Discover your capabilities and expand your creative boundaries while you explore materials, skills and ideas. It's all part of the program when you pursue a degree in jewelry making and metalsmithing at PennWest Edinboro.
As a student, you'll thrive in the exciting, artistic environment of PennWest Edinboro.
Our Art Department has the widest array of studio offerings within the Pennsylvania
State System of Higher Education and is a program of distinction at Edinboro.
At Edinboro, we pride ourselves on our 100-year history of instruction in the visual arts and art education. In addition, our Art Department is accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art & Design (NASAD), which sets national standards for excellence in the field.
As a student, you'll start by learning traditional techniques for making jewelry, functional hollowware and sculptural objects. Move into advanced assignments that focus on conceptual development. Experienced faculty will work with you on an individual basis to develop your personal aesthetic and help prepare you for many career possibilities.
There is no portfolio review prior to admission. Just bring your passion for the arts and a desire to work hard in a multidisciplinary, highly supportive environment.
Cappy and Sue taught me to love process, but never to be satisfied with it. They drove me to refine my craft, question my assumptions and find joy in the process. They answered my questions, but they also gave me the tools I needed to find my own answers. As a teacher, I strive to strike the balance they have achieved in Edinboro’s program. Sue and Cappy have created a program that pushes students, both conceptually and technically, while also instilling a joy for making that serves students throughout their entire careers.
Our expansive studio has everything you need to fulfill your potential. You will thrive
in our 2,400-square-foot Jewelry and Metals studio as you master a broad range of
techniques and define your artistic style. Four separate rooms are fully equipped
for fabricating, forming, enameling, etching, casting, mold making, die forming, electroforming,
finishing and documenting work.
Jewelry and Metalsmithing graduates are finding success making custom and production jewelry, starting their own businesses or continuing their education in graduate school. Many garner national recognition from national galleries, exhibitions and publications. Some success stories include:
- Alyssa Rodibaugh (BFA ’18) - Works on educational programming while continuing to build her portfolio as a Studio Apprentice at the Society of Contemporary Craft in Pittsburgh, PA
- Logan Woodle (MFA ’12) - Assistant Professor of Art at Coastal Carolina University will be featured in the exhibition 40 Under 40: The Next Generation of American Metal Artists, 2019 at The Metal Museum in Memphis, TN
- Jenny Butterfield (BFA ’09) - Specializes in using non-traditional materials and sentimental objects to create fine jewelry. Her designs have been featured in the #GottaHaveIt Style Blog curated by Pittsburgh Magazine as well as Showcase 500 Art Necklaces. Jenny Butterfield Designs LLC is located in McMurray, PA, near Pittsburgh.
- Eileen Viloria (BFA ‘08) - Founder of Viloria Road in 2014. Her work is carried at area craft shows and at Artsmiths of Pittsburgh, where she is assistant manager.
Suzanne Amendolara
Concentration Head
8 Loveland Hall
Email: samendolara@pennwest.edu
Phone: 814-732-2820
Curriculum Sheet Course Sequence
Take charge of your experience. Ask questions, meet our students and professors, and see the campus yourself.
