Beginning PMC (Precious Metal Clay): February 14 from 9:30-3:30

Ready to try something new? Magical? How about creating a fine silver pendant in a day?

Precious Metal Clay is an organic compound infused with fine silver. You can work it like potters or modeling clay to create your jewelry design. When your creation dries, you have green ware, just like a potter has green ware, and then that green ware goes into a small kiln. This is where the magic happens!

As the kiln heats, the organic materials in the clay burn away, the silver fuses, and you end up with a 99.9% fine silver piece in the shape of your design. Pretty cool, huh?
In this beginners class, we will be working with the silver PMC and creating a fine silver pendant of your own original design.

We will cover:

• Studio safety and ergonomics
• What, exactly, is Precious Metal Clay and some history
• The limitations of it’s use and why thickness matters
• How to form the clay using easily available tools
• The different methods of creating texture in a piece
• How to make a bail
• All about slip
• How to use the kiln and sintering
• Firing times and why there are different ones.
• Finishing processes
• Information about tumbling metal and why it’s important
• How to use a rotary tumbler
  
• How to clean your finished silver pendant.

Details:

• Saturday February 14, from 9:30-3:30
• 6 contact hours, ages 14+ located at the Silver Peak Jewelry Arts, 100 E. Cleveland St Lafayette 80026
• # students: 3 minimum, 6 maximum
• Materials kit fee is $55. Due to volatile metal markets, this fee is separate from the registration fee, and is subject to change without notice. Materials fee is payable directly to the instructor via cash, check, or Venmo. 
• Each student will work at their own dedicated jeweler's bench. 
• Prerequisite: none

The last day to cancel your class registration for a refund or transfer ($25 transfer fee applies) is January 31, 2026.

By registering for this workshop, you agree to our cancellation policy, dress code, and studio rules.

About the instructor, Alita McManis

With fifteen years of experience working with PMC, and thirty years of making jewelry, Alita will teach you all you need to be successful using Precious Metal Clay.

Alita started career in jewelry over 30 years ago, making pieces for friends and family. 2008 brought a move across the country to Virginia, where she joined Floyd Artists Association, a Co-Op gallery in Floyd, VA. She was still doing beading with semi-precious stones at that time, and suddenly she found the beaded jewelry sector to be over saturated. At that moment, she felt the yearning to learn something new.

One day, in 2008,  she saw an ad for a class in Precious Metal Clay. Alita took said class and was an immediate addict. 

Since then, Alita has been working with PMC, and returned to Arvada in 2013. Her inspiration comes from the Earth, Moon, and Stars. Alita says, "We live in such a magical world! The Universe sends me ideas, and my creations are the result. I do my creating in a small studio in Arvada."