Alchimia is a school of contemporary jewellery in Florence, Italy, based in Oltrarno, Florence's historic artisan district. The school's philosophy is to provide students an innovative lab of creative thought, rooted in a deep understanding of traditional goldsmith techniques.

In courses offered from beginning to advanced levels, students develop strong technical skills guided by a capacity to elaborate artistic concepts and their own creative language. This teaching method, fine tuned over the past years and focused on the students and their individual nature, has produced results of a very high quality, with peaks of excellence made evident by many international prized acknowledgements.

Spacious workshops, excellent facilities, a great exhibition and gallery space, enable the students to pursue best their personal motivations and direction. Students develop a comprehensive traditional skills base with the help of Florentine goldsmith masters and are guided in their creative development by Ruudt Peters and Peter Bauhuis. In addition to the curricula the school participates every year in various international events and fairs, organizes exhibitions in Europe and abroad and further follows its alumni to facilitate their entrance in the professional world.

Teachers 2012-2013

Academic courses:
Peter Bauhuis, Lucia Massei, Ruudt Peters, Doris Maninger

Intensive courses:
Daniela Boieri, Marzia Rossi, Maru Lopez

Technical teachers:
Fabrizio Acquafresca: chasing and repoussé
Orsetta Andreotti: jewellery lab first and second year
Paolo Bernardoni: stonesetting
Daniela Boieri: engraving
Giovanni Martinelli: jewellery lab, third year

Basic Annual Jewellery Course 1

Dates 17.09.2012 to 07.06.2013
Length 32 weeks: 640 hours
Price  euro 8.200

Admission Requirements:
No exams are required for admission to this course. The maximum number of students admitted is 12.

First year students begin their studies by learning the basic techniques necessary for creating jewellery. Our teachers guide through both this training and the design process in a way that allows students a gradual technical and creative development. The main goal of this course is to equip students with confidence in the fundamentals of jewellery making, which contribute to the design and subsequent creation of jewellery.

Subjects:
basic jewellery techniques, design and rendering, technology, engraving.

Program:
Knowledge on jewellery terms and tools. Fretwork, filing and basic welding techniques. Necklace with repetitive elements. Cuttlefish-bone casting. Ring using tube bending technique. Chains. Fretwork bracelet. Brooch with different planes with different surface effects. Hollow constuction ring. Development of design projects and collections. Freehand drawing with basics of rendering. Technical drawing.

Teachers:
workshop and wax modelling: Orsetta Andreotti
design and rendering: Lucia Massei
engraving: Daniela Boieri


Advanced Jewellery Course 2

Dates 17.09.2012 to 07.06.2013
Length 32 weeks: 672 hours
Price euro 9.100

Admission Requirements:
Students are admitted to the course upon presentation of a curriculum with photos illustrating their level of technical preparation. This portfolio must be approved by the course tutors prior to admittance. Maximum enrollment in the course is 12 students.

In addition to the development and elaboration of advanced jewellery techniques, the second year programme is composed of conceptual exercises designed to provide students a more liberal understanding of jewellery. These excercises center around the creative dynamics and its language and focus on stimulating individual experimentation and research. Lessons of freehand drawing and jewellery history complete the programme.

Subjects:
advanced techniques of jewelry construction, chasing, lost wax casting, basic stone setting, conceptual excercises, history of jewelry, freehand drawing.

Program:
Group projects on development of jewellery with conceptual themes. Elaboration and revision of basic techniques. Advanced techniques such as different types of bezels and prongs, solitaire ring, hollow construction bracelet, joints and catches. Research on form and function for the realization of jewellery projects. Precious alloys. Surface treatments. Use of alternative materials. Freehand drawing. Jewellery history.

In addition, students participate in seminars held by internationally renound artists and goldsmiths, visit fairs and exhibitions in Italy and Europe, and are invited to compete in international jewellery competitions.

Teachers:
conceptual excercise, lost wax casting: Peter Bauhuis
goldsmith lab: Orsetta Andreotti
basic stone setting: Paolo Bernardoni
chasing: Fabrizio Acquafresca
freehand drawing and jewellery history : Doris Maninger


Jewellery Course - Specialization 3

Dates 17.09.2012 to 07.06.2013
Length 512 hours
Price euro 10.900

Admission Requirements:
Students are admitted to the course upon presentation of a curriculum with photos illustrating their level of technical and creative preparation. This portfolio must be approved by the course tutors prior to admittance. Maximum enrollment in the course is 12 students.

The third year course prepares students for their professional future. Particular emphasis is placed on the creative and intellectual development, as well as the refinement of technical skills. The training is performed with the constant support of a staff of teachers, lead by Ruudt Peters who represent the pinnacle of international contemporary jewellery. The essence of our philosophy is an intensive focus placed on aesthetic quality. It is the strength of this aesthetic quality that provides our students a foundation for the expression, development, and realization of their own, individual collections. The ideal and tangible complement to the course is represented by the students' participation in numerous qualified national and international exhibitions and fairs.

Program:
Theoretical and practical lessons on the jewel as a unique creation. Elaboration of theme jewellery. The jewel as an expression of one's own personality. Precious alloys. The use of materials connected with contemporary experimental jewellery. Lessons on advanced techniques of jewellery articulations, mechanisms and catches. The realization of an individual portfolio book. Participation in international jewellery exhibitions.

Subjects & Teachers:
Group discussions and critique: Prof.Ruudt Peters, Doris Maninger, Lucia Massei
Goldsmith lab: Giovanni Martinelli,
concept and theory of contemporary art : Riccardo Lami
Lectures, conferences and workhops by visiting artists and lecturers 


3 Year Jewellery Program: 

Dates 17.09.2012 to 5.06.2015
Length 96 weeks : 1.824 hours
Price Euro 25.380

3 Year Jewellery Program is the combination of the three courses:

Basic Jewellery 1
First year

Advanced Jewellery 2
Second year

Jewellery Specialization 3
Third year 


Quaternitas:
Quaternitas has been thought of as a transition between school and professional work and as the conclusion of Alchimia's didactic programme. The school/tutor still follows the students work but from a more external position than the years before. The student establishes his own workshop, beginning his carreer as a professional creator/designer. During this very delicate period he will have his tutor as advisor and guide. He will have 6 meetings with his tutor. 

The first and the last meeting will take place in Florence. During the year the students will meet at the tutor's house and studio. The dates of these meetings will be established by the tutor according to the development of the work of each student.The maximum number of students for each tutor is two. Only students who have attended Alchimia beforehand are admitted to this course. 

Prior Quaternitas Tutors
Ruudt Peters
Sofie Lachaert
Lucy Sarneel
Robert Smit

Length: one year
from Sept to Sept

Intensive Courses:

Intensive courses offer a viable solution for those who have limited time to study and experiment in the area of contemporary jewellery. The course is taught on a one-to-one basis. Each student is guided individually to ensure that lessons meet their specific need. Two different types of programmes are offered: technical and conceptual.

Users:
Beginners, jewellers who want to learn specific techniques, teachers, professionals and students who seeking a period of full immersion in another entourage and new stimulating experiences.

Dates:
Courses are available throughout the year, Monday through Friday. Interested individuals should contact the school directly to inquire about the availability of specific dates.

Time Table:
Monday thru Friday, 9.30-13.00/14.00-16.30, 30 hours a week.

Teachers:
Marzia Rossi, Daniela Boieri

The maximum number of participants is 6. For students of the intensive courses, tools and materials are provided (exluding gold and precious stones).

Price:
two weeks Euro 1200.00 + tax; every additional week: Euro 500,00 + tax

WEEKEND COURSES

Pigments on metal : explorations, experimentation in mixed media

Teacher: Lucia Massei
Program: Introduction to colours/pigments and demonstration of various colouring techniques on metal: hot acrylics, pigments and their application, resins, (mixed media), chemical thinners and adhesives. rolling mill stamping, flame gilding. Realization of one or more colored jewels using silver/copper/brass. Tools and non-precious materials as well as handouts on the course are supplied by the school .

Date: 16/03/2012 to 18/03/2012 and from 27/04/2012 to 29/04/2012
Friday: from 5pm to 8 pm.
Saturday: from 10 a.m to 5 p.m with an hour lunch break
Sunday: from 10 a.m to 5 p.m with an hour lunch break

Price: Euro 350,00 + tax


Textile Techniques in Metal: free experimentation with crochet and interlacing

Teacher: Doris Maninger
Program: Introduction to free interlacing (technique developed in Alchimia), preparation of the forms to be covered by the interlaced wire, finishing of the created piece; Introduction to crochet, basic stitches, working in three dimensions, free experimentation, inventing your own stitches, finishing techniques.

date: 17-18-19 February
Friday: 17/02 from 5p.m. to 8p.m.
Saturday: 18/02 from 10a.m. to 5p.m.
Sunday:19/02 from 10a.m. to 5p.m.

Price: Euro 350,00 + tax

Please contact the school for availability of the chosen course. Prices and details can be found on Alchimia's website.

2012

Selected presentation of Exhibitions, Fairs and Projects:

2000-Present: "Inhorgenta Europe", The New Munich Trade Fair Center (Germany)
2001-2003: “Dialogues” a 3 year collaboration with "Sir John Cass Institute" of London Metropolitan University, involving students and teachers of both schools. Nine exhibitions were presented in Florence , London and Munich.
2001-Present: a select group of Alchimia students have participated in the annual "Marzee International Graduation Show" (The Netherlands)
2002: Giampaolo Babetto, Manfred Bischoff and Alchimia students exhibited together at the gallery Marcolongo, Padua, Italy | “L'Ornament est-il toujours un crime ?", school symposium in Geneva, Switzerland
2002, 2003, 2007: "CraftBoston" (USA)
2003-Present: selected Alchimia students have participated in "Schmuck" and "Talente", IHM Munich (Germany) |  "Grassimesse" Leipzig (Germany)
2004: workshop and exhibition “Ravary II”, Galerie Marzee with Dorothea Prühl and Manfred Bischoff.
2005-Present: "Artornament " at the Alternatives gallery, Rome, Italy
2004-2007: "Twilight" a collaboration with Academy of Art and Design of Tallinn (Estonia). The exhibition has toured five cities: Tallinn, Florence (Sound Garden), Barcelona (FAD), Vienna (Galerie V&V); Idar-Oberstein (Industriedenkmal Bengel)
2005: "ALCHIMIA-Contemporary Jewellery" at "Ileana Tounta Contemporary Art Center", Athens (Greece)
2006: " Zauber des Wesentlichen" at Galerie Slavik Vienna (Austria)
2007: " No Diamonds" Fuori Salone at White Star Adventures Milano (Italy) |  "Italian Ways in Contemporary Craft" Cheongju Int'l Craft Biennale (Korea)
2008: "Siamo Qui-We Are Here" Symposium and Exhibition, Florence (Italy) |  "Alchimia" Deutsches Goldschmiedehaus Hanau(Germany)
2009: "Alchemic Experiences - How an idea can become a jewel" exhibition, 3 workshops and lecture at Shenkar College, Tel Aviv organized by the Italian Embassy and Italian Institute of Culture.
2010: “Abwandlungen, Umwandlungen, Verwandlungen” gallerie V&V, Wien, Austia. | Summer workshop with David Bielander and Helen Britton“ Autenticity in the age of style surfing".
2010-present:  “Joya“ , Barcelona, Spain
2011: “Rings “ Galerie Mangold, Leipzig, Germany |  “Linking Heritage to Contemporary” Workshop in Aswan, Egypt with Doris Maninger. Co-funded project by Azza Fahmy, and the European Union.

Selection of Awards:
2003, 2004, 2005: Naoka Nakamura, Flora Vagi and Marie Bonfils won the Marzee Prize for Graduation work 2003: Alchimia received the "Jury Excellency Award" at the Grassi fair, Leipzig, Germany
2004: Naoka Nakamura was a winner of the Herbert Hoffman Prize (Schmuck 2004, Munich, Germany),  Yu-Chun Chen and Flora Vagi received the Talente award for Design (Talente 2004, Munich, Germany) | At the Grassi fair (Leipzig, Germany) in 2004 Alchimia was awarded the "Grassi prize for Jewellery" for works exhibited by Oliver Fueting, Robean Visscers, Elena Spanò, Flora Vagi and Emanuela Zaietta.
2007: Rudee Tancharoen won the 2nd Award and "Silver Spur-The Organizers Special Award for creative courage and uncompromising attitude, innovation, sense of humour" at The Legnica Festival of Silver 2007 (Legnica, Poland)
2009: “TALENTE 2009” Internationale Handwerksmesse, Munich, Germany former student Coco Dunmire winner of Talente award. | “International Graduation Show 2009” Galerie Marzee, Nijmegen, Holland (4 students selected) Eugenia Ingegno wins the Marzee Prize.
2011: 1st Alchimiaward to Nadege Roscoe-Rumjahn |  “International Graduation Show 2011” Galerie Marzee, Nijmegen, Holland - Nadege Roscoe-Rumjahn wins the Marzee Prize