Fine arts center offers jewelry class

This June, Jennifer Messer will be teaching a two-night advanced jewelry making class showing how to create an eclectic Boho necklace using one-of-a-kind pendants from Washington glass artist, Alex Gibson.

The class will have two sessions, the first session June 23, and the second session takes place June 30. Each session will be held from 6-8 p.m.

Students will be provided with a wide variety of beads, findings, and the tools and instructions needed to put the whole necklace together.

Using the handmade glass pendants by Gibson as the inspirations, Messer referenced artists Barbara Natoli Witt, Deryn Mentock, Amy Hanna, and Stephanie Lee, to create fun contemporary Bohemian designs. Recombining beads and chain that the artist loves from older pieces, along with new natural stone and cut glass crystal beads with lace and silk ribbon creates very different looks for each of the pieces.

Messer is the assistant to the director at the Community Fine Arts Center, and holds degrees from Western Wyoming Community College, Montana State University and the University of Wyoming. This is her seventh year teaching jewelry making at the CFAC, and she is excited to show class participants how to mix and match to create eclectic, dreamy designs.

Gibson holds a B.F.A. in Studio Arts from Washington State University, and an M.F.A. in Pictorial Art from San Jose State University. He lives and maintains a studio in the Pacific Northwest.

Gibson produced a set of 45 different pendants with heavy high quality silver bails for this class. Each of the pendants is made up of layers of hand blown glass, some transparent, others opaque, cut in fresh abstract shapes. All the pendants are priced individually and are available separate from the class.

"I want people to be able to create the perfect Boho necklace to show off Alex's pendants, so this class has the widest assortment of beads and findings I've ever put together," Messer said.

Interested individuals can see examples of the project and register at the CFAC for a $30 supply fee. All supplies, except your pendant of choice, are included for each class, and class size is very limited for one-on-one interaction.