How to Find Students for Chainmaille Classes?
by Tara.
(Ontario, Canada)
Hi
I am a chainmaille artist who would like to expand and teach classes. I had done a few at a local bead store to great success but subsequently moved out of that area and have to start fresh. There is no craft/bead store in my area now.
Any ideas on how to find students interested in chainmaille?
Unlike beading, I find a lot of people out there are not familiar with chainmaille to begin with, but once introduced to it become fans.
Tara
Comments:
Websites
by: Katie
Have you looked at sites like meetup.com to see if there are any groups that possibly get together to bead?
Where to find students …
by: Nancy B.
Hi Tara, and others reading these posts….
Not knowing where you are from this end, but here’s a couple suggestions…
1. look for RV parks with club houses and ask for their ‘craft class person’ and offer one there.. (lots of retired folks with time to play and many are very crafty and curious)
2. post notices on bulletin boards at the local grocery store, at the post office, and other places frequently visited by the locals…of a class and how much the kits are, etc. with your phone # or email addy…
3. look for any adult ed classes/facilities in the area – they are always looking for teachers and have a good mailing list of folks who have taken other classes in the past, (to advertise for you) etc.
In the meantime, work up a flyer of the chains you can teach with pictures of them – price for a class or kits – and your best days or times (ie. for a 3 hour class).
Good luck in your search! Hope these ideas help!
If there’s a Michaels in the area, they also welcome teachers with talent to their stores.
Keep some samples in your purse or pocket when out shopping and stop in and ask at different places, stating what you’re looking for – ie, get the word out, leave them a business card or flyer with your contact info on it – and see what comes of sharing what you’d like to do.
Nancy B
Ideas for finding chainmaille students
by: Rena
Great ideas, Katie and Nancy B!
Tara,
1) If your town has a local 2-year college, why not see if they’d be interested in having you teach a 9-week or semester-long chainmaille class? Chainmaille is an art that builds on learning one skill, technique, and weave after another – so it would lend itself well to being taught in a series of increasingly skilled projects over a semester.
2) Also, think about the kind of people who have purchased your finished chainmaille jewelry in the past. Where can you connect with those niches of people in your new town? Some of them would probably love to learn how to make chainmaille jewelry.
3) Public libraries often hold classes and workshops on various topics, and I know some jewelry artists who have taught jewelry-making classes at their local libraries. Why not check with all the libraries in your area to see if this is a possibility?
4) Many of the towns I’ve lived in have some sort of a Parks and Recreation department, which offers all sorts of classes from dance to pottery to genealogy. Check for this kind of organization in your area and see if you can set up a chainmaille class.
5) In some towns there’s an active agricultural or home-economics extension department that provides classes on all kinds of topics. To find this in your town, ask your nearest public university, county government, or library.
6) Chainmaille could be a great therapy activity – physical therapy for people recovering from injuries, strokes, etc., as well as therapy for people working their way through depression, grief, post-traumatic stress, 12-step programs, and other challenges. Find the professionals in your area who help these people, and ask how you might set up chainmaille classes for them.
I hope this helps – I know there are plenty of people who would be interested in taking your classes!
chainmaille
by: Lisa
Call your local school district. Ours sends out a booklet I think twice a year with continuing education classes and there are quite a few jewelry making classes offered. It’s usually held in the evening at a local school. Some classes are geared for anyone, others for retirees or teens. See if your district offers something like this, they are always looking for different classes to be taught.
