About Tonya

About Tonya

Tonya Davidson is an award-winning metalsmith who has also been an educator of metals, glass and ceramics for over 25 years. She owned 2 paint your own pottery stores, Paint Yourself Silly, for 10 years, a coaching business, Artful Success, where she helped artists with their businesses and a metals tool and supply company, Whole Lotta Whimsy, for 10 years. She was a senior teacher for Rio Grande for 10 years and has been teaching metals since 1996. She has been published in several books as a chapter author including PMC Technic, PMC Decade and featured in numerous magazines such as Art Jewelry and Beadwork. Her work focuses on granulation, reticulation, fusing, surface texturing and gold application.

She has a bachelor of science degree in Interior Design and Marketing but her husband lovingly calls her the Life Efficiency Expert.  So you can assume that she has scoured every book, taken over 185 classes with other leading experts and masters trained all over the world, and tried every tool she could get her hands on, so she could pass along that information to you. So when you take a class from her, you are really taking a class from so many and that’s pretty unique!

Retired 2023 Hinges & Hollows: The Art of Memento Mori

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Class Information

  • About The Class
  • About Tonya
  • Dates
  • Student Release Waiver
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Prerequisite Skills and Required Technology
  • Safety Considerations
  • How to Save Money - Codes to Use
  • Join the Private Facebook Group!
  • Hinges and Hollows: Tools and Supply List
  • How to find Tonya Recommends Amazon tools and supplies

Tools and Materials

  • My Soldering and Fabrication Cockpit
  • Husky Bench/Desk
  • Fabrication Bench
  • Soldering Bench
  • Soldering Cart
  • Bench cart - plier side view
  • Bench Cart - end view
  • Bench cart -side view
  • Bench Cart - end view
  • Forming Stump and Cart
  • Thumper Cart
  • Your Pickling Station
  • Pickling Station Photo
  • Bun Foot Template All.pdf

Class #1: Thursday December 28th, 2023

  • Books that you should have in your library!.pdf
  • Trademark Hallmark Rules.pdf
  • Time Worksheet
  • Ventilation Hacks
  • Eye Protection
  • Swiss Torch.pdf
  • Torch and Gas - AC.pdf
  • How to set up your torches - QC.MOV1
  • Tips about Torches.pdf
  • What Surface to Use.pdf
  • Facts & Rules About Gold & Silver PDF.pdf
  • SIlver-Copper+Phase+Diagram.pdf
  • Stuller Stone Chart.pdf
  • Class #1 Recording
  • BONUS Class: Burs and Polishers5

Class #2: Monday January 8th, 2024

  • Removing material Creating Bends.pdf
  • Class #2

Class #3: Thursday January 11th, 2024

  • Class #3
  • BONUS Hinges & Fairy Dust1
  • IMakeJewelryApp

Class #4: Monday January 15th, 2024

  • Class #4
  • BONUS Silquar Soldering Board Tips & Cleanup
  • BONUS Knew Concepts Sawing Tips2
  • BONUS Class #4 Prep1
  • BONUS Class #5 Prep1

Class #5: Thursday January 18th, 2024

  • Class #51
  • BONUS Extra Details and Processes4

Class #6: Monday January 22nd, 2024

  • Class #6

BONUS: Soldering Video

  • BONUS - Outrageously Thorough Soldering Workshop1