Education In Motion Rio Grande Education In Motion

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Meet Our Instructors
Our instructors are professional jewelers, goldsmiths and gemologists with a passion for sharing their knowledge and experience. Their passion for this art form is manifest in every class they teach—from the beginner level to the advanced level. They understand that individual students have individual learning styles and individual goals. Education In MotionSM classes are kept small to facilitate one-on-one instruction. Class schedules are convenient so that you need not disrupt your livelihood to improve your skills.

Yvonne Padilla, a member of Rio Grande’s Technical Support Team, is an accomplished bead-stringer and designer. She has been teaching stringing classes for Rio Grande for over six years, including Beginning Pearl Stringing and Advanced Beadwork classes. Many of Yvonne’s designs continue to be featured in the Rio Grande Gems & Findings catalogs.

Mark Nelson, a Rio Grande Technical Support Team member, has an MFA from Texas Tech University, 15 years of jewelry-making experience, including nine years of retail bench experience and five years of laser welding experience. He has taught a variety of classes at Rio Grande and at tradeshows. Mark Nelson is also Rio’s television personality presenting over 30 jewelry making segments for the Beads, Baubles and Jewels program televised across the country.

Patrick Sage is a member of Rio Grande's Technical Support team and technical sales consultant with twelve years of technical field experience including five years of experience with industry casting equipment.

Phillip Scott, a graduate gemologist, is a member of the Rio Grande Technical Support team with 30 over thirty years of experience as a bench jeweler. He has cast silver, gold and platinum; his specialty is custom, one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces.

Patti Sowell, has been a member of Rio Grande’s Technical Support Team for over 10 years. Her 32 years of experience in the jewelry industry includes Beading, Enameling, Rio Rewards PMC Certification, Dichroic Glass, Wire Wrapping, Mold Making and Mass Finishing.

Ronnie Mares, a Rio Grande Technical Support staff member, Ronnie brings over 25 years of experience in the jewelry industry. Hand tools, metal and wire forming are among some of his many areas of expertise. Ronnie has worked in copper, brass and silver with basic tools to highly-technical equipment.
 

 

Edythe Lewis,originally from New York City, Edythe has a Bachelors degree in Art and has studied at Hunter College, Pratt Institute, and the Brooklyn Museum of Art. She has won awards for design, sculpture and jewelry.

Edythe moved to New Mexico in 1987 to study art therapy. In 1995 she was introduced to fused glass and has worked with glass ever since; creating unique art pieces, jewelry, mezuzah cases, dishes and fountains. She uses PMC® (precious metal clay) to create hand-formed, one-of-a-kind, fine silver settings for her jewelry, and is a certified Rio Rewards PMC instructor.
 

 

Eleanore Macnish, Eleanore Macnish has been a beadmaker for 12 years and has honed her skills at the Studio at Corning Glass, and studied with Paul Stankard at Urban Glass in New York. In 2000, she was Studio Assistant to Emily Brock. Her work has been exhibited in museums and galleries across the country and is published in numerous books and publications.

Eleanore is a regular contributor to Jewelry Artist Magazine (formerly Lapidary Journal) and Bead Unique Magazine.

Eleanore is represented by Mariposa Gallery (Albuquerque) & La Mesa Gallery (Canyon Rd, Santa Fe). Originally from Topeka, Kansas, she graduated with a degree in Anthropology at the University of Kansas. She currently lives in Albuquerque and works exclusively as a studio artist.