I have had the pleasure of taking two workshops with John Cogswell,who is a wonderful jeweler, teacher, and human being. He has a beautiful philosophy in that he says that if you are going to teach others, teach them everything that you know. I happen to agree with John because we can't take it to the grave, so share it with the world. "Pay it forward", if you will. I once heard that "to teach is to learn twice." As a high school special education teacher for 30 years, turned aspiring jeweler late in life, I hope to be able to teach others what I have learned while constantly learning more. I'll never stop taking classes because as much as I love to teach, I love being a student too.
In 2004 I started selling jewelry, and thought that maybe I had the talent to make my own. I joined the South Florida Bead Society now called the South Florida Jewelry Arts Guild and took beading, wire wrapping and off loom bead weaving classes from several bead shops and teachers. I then became interested in Silver Metal Clay and took classes and two levels of PMC certification with PMC
connection. In 2007, I retired from teaching and took the Basic Jewelry and Stone Setting Programs from Master Goldsmith Marc Thurn at The First Institute of Gemology and Jewelry School of Florida in Coral Gables, Florida. There I learned the technical skills necessary to design, fabricate, repair, set stones and maintain jewelry.
I currently take Metal Arts classes and teach Metal Clay at several locations around S. Florida.As of April 2009 I received my Senior Instructor Certification with Art Clay Silver. I am also a member of S. Florida Society of Goldsmiths, SNAG, Art Clay Society, PMC Guild , The Gem and Mineral Guild of South Florida, Enamel Guild of South Florida, and the Ceramic League of Miami.
In June 2009 I, along with my collegues, started the Miami Metal Clay Artists as a local chapter of Art Clay Society and PMC Guild. We meet monthly and meetings are open to all people who love metal and metal clay. (See the page on Miami Metal Clay Artists)
Thanks for the look- see.
Happy Clay Days,
Bernadette Denoux
Original & Custom Designs - 786 254-7220
