Copper sheets were etched using resists (nail polish, ink, stickers) and submerged in a ferric chloride acid bath, eating away the exposed metal. This process can be used to create interesting textures or even images on the metal, which can then be used to shape into an object. Photo: Jen McCaw.
by Margaret Tessman
Since Kootenay Studio Arts at Selkirk College rolled together its metalwork programs in 2022, West Kootenay metal artisans and craftspeople have been looking for alternative opportunities for classes and mentorship. Winlaw-based metalworker Jen McCaw saw the need and responded with the creation of the Metal Arts Guild of the Slocan Valley.
Happy metal workers with the results of their labours. Photo: Jen McCaw
The guild received an Osprey Foundation grant for its first meeting at the Threads Guild building in Perry’s Siding in July 2025. The meeting included a copper etching class and skills sharing workshops with Slocan Valley iron worker Ted Seattle and stone carver and jewellery maker Jules Delaney from Slocan Park. Participants were encouraged to bring along works in progress to share and tweak.
McCaw completed her BFA at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, after starting a degree in marine biology at Dalhousie. “I was going to save the world, but I got caught up in the art thing,” she says. While in Halifax, McCaw connected with the Metal Arts Guild of Nova Scotia. “They were so kind and interested. They were people, not gatekeepers. Passing on skills is so important. It’s a legacy thing.” McCaw hopes to carry on that tradition through the Valley guild by offering regular workshops with experienced artisans willing to offer troubleshooting, tricks and hacks.
The guild plans on meeting every three months and is organizing a member show and sale for May 2026. Donations of tools and machinery are welcome.
