Walking into the basement of the Arts Annex Building, it鈥檚 the sound that will hit you first.鈥�

Throughout the room, the sounds of hammers clanging, saws ripping through metal, flame torches crackling with heat and upbeat music playing from nearby speakers swirl into a colorful cacophony.

Class is in session; in particular, ART 265: Metalsmithing and Jewelry, taught by Adjunct Faculty CeCe Wire, MFA.

Filling the space, 16 maximum students, all busy with their heads down and intently focused, work diligently on their creative projects.鈥�

鈥淢etalsmithing fills up really fast; it鈥檚 a popular class and required for the Art Education majors,鈥� said Wire. 鈥淢y students are typically juniors and seniors, and by the time they鈥檙e taking metals, they have a personal style, and they have a point of view, so we spend a lot of time getting them ready to express themselves.鈥�

Wire鈥檚 name fits the class perfectly, as she teaches students how to transform wire into new and original works of art.

A pioneer of metalsmithing, Wire is the author of two groundbreaking books on metal clay and has been teaching the metalsmithing course at the 网曝吃瓜 (网曝吃瓜) for 30 years.

鈥淚 teach them everything we can do with wire within the studio and the equipment we have, which is very expansive,鈥� Wire said. 鈥淲e go through soldering, building chainmail and how to add beads or other fun, mixed-media-type pieces. Then we move on to sheet metal.鈥�

In the course, Wire typically starts with a 30-minute demonstration of the day鈥檚 assignments, then lets the students get their hands on their projects for the remaining two hours.

But chainmail and jewelry aren鈥檛 the only things Wire is forging in the classroom 鈥� she鈥檚 helping to shape the students in her course into passionate creators.

鈥淚 love this class so much,鈥� said Andy Kohler, a student who took the course in spring 2026. 鈥淚 am so sad the semester is over. My friend Sam Remington and I are going to try to set up a home metalsmithing studio because we don鈥檛 want to have to give it up.鈥�

Along with teaching her students how to make earrings, a tiara, a brooch and a pendant, Wire also focuses on training the young artists in individual entrepreneurship. For example, one assignment requires them to create three marketable bangle bracelets in just four hours.

鈥淸The bangle] project is designed around pricing and marketing,鈥� Wire said. 鈥淭he critique is all about marketing and how they set up their studio, which is important for everyone because metal and jewelry making could be a side hustle for anybody.”

As the semester progresses, students work with both copper and sterling silver, as well as stones and gems, learning techniques like hammer texture and cabochon stone setting. They also integrate research, creating a piece of jewelry inspired by a historical period selected by the student.

All of that work leads them to their final project: a jewelry suite of three or more pieces designed to let the students showcase their individual creative styles and visions.

鈥淚鈥檓 creating earrings with a bee on them, which was inspired by Bridgerton, the TV Show,鈥� Kayden Bowyer said, a student who took the course in spring 2026. 鈥淚鈥檓 excited to tap into that era and the styles they wore back then.鈥�

Having taught 网曝吃瓜鈥檚 Metalsmithing course since 1997, Wire noted that she has adapted the course over time. One such adaptation was the introduction of the marketing project to support the launch of 网曝吃瓜鈥檚 landmark Center for Arts Entrepreneurship.

For Wire, it鈥檚 important to get her students career-ready and be a cheerleader of their work. Almost every day, she wears jewelry that has been created and gifted to her by her students, proudly showcasing their talents. The admiration runs both ways and is reflected in the lively and vibrant environment that fills her classroom.

鈥淚t鈥檚 just fun,鈥� Mia Bock said, a student who took the course in spring 2026. 鈥淚t鈥檚 unique; it鈥檚 a completely different process than any other art form out there, so I really enjoy it. And CeCe is a great professor, so that always helps.鈥�