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uncommon jewelry designs, fine art photography &  adult and youth jewelry classes

San Diego, CA  Visual Artist  & Educator Denise J. Bonaimo

 

Let's Make Some Jewelry!

Denise J. Bonaimo has 14 years of experience teaching people of all ages. Basic and intermediate jewelry design and creation classes are offered for adults and children in San Diego County and beyond.
Group classes and private sessions are available.
 
Jewelry classes are great fun for home parties, Girl Scout meetings, senior home activities and corporate team building. You can schedule a class at your home, business or social club.
Join the fun! Click Here for the Lesson Pricing Menu and Gift Certificates.

 

Egyptian Spiral Bracelet Workshop

Recreate an ancient design with a contemporary twist.  You learn to form and link Egyptian Spirals (sometimes called Etruscan Coil) interspersed with wire wrapped beads. Attach your handmade clasp for a timeless design. Bring a bunch of your favorite beads, round nose pliers, chain nose pliers and wire cutters.
16- Dec TU San Diego Art Dept, North Park 6:30-8:30pm

San Diego Art Department, 3830 Ray St, San Diego, CA 92104 (619) 299-4278, info@sdartdept.com,   www.sdartdept.com

Students at San Diego Art Department (above)

Wire Wrapping at Fallbrook School of Art (above and below)

 

Jewelry Making for Kids at Studio Fourteen (above and below)

For Kids...

Jewelry Design and Creation (2 hours)

Learn to make colorful patterned beads with polymer clay. We will bake our beads in the oven to harden them. Then, using the design bead board, we will create a beautiful necklace using our handmade beads and accents of glass, ceramic and colorful plastic beads. (Includes all materials) (Adults welcome too.)

13- Dec SA Studio Fourteen 10am-noon $50
14- Dec SU Studio Fourteen 10am-noon $50

Spanish Village Art Center, 1770 Village Pl. # 14, San Diego, Ca 92101

www.spanishvillageart.com artdiva@bonaimo.com

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Girl Scout -Jewelry Design and Creation

Denise is a certified collaborator for Girl Scouts of America. Brownies, juniors and cadettes will learn various elements of jewelry design and creation. Work on Try-its, Badges and IP's! At the Spanish Village Art Center, or at your next meeting. No experience necessary.

Bead Stringing Learn how to design, string and finish a beaded necklace.  We will talk about design elements such as color, balance and scale as well as finishing techniques, make preliminary sketches and finish a bracelet or necklace.. (1 hour)

Basic Polymer Clay Bead Design Learn to work with the colorful polymer based clay that bakes in the toaster oven. We will learn to marbleize and assemble flower pattern canes to create a set of beads. (1 hour)

Also available for interviews for the Career Badge.

$15 per student/per hour plus $5 optional material fee (add $25 for off-site visits)

Please inquire: (619) 384-5161 or artdiva@bonaimo.com

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Frankenstein's Jewelry Lab in Little Italy

"One man's trash is another man's treasure". Got trinkets, charms, baubles and other random beads and components? Have a broken necklace? An orphaned earring? Bring 'em! Trade with your new jewelry making friends. Denise will teach you to breathe life your various new found "parts".
Learn basic wire wrapping and bead stringing techniques. Bring a bunch of your favorite beads if you like, round nose pliers, chain nose pliers and wire cutters. Trays of random trinkets available for purchase (bring small change).
Wine and Cheese! All skill levels welcome.  Join the fun!
$30 Fee per Class (Reserve you space today!) rsvp@colosseumfinearts.com
JAN 2009 TBA Colosseum Fine Arts Gallery, Little Italy 7- 8:30pm
Colosseum Fine Arts, 2400 Kettner Blvd Ste D 109, San Diego, CA 92101
www.colosseumfinearts.com rsvp@colosseumfinearts.com

Click Here for More info.

Swap and recreate new found treasures in Frankenstein's Jewelry Lab. (Above)

 

 

ABC's of Tool Stamped Jewelry

Poems, lyrics, prose, affirmations, names: what do you want to say? Using steel letter tool stamps we will hammer letters and numbers onto precut copper “blanks” (shapes of sheet metal), oxidize, file and polish. These stamped shapes can be used for various jewelry components (ie: earrings or pendants or bracelet charms). If time permits we will also create a stamped spiral pendant with heavy gauge square wire. Think of what you want to say and let’s create it!  Bring a small utility hammer. Materials can be purchased from the instructor for a small fee. Fees Vary by Location and Duration.

19-Nov W Coronado Adult Education 6- 8:30 pm
21- Nov F Studio Fourteen- Balboa Park 6-7pm

Coronado Adult Education, 650 D Ave, Coronado CA 92118, (619) 522-8980 http://www.rop.coronado.k12.ca.us

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Wires and Hammers and Pliers…Oh My!

Open up a new world of possibilities in jewelry design. Bend, wrap and forge copper wire just like the professionals. Use jeweler's pliers and hammers to form wire links, squiggles, spirals, clasps and bead wire wraps. Explore the subtleties of various wire gauges, materials and shapes.  Learn to wrap "top drilled" as well as "center hole drilled" beads and pendants and objects without holes.  Bring a bunch of your favorite beads, round nose pliers, chain nose pliers and wire cutters. Wire can be purchased from the instructor for a small fee. Fees Vary by Location and Duration.

13  Nov- 4- Dec (no class 11/27) TH Helix High School 6:30-9pm

Helix High School, 7323 University Ave, La Mesa, CA 91941, (619) 956-0386, fax: (619) 562-5149, www.guhsd.net/adult

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Wire Pod Cages

Delicate and bold at the same time, the wire pod cage design makes a beautifully dimensional center piece. If time permits we will also make a pair of earrings.  Bring objects to cage (shells, stones, sea glass…) jeweler’s chain nose pliers, round nose pliers and cutters, 3 feet of half hard copper, sterling silver or gold filled wire (22 gauge)  and 6 feet of dead soft copper, sterling silver, colored aluminum or gold filled round wire (30 gauge) , 2 to 4 mm beads to fit 30 gauge wire.

Wire can be purchased from the instructor for a small fee.

9- Dec

Tu

San Diego Art Dept, North Park

1-3pm

San Diego Art Department, 3830 Ray St, San Diego, CA 92104 (619) 299-4278, info@sdartdept.com,   www.sdartdept.com

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Earring Workshop

Make a pair of earrings for all the ladies on your gift list.  Learn to work with headpins, components, wire, chain, beads and findings to create a variety of contemporary earring styles. Join the fun! Bring a bunch of your favorite beads if you have some, round nose pliers, chain nose pliers and wire cutters. $7 Material Fee covers everything else.

14- Dec SU San Diego Art Dept.,North Park 1-3pm

San Diego Art Department, 3830 Ray St, San Diego, CA 92104 (619) 299-4278 info@sdartdept.com,   www.sdartdept.com

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Squiggles, Steps and Spirals

The focus of this class is on the shaping and hammering of wire links with a touch of wire wrapping beads. Using jewelry pliers we will shape 20 gauge wire into the Step, Wave, Squiggle and Spiral components. Twist and bend your way to creating a wire link, bead and spiral dangle necklace. Bring a bunch of your favorite beads, round nose pliers, chain nose  and wire cutters. 25 feet of copper, sterling silver or gold-filled dead soft round wire (20 gauge).  Wire can be purchased from the instructor for a small fee. Fees Vary by Location and Duration.

24- Jan SA Foothills Adult School Super Saturday 1-4 pm

Foothills Adult School, 1550 Melody Lane, El Cajon, CA 92019, (619) 956-0386, fax: (619) 562-5149, www.guhsd.net/adult

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Wire Wrapping Beads with Ease

We will learn the basics of wire wrapping: (simple loop, wire wrapped loop, wire wrapped loop with a twist, figure eights, bails) to create a beautiful wire wrapped bracelet and several pairs of earrings. We will also create a handmade clasp, make a few versions of the spiral and learn to wrap top drilled as well as center hole drilled beads if time permits. Bring a bunch of your favorite beads, round nose pliers, chain nose  and wire cutters. 25 feet of copper, sterling silver or gold-filled dead soft round wire (22 gauge).  Wire can be purchased from the instructor for a small fee. Fees Vary by Location and Duration.

24- Jan SA Foothills Adult School Super Saturday 9am- noon

Foothills Adult School, 1550 Melody Lane, El Cajon, CA 92019, (619) 956-0386, fax: (619) 562-5149, www.guhsd.net/adult

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Wire Coil Beads

For a step beyond “Wires and Hammers and Pliers… Oh My!” join Denise for this jewelry workshop. Learn to make handmade clasps and findings, fancy wire wrapped beads and wire formed beads.

Bring any beads you may have, jeweler’s chain nose pliers, round nose pliers and cutters, 3 feet of sterling silver square wire (18 gauge) and 6 feet of copper, gold filled or sterling silver round wire (20 gauge) and 6 feet of copper, gold filled, sterling silver round wire (26 gauge). Wire can be purchased from the instructor for a small fee. Fees vary per location.

Date TBA (or contact Denise to schedule a date)

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Bead Master Strategies

Beginner and intermediate beading enthusiasts will delight in this comprehensive class that focuses on elements of design, creation and finishing techniques. Explore techniques for creating beaded necklaces, wrap around bracelets and double strand bracelets. Learn 3 methods and the benefits of each: soft flex, silk/nylon string and memory wire. If time permits we will also learn knotting between beads. Proper use of jewelry tools will also be addressed. Bring a bunch of your favorite beads, round nose pliers, chain nose  and wire cutters. Materials can be purchased from the instructor for a small fee. Fees Vary by Location and Duration.

Date TBA (or contact Denise to schedule a date)