Hammer & Fire Earring Workshop with Dona Miller!

Join Dona to learn the Fold Forming technique to create folds and texture into the metal. We will be working with hammers and torches to create these organic shaped earrings. Come, have some fun, and create a couple of pairs of earrings. We will be working in copper.

Minimum: 4

Maximum: 8

pre-registration required.

About the Instructor:

Jewelry design has always been a part of Dona’s life.  Her love of jewelry began as a child. She was often found sitting on the floor for hours with her mother’s jewelry box figuring out ways to rearrange the pieces into new adornments.  Dona began working with beads and basic metal working in high school.  During her career in high tech, she was constantly involved in a number of mediums taking classes in art, photography and interior design.  After leaving the high tech world, Dona returned to her love of jewelry design.  Dona currently sells her work through galleries, at shows and online.

Dona currently teaches classes in traditional metal smithing and jewelry techniques as well as metal clay.  Dona’s students continue to be an inspiration to her, fascinating her with the unique perspective each student has conceptually and artistically. She believes in an open teaching atmosphere where no question is too basic or too specific, allowing discussions which increases knowledge and artistry with the medium.

Dona is an award winning artist. She is currently featured in the 4 Ravens Gallery, Grizzly Claw Gallery, Element, and the Artistic Souls Gallery (online). She has shown her work at a number of gallery shows, as well as Fine Art shows through California, Oregon, Idaho, Washington, and Montana.

Dona’s education is in engineering. She has taken jewelry classes over the years but considers herself more of a self-taught artist and credits her background in engineering to providing a unique way of looking at the construction of her work. She believes her personal style was birthed from her love of architecture and the influences of a family friend who introduced her to jewelry design and Japanese art and aesthetics.

Dona’s love of learning has brought her to the theory that it is great to learn and have mentors, but when it comes to one’s art, one should just throw it all into a big pot, give it a good stir, forget about all the “should”, and only pull out what supports their artist vision.

Dona currently lives in Joseph, Oregon with her husband and rescued dogs, where she continues to be involved in Sled Dog sports. In addition to working in her home studio creating her one-of-a-kind signature pieces, she also continues to teach regularly in Missoula, MT, and out of her home studio in Joseph. She also teaches at the Sika Center for Art & Ecology on the Oregon Coast.