The 92nd Street Y's spring semester kicked off yesterday so, of course, I was there for my enameling class.
In some ways, it was the same as always because I'm taking it at the same time with the same teacher, and many of the same students have returned. But there's always an exciting energy in the air on the first day of school (which this essentially was) and there were several new students present.
What's weird and kind of cool is that I'm now considered to be one of the "advanced" enamelers. Compared to some of the others, I'd say I'm more intermediate than anything, but I'm still skilled enough that the newbies felt as if they could turn to me for questions. My teacher even singled me out as an example a few times, "Watch what Naomi's doing," or "Feel free to ask Naomi for help." A few of the students did have some questions for me about the enameling process and I was happy to answer them.
This is my fourth semester in enameling so I've been at it for not quite a year. I really do enjoy it, but it's still a newish skill for me so it's a novelty for me to even associate myself with it. I'd love to eventually do something with teaching it, though. At the end of this semester (in May) I'm going to ask my teacher if I have what it takes to be a teaching assistant. The Y uses TAs to cover bench (studio) time. I'm not sure what they get for the work -- maybe free bench time hours or a discount? -- but it would be a great way to work toward teaching jewelry. Several of the advanced students in my class have been doing this for a while. I wonder if I'd qualify to work during the summer semester, which is a shorter, quieter time at the Y. In other words, it would be the perfect time to do a trial run as a TA.
This beginning of the spring semester also marked my year anniversary at the Y. I remember how nervous I was when I began taking Jewelry I last february. It was the February 2, the day before my birthday, and I'd signed up for this basic metalsmithing class as a gift to myself. At that point, I was breaking into sweats over the idea of using a torch, drill or saw, so I've come a long way. I still suck at soldering, though. I really wish that I'd signed up for any teacher other than the one I'd had for that class because she and I just didn't mix. She wasn't a bad person by any means, but she was a little too no-nonsense and impatient with a clumsy newbie like me. The class was always so quiet and serious and somber, not at all like I envisioned an art class being.
Happily, the rest of my jewelry classes have been exactly what I thought they'd be like: informative, but fun. I work really hard in enameling, but everyone is friendly and we always have a lot of laughs. The teacher actually seems to enjoy being with us and teaching the class; we're not just a way for her to make money. I'm glad that I stuck it out after that first class and tried a different skill because that beginner class almost made me believe that I had no talent; it almost crushed my dreams.
I'm actually thinking of repeating Jewelry I during the summer semester, but this time with a different teacher. Yes, I've completed Jewelry I and II, but I still feel lost when it comes to soldering and working with fire. I've disliked my metalsmithing classes, but perhaps I'd like them more if I had those basic skills down and didn't feel as if everyone were so far ahead.
Meantime, I'm really glad that my teacher persuaded me to continue with enameling. I don't know why I even considered taking a break from it.
To purchase my jewellery, head to Naomi's Designs or MayaGirl Creations.
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