Welcome! My Name is Jessica Clay, and I am a lawyer by trade but an artist at heart. I make handmade metal clay jewelry inspired by the nature around my Minnesota home; things like silver leaf earrings, copper tree necklaces, and sculpted birdhouse pendants. I have been making metal clay jewelry for more than five years and selling it for the past two years. I work in multiple clay brands: Precious metal clay (PMC), Art Clay Silver, CopprClay, BronzClay, and Art Clay Copper.
Metal clay is a relatively new product. It consists of microscopic particles of silver, gold, or base metals suspended in an organic binder. The mixture is a pliable and malleable material, with a consistency similar to modeling clay. After creating a piece, the artist dries the clay and then fires it in a kiln (preferable for durability and strength) or with a torch. The binder burns off leaving pure metal (.999 or fine silver, copper, bronze, etc.). There are currently two major manufacturers of metal clays, Precious Metal Clay (PMC manufactured by Mitsubishi) and Art Clay (manufactured by Art Clay World) that come in gold, silver, copper and bronze. There are other smaller manufactures producing other alloys, such as steel clay and white bronze. In addition to the regular clay form, the silver clays also come in a paste/syringe and a paper form. For more information check out the PMC Guild or Metal Clay Academy.
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