Roma Mitchell Arts Centre - Jewels: In the Adelaide City region of South Australia

If you thought the art of jewellery making was all about finesse and subtlety then think again. Inside the Roma Mitchell Arts Education Centre on Light Square students are hammering, soldering and hack-sawing their way to future careers in the jewellery trade.

The course emphasises two elements - the technical skills needed for jewellery making and the artistic side as expressed in a broach-cum artpiece by second year student, Nic:

“It’s based on a favourite poem of mine about a Viking saga - about the Vikings wandering the icy seas. I've included a bit of the text and I thought a piece of worn glass I found on the beach was appropriate to incorporate with the silver and the copper.”

Nic's reconciliation ring, complete with acrylic hands is another piece to be judged as part of her year's effort. Fellow student Shauna Swanson's imagination has also been fired by the hand of friendship:

“I'm soldering a small hand onto a piece of metal. When finished I’ll bend it and it will become a ring.”

At the midway point in her year Shauna's built up an impressive collection. As she explains this course is something she’s always wanted to do:

“I've always loved the Arts. I was doing sculpture and furniture design but I decided to come down to a smaller scale.”

It's certainly smaller but no less impressive and proof of the talent on show at the Roma Mitchell Arts Education Centre. We were shown a pendant by Anton Vanderwalt. A combination of silver set in anodised titanium it had a matching broach.

For all the students it starts with a concept drawing and usually ends in a stunning piece that may well be for sale at the end of the year.The students sell their works to the public at what's called the Student Bazaar. It'll be held at the Centre in Light Square on Friday the 6th of December between five and eight pm. For details call 8463 5000.