Becoming a Member

The Silversmiths' Guild was formed by a group of enthusiastic people with a common interest in working with both precious and semi-precious metals. The Guild was one of the original tenants of the Arts Centre, but, like everyone else affected by the earthquakes, we have had to find a new place to operate from. Our wonderful new workshop is at 39C Tanner St, Woolston

Our membership is made up of a large variety of people who just love making things from metal and a range of stones, natural materials, and other mixed media. There are also lots of techniques used such as; enamelling, precious metal clay, cold connections, casting, folding, stone setting, and as many ideas as there are people.

As a member you receive a monthly digital newsletter to keep you up to date with the current goings on and there are regular members’ evenings, workshops, and studio time that will be publicised in our newsletter. There will be an annual members’ exhibition (as soon as we are able to secure a venue in this rather difficult time in Christchurch!). We have a mentoring programme available. For a reasonable annual subscription there are opportunities to serve on the committee, and/or be involved in tutoring, teaching other members your skills, and sharing your ideas with the rest of us! 

Our emphasis is on providing skills and facilities for learning and the studio is opened and run on a voluntary basis with a user-pays structure, helping to pay for our costs. If you are making stock for your business you need to do this in your own workshop.

There are two ways to become a member of the Guild. 

1/ Most people come to us via our silversmithing classes run from our studio workshop  at 39c Tanner St, Woolston, Christchurch. Contact our class co-ordinator, Noeline, for more information and to book your place. silversmithsguild@hotmail.com

 Level One     Tuesday Nights  
7.00 - 9.30pm
You will be introduced to the essential beginners’ skills and tools and:
• Make a layered ring with piercing
• Make a brooch from brass and develop a range of skills including design, sawing, and soldering.
Level Two     Wednesday Nights  7.00 - 9.30pm
The Level One course is a pre-requisite for taking the Level Two course. In Level Two you will learn how to make a cabochon stone setting and then develop your skills and design your own pieces with the guidance of a tutor.Mixed Levels  Thursday Mornings - Depending on the Demand

After the Courses, Where Next?
When you have completed the Level Two course, and the tutors see you are confident enough to use all our equipment independently and safely, you may apply to join the Silversmiths Guild. Often people attend several Level 2 classes as they try out their own designs and ideas with the support of the tutors and other students, and it's a fun evening with lots of inspiration seeing what everyone else is doing too!

2/ If you are already an experienced silversmith, or allied craftsperson/artist, and have the necessary knowledge to use our equipment safely without supervision, you can apply to join the Guild by arranging a meeting to show us some of your work and talk about your processes. This usually takes place at one of our monthly committee meetings. To organize this contact Arthur at craftyart2002@yahoo.co.nz