Continuing education

Kelsey Morgan Merkeley

Award winning goldsmith, distinguished craftsman, and jewellery product development expert.

photo of instructor, Kelsey Merkeley, standing in front of a window in a black blazer.

Kelsey Merkeley is many things; an award winning goldsmith, distinguished craftsman, jewellery product development expert, designer, production manager, creative director, business owner... but above all she is our one and only Continuing Education Jewellery and Metals Instructor, and we couldn't be luckier to have her leading our classes.  

She received her Bachelors of Fine Art from Thompson Rivers University in 2018, and her Master of Arts in Metal and Jewelry Arts, from Accademia Riaci in Florence, Italy, in 2019. 

No stranger to the world of fine jewellery; Kelsey has travelled to the epicenters of the jewellery and gem industries training with the world's finest artists and craftspeople. Her passion for the making, manufacturing, and marketing of luxury jewellery has allowed her to experience all corners of the industry. From mining, to design and creation, to sales, merchandising, marketing, and recycling. If your looking to learn about what goes into the process of making and selling jewellery (and everything in between), Kelsey is your person. 

Kelsey is also the Founder, Creative Director, and Designer of NVR NUDE, a fine jewellery brand based in Calgary, Alberta.

Kelsey's Courses

Jewellery and Metals

Jewellery Fundamentals: Cold Connections | Jewellery Fundamentals: Soldering Skills | Jewellery: Chains & Clasps | Jewellery: Ring Basics | Gem Setting: Flush | Gem Setting: Heavy Bezel | Gem Setting: Prong | Open Jewellery Studio | The Magic of Fine Silver Clay | Wire Jewellery

"My philosophy of teaching is anchored by my personal values of kindness, creativity, and authenticity, as well as, my personal goals to be a lifelong learner and to always be curious — consistently improving and evolving, listening, acting as a guide, and leading by example as a role model in and out of the classroom.

I instruct from a safety-first standpoint and make it clear that technical skill is the foundation for conceptual execution. From the first day of class, I enthusiastically encourage my students to be ambitious, curious, experimentative, and to participate in their individual development and learning pathway." - Kelsey Morgan Merkeley