The Instructor

Maryanne Petrus-Gilbert is a working jewelry artist. She has created and sold her own line of jewelry and currently works creating the metalwork for many area artists. Her work has been featured in many national jewelry publications.

Maryanne has taught college level jewelry classes for 6 years. She has been teaching jewelry to people of all ages for over 14 years.

Artist's Statement

"My favorite days are spent soldering"

I have been making things since I was a little girl. I would experiment with any material and technique and create just about anything. My love of metalsmithing began with my first jewelry class in college. The feel and permanence of metal was so inviting I gave up all other mediums to pursue a degree in jewelry/metalsmithing. Since receiving my degree I have worked for other artists, developed and sold my own line of jewelry, and now predominantly work as metalsmith for Ford Forlano.

Now, 20 years since that first class, I try to develop that same passion for metals in every student that I teach. I love to see the joy in a student who has completed a project or mastered a technique after many attempts. I am a very positive, energetic person and I use that to inspire students to try and accomplish more than they think possible. At the very least everyone that finishes one of my courses leaves with a new appreciation for handmade jewelry.