Workshops + Classes at nanopod

Silver is included to make 1 ring band in the 8wk metal + glass course, and the Ring band workshop. Materials are available for other projects at the studio, there is a lost wax casting fee of $1.75 per gram (for sterling silver)-this also covers labour and taxes. Castings range in price from under $10, to anywhere between $30 to $100- this completely depends on the piece(s) and the student. CABOCHON' cut stones are recommended for learning to bezel set, students may also use faceted stones when learning to tube set, prong, etc.
The work created at nanopod speaks for itself. Check out some past Student's work HERE

Tosca has worked with metal for over 25 years, and delved fulltime into glass in 2004 studying with Anna Boothe, Suellen Fowler, Jesse Kohl, Janis Miltenberger, Loren Stump and later this summer with Kari Russell-Pool at Piclhuck Glass School where Tosca was awarded a full scholarship to study.

Have a question relating to one of the workshops or courses?
Please read our FAQ's

Please email Tosca with any further questions concerning the classes or to register at nanotopia(at)me(dot)com
or Make secure payments online using VISA, or Mastercard without a PayPal account!

Work with Metal, Plastics, + Glass!
Learn to hand fabricate & cast your own jewelry, sculptures out of Sterling Silver, or Industrial Polyurethane!
Make a ring band, learn one of the oldest casting techniques,
set stones, Flamework & Fuse glass, make molds and much more...

8 week Plastique Fantastique!
Learn how to sculpt, make molds, carve, add pigments, found materials, sand and polish polyurethane resins.
6:30-9:30pm, 8 weeks, 1 evening per week
Starts Monday, August 16th $250pp includes all materials! ($100 deposit to hold space) 8 people max.

Participants will learn how to properly create open-face and two-part molds for casting Polyurethane resins.
How-to properly mix and pour resins, add pigments, embed various materials, different finishing/polishing
techniques and health and safety issues will be covered.
Resource lists of local suppliers will be handed out.
The first evening will begin with a discussion on Health and Safety concerns when working with various
resins, then participants will be introduced to sculpting materials and begin to create their first piece(s) for an
open-face mold. Examples will be on display for use and inspiration.
Each person will create a minimum of 4 pendants, 1 bracelet/cuff, several rings, then a more eleborate design with
techniques learned throughtout the course.
Objective
By the end of the course students will know how to make open face and two-part molds,
properly mix and pour Polyurethane resins, add pigments and colour, embed items within resin
and finish their resin pieces to a matte, satin and high polish.

Jacques Fortier has been working as a props designer/maker for over 18 years for television and film. His courses are highly informative, fun and bilingual!

FAQpage.

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8 week Metal + Glass 4 spaces left as of July 25
Form • Fabricate • Flamework • Fuse
Learn basic Goldsmithing + Flameworking techniques
6:30-9:30pm, 8 weeks, 1 evening per week • (drop down menu- choose your start-up date)
Learn a new technique every evening
$250.00 per person, 5 people per course.

week #1: First evening: working with copper-safety, drilling, sawing, soldering.
week #2: Make a band ring out of silver (stamp, hammer finish, roller print, etc.)
week #3: working with wax create pieces w/the lost wax technique
week #4: Finishing wax projects, cleaning up castings> cuttlebone casting (finish up models)
week #5: flameworking glass- sculpt and form molten glass into beads, focal pieces, small sculptures.
week #6: bezel settings, clean-up castings
week #7: make another piece incorporating techniques from the course.
week #8: finish up projects
Copper, wax, glass, and some sterling silver are supplied. Certain evening's include technique handouts. A list of local suppliers is included.

Choose your date:

Wednesday Sept 8th $100.00 Monday Sept 13th $100.00 TBA $100.00 TBA $100.00

Playing with Fire!
Saturday, August 7, 10:30am - 2pm
$100pp, deposit of $50 required to hold a space.
4 student max.
Entry-level class. Learn how to make colorful glass beads from Effettre glass rods (a soft Italian glass), using an oxy-propane torch. This class will teach you how to make a variety of bead shapes, to form and alter surface patterns, pull stringer, add surface decorations, trap air, and more as time permits.
Included: A brief history of glass
Glass Compatibility
Annealing
Properly clean your beads
Local suppliers, schools, etc.
All materials included! NO Experience Necessary! Please see our FAQ page.

Choose your date:

August 7 $50.00

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Ring Band Workshops! Saturday - July 31st
Form a sterling silver ring band, add textures with stamps, hammers or the rolling mill
learn how to properly size your finger, solder, form and finish your ring with a high polish or satin finish.
3 hr workshop (noon - 3pm) includes materials for 1 fing. 5 person max, $50pp

Metal{clay} + Glass{enamel}
fine silver • bronze • copper
TBA, 6:30-9:30pm, 8 weeks, 1 evening per week.
7 student max., $285pp inlcudes all materials and use of equipment. Deposit of $200 required to hold space/kit.

Introduction to PMC3, Bronze Clay & Copper Clay. This series of workshops teaches students basic, intermediate, and advanced usage of Precious Metal Clay.
What is Precious Metal Clay (PMC)?
Beginning with simple projects students will create pendants, rings, bracelets, beads, set-stones to be fired in place, make their own texture plates, add textures, inlay & combines metals, learn about different patinas, work with enamels, discuss firing schedules, firing with a torch/kiln/Hotpot and more!
1st evening: Course introduction. Kits will be handed out, and discussed. Working with PMC3 create your first project! Tools used, adding textures, drying times, setting a stone.
2nd evening: Create a PMC3 piece to enamel. Make a fantastic ring!
3rd evening: Enamel your PMC3. Finish up PMC3 pieces
4th evening: Bronze Clay. Tools, firing schedules. Create pieces using molds that you make in class!
5th evening: Copper Clay, Tools, firing schedules. Finish up Bronze Clay pieces from previous week.
6th evening: Inlay copper and bronze clay. Making hollowforms with cork clay & wood clay.
7th evening: Different firing techniques for PMC3, torch, kiln, Hotpot- working with glass and PMC, soldering your PMC pieces
8th evening: Finish up pieces.

Absolutely no experience necessary! All students receive a kit with packages of PMC3, PMC3 paste, Bronze Clay and Copper clay, cabochons, and cubic zirconia for stone-setting, cork & paper clay for making hollowforms. Tools and equipment are available for use at the studio- students may purchase tool-sets used during the course.