At Flux, making jewellery is a necessary part of life’s journey….
Watching students working in the Flux Jewellery School studio, it’s hard not to strap on an apron and get involved in the impressive array of jewellery making techniques going on. I went to interview some of the students and was endlessly impressed by their skills, their eagerness to learn and their support of one another as jewellery enthusiasts.
For these students the reasons for being at Flux Jewellery School were often the same. The classes were great value and many were local to the area (although one student travelled an hour and a half every week to get there which in itself demonstrates the calibre of the classes). However, their reasons for coming back were much more personal. Every student was returning for a second, third or fourth term, and each one waxed lyrical about the community feel of the classes, and the endless support they received from Vicky, the teachers, and the rest of the students. This was obvious as I watched Ruth discuss the progress of the beautiful ring she had just made with Vicky and other students who offered opinions and advice about the next step. I was impressed by the interest they took in one another’s progress, the informal, relaxed and friendly nature of this feedback, and how generous students and teachers were with their own knowledge and skills. The studio space feels like a proper workshop and is a place where one can continue improving upon their skills, or where you can learn a completely new skill set, a place where parents and children can take part in the same class and start at the same level (for one!).
The classes offer a huge amount of flexibility. Each one has a theme but if students prefer they can work on their own projects. In this class students were selling their pieces, at local arts and crafts fairs or online, or hoping to. Many were hoping to take the skills they had learned and turn their hobby into a profession, Viktoria having set up her own jewellery workshop at home! Every one of them was keen to recommend the classes; Sonja described them as “one of the best classes in London”, and Viktoria said the classes are her “therapy once a week”. Recommendations don’t come much higher!
Throughout the rest of the term Flux Jewellery School has a range of exciting and dynamic classes, so come and indulge your creative side and try your hand at some impressive jewellery techniques.
