Tryon Arts and Crafts School will host an intermediate wire-wrap jewelry workshop with instructor Sonia Arnold on Saturday, April 30 and Sunday, May 1 at the craft school located on Harmon Field Road. This workshop will enhance the skills of previous wire-wrap students and build on the basic techniques of bending, twisting and shaping wire.

Wire wrap is a hand-fabricated method of jewelry design and creation. It involves the use of tools to bind and twist wires together. Jewelry wire comes in many shapes, such as round, square, half round, triangular, flat, or patterned. The wire metal type can be brass, copper, fine silver, sterling silver, gold or gold-filled. Wire wrap can incorporate cabochons, beads, crystals or the wire alone can be twisted and shaped into bracelets or necklaces.

Over the course of the weekend workshop, students will use techniques including filing, tumbling, cleaning wire, applying texture and stone hardness to create more complex designs. The instructor will have different projects to satisfy the level of each returning student. Some wire experience is needed and students should be familiar with basic tools used in jewelry making. Projects will include earrings, pendant, bracelet and rings as time permits.

The instructor, Sonia Arnold, is a native of Virginia and studied art and received her BFA at UNC-Asheville. Arnold’s work with jewelry is extensive and involves silver- and gold-smithing as well as wire work. Her artwork is found in Brevard at Number 7 Arts Co-operative and at the Gem & Mineral Museum in Hendersonville, N.C. She and her family reside in Brevard, N.C.

Advance registration for all workshops is required. For more information, contact Tryon Arts & Crafts School at 828-859-8323 or by email tryonartsandcrafts@windstream.net. More details and examples of projects are available on the Tryon Arts and Crafts School website, www.TryonArtsandCrafts.org. There are a limited number of spaces available for this class.

Tryon Arts and Crafts School is a non-profit crafts organization located at 373 Harmon Field Road in Tryon and exists to provide creative opportunities for everyone.