Instructor: Sarah Groves
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
June 17 - 21
9am - 1pm
4 Sessions

Explore ways to color copper with eco-friendly patinas using some common  substances, (e.g. vinegar, garlic, horseradish, soy sauce, aspirin, cat urine) from the kitchen, backyard and grocery store. Using a variety of metalsmithing techniques including hammering, sawing, filing, doming, stamping and riveting (tools and instruction provided), participants will create original copper designs from copper sheet and wire. Patinas will be applied to these creations, copper objects from home or copper “thrift store finds”. Several methods for applying patinas will be used, and, when finished, these patina substances can be safely disposed of in the compost pile. At the end of the workshop, participants will have one or more finished pieces with patinas, a manual of technical notes on eco-friendly patinas and links to some instructional videos.

Sarah Groves is a metalsmith/jeweler/teacher who creates jewelry and sculptural objects using copper, brass, silver, gold, natural gemstones and found objects. For over 10 years she has researched eco-friendly patinas for copper and brass by experimenting with 80+ substances from the kitchen, backyard and grocery store. During the pandemic shut down she focused on forging larger copper sculptural forms and fabricated a copper kelp forest for installation in a gallery window. Her time is split between Vancouver BC and Wellfleet MA.

Website: http://blueboxdesign.ca