Demonstration of Foldforming and Chiseling

Are you curious about what connects the dragon sculptures on the Dragon Bridge, baroque chalices, and Tutankhamun’s mask? It's foldforming and chiseling, two fascinating techniques for making jewelry that we will explore in this demonstration workshop in the jewelry lab.

Foldforming is a metal forming technique that involves bending, folding, and compressing the material to create a three-dimensional structure. This process is commonly used in jewelry making as it allows for the creation of unique, organic shapes that can be very dynamic and complex. Soft metals such as silver, copper, brass, or aluminum are typically used for foldforming.

Chiseling is an ancient ornamental technique of artistic blacksmithing used both in jewelry making and in other branches of sculptural and applied arts. It is a manual technique where metal is worked by hammering various patterns and motifs into its surface. Over time and with patience, it’s possible to achieve three-dimensionality and hollow forms. Because of its use of simple tools like hammers and chisels with different profiles, this technique has been in use since ancient times, though today it is less well known, less frequently used, and often overlooked by artists.

This workshop combines practical experience with theoretical knowledge, allowing participants to gain a comprehensive understanding of the process of jewelry making using chiseling and foldforming techniques.

The final result of the workshop will be various motifs of three-dimensional shapes, from which a beautiful piece of jewelry can be created.

Prerequisite knowledge:

NO, no prior knowledge is required to participate in the workshop.

About the mentors:

Throughout the entire creative process, you will be guided by the renowned Slovenian jewelry designer, silversmith, and master jeweler Huberto Široka, who has received numerous international awards for his jewelry design work and leaves a significant mark in both Slovenian and international spheres.

The chiseling technique will be demonstrated by jewelry apprentices Sara Mermal and Eva Kušter, who are currently completing their apprenticeships under the mentorship of Christoph Steidl Porente at the Zlato runo jewelry workshop. Sara Mermal is a jewelry designer with her own line, Fairly Fairy, and Eva Kušter is a materials engineer specializing in metals and polymers.

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The meeting point for participants is 15 minutes before the scheduled time in the entrance hall of Center Rog. Please store your personal belongings in the lockers, which the mentor will show you. Please do not be late, as it disrupts the working process. Unfortunately, we cannot allow entry into the lab if you are late.

The program will be conducted in Slovenian unless otherwise stated.

In case of cancellation, we will notify you two days before the planned start.

If you cannot attend the program, the participation fee is non-refundable, and it’s not possible to change the date. You can transfer your participation to someone else, but please notify us at least 24 hours before the program starts via email: nakit@center-rog.si

We look forward to your company and creating together.