course wraps up.

What should I expect after registration?

Within 48 hours of registration, you will receive a confirmation email along with a course materials list.  

What tools do I need?

I provide all tools and materials for in-person students.  For online students, I can "loan" a student tool kit that can be shipped with the course materials and later purchased upon course completion or returned to me.  I can also provide kiln firing services for a small fee.

How can I reserve custom dates?

To check availability for a specific date please contact Cathy Flesher via email at cathy@cathyflesher.com. Once confirmed you will be able to purchase through the Registration | Payment link in the left frame menu.

What is the course cancellation policy?

For online students, no refunds are given for cancellations made after the clay, manual, and materials have been shipped to you. For in-person students, no refunds are given for cancellations made within 7 days of course start. However, full credit is offered for a future course taken within six months of cancellation.  

If cancellation is made prior to shipment of materials (or more than 7 days in the case of in-person students), a full refund, less a $ 25.00 administrative charge to cover credit card processing fees, will be provided.