About Us
The School
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Hi, I am Tracy Hills - proprietor and jewellery tutor at Metal and Flame Jewellery School. Although I taught jewellery classes in Surrey, it was only when I moved to Liverpool in 2019, that my dream of running my own jewellery school became a reality.
At Metal and Flame, the focus is on teaching traditional jewellery skills to allow our students to go on and create their own jewellery line. Our school offers professional courses tailored to suit total beginners and right on through to advanced students. We teach ancient and traditional hands-on techniques as well as new and modern ways of creating them. Our students are taught by professional and experienced jewellers. |
Although the workshop is small, it is fully equipped with all the tools needed for all of your classes. No need to stand in long queues waiting to use equipment, as each student bench has its own complete set of hand tools which comprise pliers - including parallel pliers, files - both needle and flat, dividers, a ring clamp, ring mandrel, rawhide hammer, files and more. Each bench also has its own complete soldering station with soldering turntable, two hand held torches and various tweezers, picks and third hands. They also each have their own quick release Foredom pendant drill and an overhead light with magnifier.
The workshop also has a larger tool section - such as a rolling mill, hydraulic press, pillar drill and bench grinder and polisher. Although each bench has its own soldering station - we also have a large dedicated solder station. This has two large Sievert gas torches, as well as a Smiths Little torch for all our casting workshops or for those large pieces of jewellery which need more heat than a hand held torch can deliver.
In our warm and friendly studio, we take no more than five students at a time. This provides a good tutor/student ratio, allowing for the support and guidance needed to enhance your skills.
We offer various classes and courses in silver jewellery making and silversmithing. These vary from short one day taster classes, to multi week courses for beginners, intermediate and advanced students. We also offer more specialised techniques based workshops like making lockets, poison rings, box making, wax carving, enameling, stone setting and various types of casting - like sand, cuttlefish, and drop organic casting (water, broom and various food stuffs)
In short, we teach all the skills necessary to turn you into a professional jeweller.
The workshop also has a larger tool section - such as a rolling mill, hydraulic press, pillar drill and bench grinder and polisher. Although each bench has its own soldering station - we also have a large dedicated solder station. This has two large Sievert gas torches, as well as a Smiths Little torch for all our casting workshops or for those large pieces of jewellery which need more heat than a hand held torch can deliver.
In our warm and friendly studio, we take no more than five students at a time. This provides a good tutor/student ratio, allowing for the support and guidance needed to enhance your skills.
We offer various classes and courses in silver jewellery making and silversmithing. These vary from short one day taster classes, to multi week courses for beginners, intermediate and advanced students. We also offer more specialised techniques based workshops like making lockets, poison rings, box making, wax carving, enameling, stone setting and various types of casting - like sand, cuttlefish, and drop organic casting (water, broom and various food stuffs)
In short, we teach all the skills necessary to turn you into a professional jeweller.
Meet The Team
Tracy Hills
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Hi, I'm Tracy, and I am a professional jewellery designer and maker and sell my designs from my online store Tracy Hills Jewellery
But my story doesn't begin here. I am originally from South Africa and have been creative ever since I was a little girl. From my humble childhood jewellery forays of stringing gumball charms onto twine, I progressed to sewing and making leather clothing for stage wear, and then went to designing and making hats and fascinators, and finally onto my absolute favourite - making silver jewellery. I have also always loved jewellery, and as a child spent many hours dressing up in my mothers clothing and accessories. It was the swinging 60's and the fabulous hippy era and I especially remember her large vibrant Perspex rings and long strands of beads. My mum taught me to sew and I guess it is fairly telling, that with my first pay cheque, I bought myself a ring and a sewing box! Over forty years later, I still have both that ring and sewing box. I also play bass guitar. For over twenty years, my husband and I travelled the world playing music - both on land and at sea on various cruise ships. We had the misfortune of sinking twice, but that is another story..... Naturally, I made the bands leather stage clothing and Jewellery. |
In 2000, we settled in the U.K and I hung up my guitar. I progressed from making jewellery for myself to making for others. In turn, this led me to creating my own small business, initially making costume jewellery and millinery - which I sold from my website (Midnight Rose Creations) and from various e-commerce sites such as Etsy and Ebay. My costume jewellery designs have appeared in British jewellery magazines, such as 'Bead' and 'Beads and Beyond'
Wanting to further my jewellery making skills, I enrolled at Farnham University for the Creative Arts in Surrey and graduated with a BA (Hons) degree in metalwork and jewellery. Tracy Hills Jewellery was born.
Two of my my metal jewellery designs (Lace Cuff and 'Foxwood') were shortlisted for the prestigious Pewter Live 2012 Competition and I went on to win third place for my interactive pendant, 'Foxwood.
Most of my designs tend to lean towards, dark, edgy, rock and roll pieces. With a love of all things dark, weird and wonderful, my inspirations are varied; fairy tales, fantasy and Gothic. I am passionate about nature, which is predominantly what my work is about. Where some recoil in horror at a bird or bat skull, I see beauty. It therefore made sense to honour and immortalise these little beings in sterling silver. However not all of my jewellery is dark - I also love and create the lighter aspects of nature, by capturing the perfect swirl on a sea shell or the texture on a twig or acorn pod.
I am passionate about teaching traditional jewellery and silversmithing techniques to my students.
Wanting to further my jewellery making skills, I enrolled at Farnham University for the Creative Arts in Surrey and graduated with a BA (Hons) degree in metalwork and jewellery. Tracy Hills Jewellery was born.
Two of my my metal jewellery designs (Lace Cuff and 'Foxwood') were shortlisted for the prestigious Pewter Live 2012 Competition and I went on to win third place for my interactive pendant, 'Foxwood.
Most of my designs tend to lean towards, dark, edgy, rock and roll pieces. With a love of all things dark, weird and wonderful, my inspirations are varied; fairy tales, fantasy and Gothic. I am passionate about nature, which is predominantly what my work is about. Where some recoil in horror at a bird or bat skull, I see beauty. It therefore made sense to honour and immortalise these little beings in sterling silver. However not all of my jewellery is dark - I also love and create the lighter aspects of nature, by capturing the perfect swirl on a sea shell or the texture on a twig or acorn pod.
I am passionate about teaching traditional jewellery and silversmithing techniques to my students.
Guest Tutors
Amber Hills
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Hi, I am Amber Hills, and I hail from South Africa, where I initially trained as a sound and lighting technician.
I immigrated to the U.K in 1999, where I worked for a Lighting company. In the early 2000's, I was lucky enough to have done lighting for some huge acts - including Robbie Williams, Madonna, Slip Knot and the Party in the Park in London. In 2003, I left London and the sound and lighting industry and joined my father's retail and online musical instrument company, as a manager. This was in the early days of online selling and involved a huge amount of Ecommerce.I have remained in the digital market ever since; however, I have always been creative, and started making costume and beaded jewellery many years ago. |
A couple of years ago, I attended some silver jewellery making courses at Metal and Flame jewellery studios with Tracy, (my mum) and my love for jewellery making exploded.
I have branched out from making costume jewellery, to working with torches and metal. n particular, I am enjoying working with metal clay and I am now experimenting with wax carving.
I help out and teach various classes - including metal clay and sand casting at Metal and Flame Studios.
I have branched out from making costume jewellery, to working with torches and metal. n particular, I am enjoying working with metal clay and I am now experimenting with wax carving.
I help out and teach various classes - including metal clay and sand casting at Metal and Flame Studios.
Hannah Webb
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HI, I'm Hannah
I have always had a passion for designing, making and crafting, using a wide variety of materials and mediums and started my jewellery path at the very young age of 12. Initially I was self-taught by playing with tools and materials alongside reading books as this was the only way prior to the internet. I set up a workshop in my bedroom always on the hunt for more tools and stones. Eventually I found my incredible mentor Grahame Hanne and I persuaded my mum to come along with me to his evening class at Wilmslow Guild in 1990 where my thirst for knowledge kept growing. My grandma was of course my biggest supporter, having her ears pierced at the grand age of 86 so she could wear my designs. I went on to study at London Road Art School, followed by specialising in jewellery and silversmithing at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, Dundee and San Diego State University, USA, graduating in 1997. |
My secondary subjects at university were textiles, including weaving on gigantic looms and fabric dying, which I pursued as an African Wax Print designer and archivist, which helped me finance my early jewellery career. I set up in business designing and manufacturing contemporary jewellery from my high street workshop in my picturesque hometown, Knutsford. I showcased my jewellery at many prestigious trade and retail shows each year resulting in supplying over 80 shops nationally and internationally in the early 2000’s. I decided travelling, leaving my young boy at home was no longer ideal so I now concentrate on bespoke commissions, redesign of heirloom jewellery and share my knowledge to students.
In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my family, and developing my craft skills in a variety of disciplines including dressmaking, home renovations and upholstery.
Teaching is a privilege. The rewards are never ending, imparting my knowledge to my students and helping achieve goals. I love to help students to develop new skills, create wearable jewellery for themselves, or a gift or to sell in our shop, supporting our charity. Its great to be able to enhance social networking within our local and wider community, even internationally.
In my spare time I enjoy spending time with my family, and developing my craft skills in a variety of disciplines including dressmaking, home renovations and upholstery.
Teaching is a privilege. The rewards are never ending, imparting my knowledge to my students and helping achieve goals. I love to help students to develop new skills, create wearable jewellery for themselves, or a gift or to sell in our shop, supporting our charity. Its great to be able to enhance social networking within our local and wider community, even internationally.
Mascots
Meet Roxy and Cody. Every workshop needs a mascot, right?
Roxy and Cody belong to Amber Hills, and are two of the cutest and friendliest chihuahuas ever. Fierce warriors they are not; although they would be more than happy to lick you to death.
They are frequent visitors to our workshops, where they love to greet each and everyone of our students as if they were long lost friends.
Roxy and Cody belong to Amber Hills, and are two of the cutest and friendliest chihuahuas ever. Fierce warriors they are not; although they would be more than happy to lick you to death.
They are frequent visitors to our workshops, where they love to greet each and everyone of our students as if they were long lost friends.
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