Everything Is Fixable: Why Metal Clay Changes the Way You Create

As you may know, I am one of the hosts of the Jewellers Academy podcast.

This episode of the podcast felt especially meaningful to record. Not only was it the 300th episode, but I had the chance to sit down with my friend and fellow metal clay artist, Vicki Ralph, and talk about the material that changed the course of my life.

Metal clay is more than just a jewellery-making medium for me. It is the reason I founded Jewellery School Scotland, and the reason I’ve had the privilege of supporting so many people to discover their own creativity. In this episode, Vicki and I talked honestly about why metal clay is so powerful, particularly for those who may never have thought jewellery making was for them.

What we kept coming back to was a simple truth: everything is fixable.

And that mindset changes everything.

Listen to the episode now on the player below:

How metal clay found me

I didn’t begin my creative life as a jeweller. I was working as a teacher and exploring creativity alongside my career when I first tried a traditional silversmithing class. While I admired the craft, it didn’t feel like the right fit for me. The sawing, hammering and physicality didn’t align with how I wanted to work.

Then someone mentioned metal clay.

I booked a one-day workshop at the London Jewellery School in 2010, and I remember writing that evening, “I’ve seen my future and it is metal clay.” It sounds dramatic, but it was true. I felt immediately at home with the material. It was gentle, versatile, and full of possibility.

Within two years, I was teaching metal clay myself at the London Jewellery School, and it has shaped my career ever since.

Vicki’s story was similar in its own way. She discovered metal clay through a workshop with renowned artist Anna Mazon in Germany. She made a ring and pendant during that class and left wearing jewellery she had created with her own hands. What began as a hobby grew organically into a commission-based business, simply because people loved what she was making.

That is often how it begins.

What is metal clay and why is it so special?

For anyone new to the idea, metal clay is exactly what it sounds like: a soft, clay-like material made from tiny particles of precious metal mixed with an organic binder and water. You shape it, carve it and texture it while it is soft. Once it is dry, it is fired in a kiln or with a torch. The binder burns away, and the metal particles fuse together, leaving you with solid silver.

It still feels like modern alchemy.

One of the things I love most is how accessible it is. You don’t need a large studio or expensive equipment to begin. You can start at your kitchen table with simple tools and grow your skills from there.

It opens the door to jewellery making for people who might otherwise never try.

The mindset that makes all the difference

During the episode, we talked about something I often say to my students: everything is fixable.

If your clay dries out, you can rehydrate it.
If a piece breaks before firing, you can repair it.
If you don’t like what you’ve made, you can turn it back into clay and start again.

There is very little waste, and very little that cannot be resolved.

This removes so much of the fear that can come with learning something new. When you know you can fix mistakes, you give yourself permission to experiment and play. And that is where real creativity begins.

For many students, metal clay becomes more than a technical skill. It becomes a space of calm, focus and personal expression. A place where they can reconnect with themselves.

Box rings made by me, Anna Campbell. This project is part of the one year online Diploma in Silver Metal Clay

Finding your creative voice

One of the greatest joys of my work is seeing students discover their own style.

Vicki spoke beautifully about how her designs evolve organically. She may begin with an idea, but the clay often leads her somewhere unexpected. Her work features botanical textures, delicate carving and reverse-set gemstones, creating pieces that feel both natural and slightly otherworldly.

This is something I see again and again. People begin by learning techniques, but over time, their own creative voice emerges.

Metal clay allows for extraordinary detail. You can take moulds from leaves, carve intricate surfaces, build hollow forms and construct complex designs without soldering. It is incredibly versatile, and there is always something new to learn.

Even now, after more than a decade working with the material, I still feel excited by its possibilities.

From curiosity to confidence

When we created the online Diploma in Silver Metal Clay, it was because I wanted to offer the kind of structured learning I would have loved when I was starting out.

The course takes students from complete beginner to confident maker, guiding them through techniques step by step, supported by mentors, feedback and a creative community.

What Vicki shared about mentoring really resonated with me. She described watching students open their first packet of clay with uncertainty, and then seeing their confidence grow week by week. By the end of the course, they are creating pieces that reflect their own ideas and identity.

That transformation is why I teach.

Why I continue to believe in metal clay

Metal clay is still a relatively young medium, and many people have never heard of it. But for those who discover it, it often becomes something deeply meaningful.

It offers freedom.
It encourages experimentation.
It allows you to create something lasting with your hands.

Most importantly, it reminds you that creativity is not about perfection. It is about exploration.

And when you know that everything is fixable, you become far more willing to begin.

If you’d like to hear the full conversation with Vicki, you can listen to Episode 300 of the Jewellers Academy Podcast. And if you’re curious about trying metal clay yourself, Jewellery School Scotland offers workshops here in Edinburgh designed to help you take that first step in a supportive and welcoming environment.

You can watch the episode now on the player below: