Foundations in
Jewellery & Metalsmithing
A Five-Day Introduction to Traditional Jewellery Making
with
Anita Mills
22nd to 26th August 2026
10am to 5pm each day
€520
(All materials and lunch provided each day)
Begin your jewellery-making journey with confidence.
Have you ever wanted to learn the timeless skills of traditional jewellery making? Whether you dream of becoming a professional maker, hope to progress to advanced masterclasses, or simply want to develop a rewarding creative hobby, this five-day Foundation Course is the ideal place to begin.
Designed specifically for beginners and those wishing to strengthen their existing skills, this immersive programme introduces the essential techniques that every jeweller should master. Working in our purpose-built Metals & Jewellery Studio at Mulranny Arts, you'll learn through practical demonstrations, guided tuition and hands-on making, creating beautiful handcrafted pieces while developing confidence with professional tools and equipment.
More than simply another jewellery workshop, this course is the first step in the Mulranny Arts Jewellery & Metalsmithing School - a structured learning pathway designed to help you continue developing your skills through intermediate courses, specialist masterclasses and creative retreats with leading Irish and international jewellers.
This course has been carefully designed for:
Complete beginners with no previous jewellery-making experience.
Artists and craftspeople wishing to explore working with metal.
Hobbyists looking to develop confidence and improve their technical skills.
Students considering jewellery or metalsmithing as a future career.
Anyone wishing to build a solid foundation before progressing to our more advanced workshops.
What you will learn
Throughout the five days you will be introduced to the core skills that underpin traditional jewellery making. Working at your own dedicated jeweller's bench, you'll learn a wide range of techniques including:
Understanding metals and their properties
Measuring and marking out accurately
Working with wire, sheet and tube
Sawing, piercing and shaping metal
Filing and finishing techniques
Forming and texturing
Cold connections including riveting and interlocking
Introduction to soldering and hot connections (time permitting)
Professional finishing and polishing
As your confidence grows, you'll apply these techniques to a series of practical projects, creating a number of finished pieces to take home while developing the knowledge and skills needed for future jewellery making.
What you'll leave with
At the end of the five days you'll have:
A collection of handcrafted jewellery pieces.
Confidence using professional jewellery tools and equipment.
A strong understanding of the fundamental principles of metalsmithing.
Skills you can continue practising at home.
The knowledge needed to progress to more advanced jewellery courses.
Membership of a growing community of makers at Mulranny Arts.
Learn in a Professional Studio
This course takes place in the new purpose-built Metals & Jewellery Studio at Mulranny Arts. Designed specifically for jewellery education, the studio provides professional equipment, dedicated jeweller's benches and an inspiring learning environment overlooking Clew Bay on Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way.
With small class sizes and expert tuition, you'll receive plenty of individual guidance throughout the week, allowing you to develop both confidence and technical ability at your own pace.
The beginning of your learning pathway
Unlike many introductory workshops, this course is designed as the first step in a much bigger creative journey.
After completing Foundations in Jewellery & Metalsmithing, you'll be ready to continue developing your skills through our growing programme of:
Intermediate Jewellery & Metalsmithing
Develop your confidence through more advanced projects and techniques.
Advanced Jewellery Making
Refine your craftsmanship while exploring increasingly complex methods and designs.
Masterclasses & Creative Retreats
Learn from nationally and internationally recognised jewellers, metalsmiths and master craftspeople who teach at Mulranny Arts throughout the year.
By starting here, you'll gain the practical knowledge and confidence needed to get the very best from these specialist programmes.
Your Jewellery making journey starts here
Join us this August and discover the skills, craftsmanship and creative confidence that form the foundation of every successful jeweller.
Spaces are limited to ensure plenty of individual tuition. Early booking is recommended.
Onsite Accommodation available if required. Please phone (087 9208829) or email us for more details and to book. (info@mulrannyarts.com)
