Penny Akester is a jewellery artist and teacher with a studio workshop in Camden Street, Camden Town. All year round, she offers fun, skill focused jewellery classes in which all materials are provided. Each class is purposefully kept to a maximum of 3 participants. You can either bring your own group of three on a date which suits you, or join one of Penny’s scheduled classes.
“I am fascinated by the processes of creation, the many different ways that objects or materials – sheet metal, wire, tiny seed beads, yarn, clay, and more – can be transformed into something beautiful and precious,” says Penny.
As well as creating her own jewellery collections and working to commission, Penny has been an adult education teacher since 2009, teaching many different aspects of jewellery-making at her own workshop studio and at centres across London and beyond.
In her evening and weekend workshops which include drinks and nibbles, Penny teaches complete beginners as well as more experienced hobby and professional jewellers how to create their own unique jewellery pieces and build their skills using a variety of techniques. (Her workshop is on the lower ground floor – helpful if summer temperatures rise!)
Here are a few of Penny’s classes which might be of interest:
Beginners Beading Essentials Day
11 July or 7 August
This full day class will introduce the skills to create your own jewellery using beads. Penny shows different ways of stringing and knotting beads, and how to make professional clasps. Everybody will make at least one necklace, one bracelet and a pair of earrings, but will most likely create more than that!
Penny says this full day class from 10-5pm (with 1 hour lunch break) is often booked as a day out or special treat, or for those looking to start a new hobby.
Beginners Wrapped Pebbles Mini Class
Evening of 19 August or 29 October
Have a relaxed evening creating your own collection of wrapped rocks as home decorations or for meditation. You get to make at least one (probably several) decorated pebbles, using natural rattan fibre. These tactile talismans also make good gifts for people in need of grounding!
Beginners Silver Jewellery-Making
8-9 July or 20-21 August
| Intended as a fun, intensive introduction to metalworking for jewellery making, in this 2-day workshop participants get to play with fire and hammers, learn to use a jeweller’s saw, to solder, and to shape and form metal. To begin, there’s designing and making a ring, and then afterwards designing and making your choice of a pair of earrings, pendant, a chain or bangle.
Beginners Silver Clay Jewellery Essentials This is a full day class for beginners to try out making silver jewellery using the magical material of silver clay. The group designs and makes their own silver jewellery, such as a series of charms for a charm bracelet, or a pendant or earrings. Participants learn how to work with moulds, texture plates, and how to cut and form the clay in several different ways. Fireable gemstones can be added for some colour and sparkle. Finally, the clay jewellery is dried, refined, fired using a blowtorch and polished ready to wear.
“Penny is an excellent teacher. Calm, warm and with a lovely sense of humour, she makes you feel at ease and is happy to make design suggestions or adapt to your ideas…I am so pleased to have chosen to take a class in person…” Review from a group participant. To see all the workshops and courses available, visit: www.pennyakester.co.uk Use code BELSIZE for a 10% discount on any class booking made before the end of July.
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