Precious Metal Clay & Jewelry Making Classes

Janet Alexander Offers Jewelry classes from Beginning to Advanced

Bracelet on cover of Metal Clay Artist magazine.

This web site provides class and workshop listings for my classes and is updated continuously. In an effort to give you an insight to my teaching skills and style I have made available free tutorial downloads saved as PDF files and videos. Please take time to explore them, you just might learn something new! Other Tutorials

I always wanted to be a teacher while growing up. Due to a learning disability, I didn't learn the same way everyone was taught. I didn't fit into the cookie cutter way of structured teaching and always thought that there were other ways to teach. I just wasn't being taught the way I needed to be.

As I got older, I learned how to teach myself and my grades skyrocketed to nearly straight A's. I now apply my technique to teaching jewelry. I try to make it fun and non-stressful. I understand the jitters that effect someone when they are just about to light that torch for the first time, or try something new.

Whether you want to make jewelry for the fun of it or you want to change careers you will always learn more than you expected from my teaching. Check out my classes today!

Watch how Janet creates this beautiful hollow sterling silver pendant!

What Students Are Saying

Janet has taught jewelry making for over 15 years. Here are some of her students remarks about her teaching style.

Nadette W-H of Lincoln County NM
Thank you Janet, for a fun and extremely instructive workshop on Metalsmithing.
It is very easy to learn from you and the result is astonishing!
I love my pendant and proudly report to everyone how easy it is to follow your instructions: after explaining the tools and materials needed, you model first and then allow the student to explore and accomplish. Your studio is a positive environment to create. Your written instructions to take home are helpful to review the steps of the piece made.

Tricia Tully of Ruidoso NM - Fabrication soldering and stone setting class

Thanks Janet - you make it look so easy and you are so patient with me!

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See Janet's classes in Tucson 2015!

Join Janet at Bead Fest Santa Fe 2015

Janet's newest metal clay tools!

Janet's bracelet on the cover !

Martha Jones of Ruidoso NM - Fabrication soldering and stone setting class

I had so much fun! I can't believe I made it!

Marvellee Kissling of Alto NM - Precious Metal Clay and stone setting class

After showing off her other projects she learned in Janet's classes, spinner ring, and metal clay ring with set stone, she said she had a wonderful time and now has the confidence to start making jewelry on her own at home.

Ona Gustafson of Alamogordo NM
On the intermediate metal clay earring class learning how to solder on metal clay and set a cabochon stone. "I learned a lot and and a fun time."

Debbie Nickles of Capitan NM

"Yesterday, I made these cuties at my Beginning Precious Metal Clay Earrings - fine silver class! The class was GREAT Fun and Janet is such a patient and Excellent teacher! Thank you Janet for offering these classes to the public!"

Debbie Nickles of Capitan NM
Debbie returned taking the intermediate metal clay class learning how to solder a bezel cup onto the fired metal clay and then set a stone.

Aleah Topper of Ruidoso NM

In a one day private class learned how to saw, texture, file, solder, ball wire, and set her cabochon stone in this cross.

Judith Landvatter

Janet: Just wanted to drop you a line to tell you how much I enjoyed your argentium love knot ring class. I was the last one to finish and you insisted on helping me get that last joint fused. It did the trick and I understand argentium fusing - just need more practice. It takes just a "scooch" more fire than silver clay. I really do like argentium and hope to work more with it.

Lusine Martirosyan

I had an one-on-one, five day workshop at Janet’s studio in Ruidoso, New Mexico. It was my first foray into jewelry design & production and metalsmithing. I connected with Janet to see if I could immerse myself with her in an intensive one-on-one format to see if I had the raw skills and talent to make it in jewelry production, perhaps turning a passion, into a hobby, into a career someday. So heading into this, I had a deep fear that I wouldn’t have what it’d take, or I wouldn’t be able to pick up on the core skills, methods and practices I’d need to get my feet on the ground.Janet provided me with more than I could have hoped for in a learning experience. We had long, well organized days. She is a talented jeweler and a great teacher - I learned a lot, and had a lot of fun – a difficult balance to find! She shared with me as much knowledge and experience as possible during our 5 day workshop. I had a lot of questions and she patiently and gladly had answers for all of them! I am planning to go back and take more classes with her in the near future!!

Margaret Lakas on the new Beginning Metal Clay Earrings Video

Janet, great video. The detail with which you went into each stage of creating was so helpful. For me the greatest learning was your explanation of using the texture plates. I have read and seen other tutorials on this and never "got it" until your video. The detail of the finishing was also extremely well done. Most instructors state "finish as usual..." as a beginner it doesn't mean anything. Very well done video using excellent detailed explanations.

Tony Kelpich

Where to begin? Every once in a while someone special touches your life in ways completely unexpected. This last weekend was one of those moments for me. I was anticipating I would learn lots of good stuff and I did, but I was not expecting all the little extras that came with the weekend. This weekend was not just a class, it was personal. Janet you didn't just teach, you gave part of yourself to each one of us. You do this so naturally I didn't realize it was happening at the time. It was only after I got back to Little Rock did it occur to me what you had happened. By now you're probably thinking, shucks that's what I do for everyone, it's not that special. But that's what makes it so wonderful; it's who you are and why you can give part of yourself so naturally. It's too bad the best the English language can come up with is a Thank You, for moments like this. So being that English is my first and only language I say to you "Thank You Janet" for my incredible weekend.

Sabra Hardy NY, NY
"God bless you; I found your videos and tutorials using a saw, making a mold, and vulcanizing in a kiln so very helpful."

Tracy Williams Ft. Worth, TX
"Because of Janet's patience, her willingness to allow one’s “creative genius” to blossom, her encouragement and her passion for her trade, I learned more than I could have imagined."

Billy Conley (discusses Janet's Wax Carving Tutorial)
"Tutorial was the simplest, most detailed yet not intimidating material I have read. It is also the most motivational. It should be published and sold everywhere."

Christine Erickson, Dallas TX
"When I moved to Dallas last summer, I was thrilled to find a metal fabrication class so close to my new home. The Friday night class with Janet Alexander was even better than I expected: Janet's range of experience and depth of knowledge are outstanding, and her enthusiasm for sharing that knowledge is inspiring and fun." .

Katrina Knauss, Dallas TX
"I just completed a beginners metal fabrication course with Janet. She is an excellent teacher! Her instruction was incredibly dedicated to detail, much more than the expected basics, with all sorts of juicy tips and secrets only gleaned from years of experience generously sprinkled in. She inspired my confidence in my own abilities to accomplish what she was teaching me. I was most impressed with her inventiveness, her problem-solving abilities and her patience in working with beginners. I plan to take another course with her in the near future!"

Contact Janet

Visit Janet's Google+ Page