Masterclass with Cynthia Eid

Back in 2012 I took the rare opportunity to join a Masterclass in Birmingham with Cynthia (Cindy) Eid. I had long admired her work, but never imagined I’d be able to learn directly from her (as she lives in the USA), and the experience did not disappoint. Cindy is a brilliant teacher, and I wholeheartedly recommend her book written with Betty Helen Longhi, Creative Metalforming, to absolutely everyone who is interested in learning more about metalsmithing. It’s all killer, no filler, incredibly well put together, clear and genuinely structured for learning.

It was an excellent week, deepening my understanding and expanding my skillset, but the most striking aspect of it was realising partway through that I was being taught in a new way, by a woman, which was not only highly intuitive, but also included a body awareness that was new to me. Cindy seamlessly integrated stance, freedom of movement, ergonomics, self care to avoid repetitive strain injuries, and a sense of whole body movement and flow, which has become a crucial part of my practice ever since.