Metals Classes incorporate intensive studio work, individual, group discussions and critiques, as well as demonstrations and presentations. The objective is for students to develop critical thinking skills and an understanding of the history and context of art and contemporary concerns, as they cultivate their own work. By experiencing a broad range of approaches and ideas, individuals are encouraged to develop an art practice that is relevant to their ideas and sensibility. The aim is for students to leave the area with an understanding of their own intentions and visual language, some strategies for sustaining an artistic practice, critical thinking skills, an understanding of the historical context and contemporary possibilities of metals and jewelry as media for artistic expression.