AMCAW Virtual Guild

The AMCAW Virtual Guild is a benefit available only to AMCAW members.  Once per quarter, join a live online meeting where you can learn new skills from top-notch members of the metal clay community.

Our goal is to move beyond teaching techniques to create a space where artists of all levels can contribute their knowledge and enthusiasm, learning from each other and supporting and interacting for the benefit of the entire community. All Virtual Guild Meetings are recorded to make it easy for our members to listen at a later time when the live meeting is not convenient.

Our next meeting is January 21, 2023

Meeting Schedule

January 21, 2023
Presenter – Anna Mazon
Topic – Casting from Metal Clay Prototypes

March 18, 2023

May 20, 2023

July 15, 2023

September 16, 2023

November 18, 2023

Challenge Accepted – Working with Base Metal Clays
by Paula McDowell

Watch recording
Paula will talk about working with base metal clays including combining different metals and successful firing. Bring your questions and be prepared to get lots of tips and tricks.
Tracey Spurgin AMCAW Virtual Guild Trillion Stone Set Brooch Project
Tracey Spurgin AMCAW Virtual Guild Trillion Stone Set Brooch Project
Tracey Spurgin AMCAW Virtual Guild Trillion Stone Set Brooch Project
Corina Gheorghe

About Paula McDowell

Paula fell in love with silver metal clay in late 1999 when a metalsmithing instructor pointed out a tiny ad in the Lapidary Journal. Metal clay offered Paula the opportunity to sculpt, texture, carve and create forms that could be very difficult in traditional methods, all without melting sterling silver sheet, wire, and settings in the process.

When base metals came on the scene, Paula saw an opportunity to explore different metals and color combinations. Currently, Paula’s metal clay of choice is steel, often in combination with bronze or silver. Her piece, “Stuck In My Brain & Under My Skin”, was accepted to the inaugural Superbly Sintered Exhibition in 2022.

Paula is an Accredited Teacher for Hadar’s Clay and holds PMC certifications from Rio Rewards and PMC Connection. She regularly attends workshops to enhance and broaden her skills and has completed coursework with some of the best teachers in metal clay and metalsmithing.

In 2011 Paula formed L’esprit du Metal to promote metal clay and support its artists in the Lafayette, LA area. In 2017, Paula co-founded AMCAW with Lis-el Crowley and Wendy McManus. A thriving arts community and support has been a big part of Paula’s life since leaving the software industry in 2004.

Paula is relocating to southwest Ohio and is already planning how to re-invent her local creative community and business. You can find Paula online at studiofiredance.com.

Virtual Guild Video Library

To see an overview of the previous meetings visit our video library. This is a public page.

See the full video library

To go straight to the members page of video recordings please click the watch recordings button below. You will need to be logged into your account to access these recordings.

Watch recordings
Lora Hart Containers Virtual Guild meeting

Tim McCreight – The History of Metal Clay & More!

Virtual Guild meeting Sept 17, 2022

Lora Hart Containers Virtual Guild meeting

Corina Gheorghe – Cabochons & Metal Clay

Virtual Guild meeting July 16, 2022

Lora Hart Containers Virtual Guild meeting

Terri Hickey – Photo Polymer Plates

Virtual Guild meeting March 19, 2022

How It Works?

Each Virtual Guild meeting includes three sections:

  1. Presentation by a top-notch metal clay instructor
  2. Q & A session for viewers to ask questions of the instructor

The meetings are held in a webinar format. The presenting instructor is live online and will use on-screen photos and videos to teach concepts and techniques that are of interest to metal clay artists.

We know you will have great questions! That’s why time is set aside in each meeting for Q & A with the instructor. Participants use the built-in Q&A and chat boxes to ask questions and engage in discussions.

Join us live for the Virtual Guild meeting or watch the recording afterwards.

Your choice!

Technical Details

  • Click the Register Now button to sign up for the next Virtual Guild meeting. If the Register Now button is not showing then registration is not currently open.
  • You are registering for one meeting only and will need to register again if you wish to attend another meeting in the future.
  • You will receive an email confirming your registration, which will include instructions and a link to join the meeting. You will also receive reminder emails prior to the meeting.
  • A recording of the meeting will be available on this page to AMCAW members.
  • The Virtual Guild meeting will take place on the Zoom webinar platform. For more information visit the Zoom attendee help page.
VIRTUAL GUILD FAQs
Do I have to be an AMCAW member to participate in the Virtual Guild?
Yes, the Virtual Guild is a benefit of being an AMCAW member. Click here to become an AMCAW member today.
How do I register for a meeting?
Scroll up and click on the “Register Now” button, or just click here. You will be prompted to login using your AMCAW username and password before gaining access to the registration page.
How often are the Virtual Guild meetings?
Quarterly
What happens after I register for a Virtual Guild meeting?
You will receive an email with a link to join us on Zoom webinar. After you register, you will also get reminder emails 1 week prior to the meeting and the day before the meeting.
Do I have to register for each Virtual Guild meeting?
Yes. You will need to revisit the registration page to register for each meeting.
Do I need to download software on my computer before the meeting?
When you click the link to join your first Zoom webinar, you will be prompted to download the Zoom software. You can also prepare ahead of time by downloading the software here. When you join meetings in the future, the app will automatically open when you click on the meeting link.
Can I join from my phone or tablet?
Yes. If you click the link to join the webinar from your phone or tablet, you will be prompted to download the Zoom app to that device. You can also prepare ahead of time by visiting this page, which includes links for Android and Apple mobile devices. When you join meetings in the future, the app will automatically open when you click on the link.
Can I join if I don’t have a device with the ability to play video?
You can join by phone for audio. The confirmation email you will receive after registering for the meeting includes both a link to join the meeting through your device and phone numbers to call for audio.
Can I join if I don’t have a speaker on the device I am using for the meeting?
Yes, you can join by phone to hear audio. In the email confirmation of your registration, phone numbers to hear audio are included. It is different for every meeting so you will have to register for each meeting.
How far in advance do I need to register for the meetings?
You can register right up until the meeting starts, but please register sooner to be sure you don’t run into any technical glitches.
What if I miss a meeting?
Don’t worry. Recordings of past meetings will be available via the Virtual Guild page on the AMCAW website. You’ll need your AMCAW username and password to access the recordings.

About Guilds

Since the middle ages people with common interests have been coming together to form guilds. The craft and merchant guilds of that time were an important part of the fabric of society, maintaining standards and protecting the interests of the members. Though the merchant guilds have faded away there are still guilds of artisans and craftspeople. Today these groups serve to help us share knowledge and create companionship with others who are passionate about the same thing. 

Watch recordings
See the full video library

Apply To Present At A Future Meeting

If you are a member of the metal clay community with something interesting to share, then this high-profile opportunity might be perfect for you!

Get More Info and Apply Here